Work in Progress

Hello High Heelers

Gosh! I am in pain. I’m also a complete ‘non-High Heeler’ today. Why? Well, quite simply because I am an idiot. Really – I am! You see, I recently started gym-ing every day before work. And I mean every day. After a year of no exercise, I have hit it big. Moderation? What moderation? And last night I managed to overdo it a little (ok – a lot) and today my calves are so sore that I can only wear flat shoes. I have become a flat-shoed one.

Before the hurtful gym session, I found myself in the dressing room pulling on a pair of tracksuit pants that I haven’t worn in some time. And in that time, I have grown a little – horizontally. Fortunately they did go all the way up and tied around my waist comfortably, but since they were stretching wider than ever before (around the thighs and posterior regions) they were suddenly a lot shorter. So there I stood in front of the mirror wearing funny pants with my awkward bright new running shoes sticking out the bottom. I felt ridiculous!

I had that female moment! We’ve all had them – even the men. I felt convinced that I was a fraud and the most hideous creature on earth and that I had no business being at gym next to all the glowing super-human supermodels. I wanted to hide in the bathroom like a hibernating hippo. And then, the most wonderful thing happened. As I walked miserably past the mirrors, not one, not two, but three morbidly obese women crossed my walk of shame. Each of them red faced and well-wet from a session of heavy exercise. Go girls!

Why was this a ‘eureka moment’? Well. You see, I came to the wonderful realisation that people who go to gym are not actually perfect people, they’re people who want to better themselves. They have a goal and they are ‘works in progress’. You’re never too old, too fat, too tired or ‘too anything’. It’s about making the decision and committing to do your best to keep going.

That’s really much of what life is about. It’s this constant attempt to be a better you. We study harder and more. We aim for better jobs. We pair up with a partner to be a better ‘us’ – or we don’t. We have children and try to get the best for them and from them. We eat better, exercise more, dress more elegantly… Well, for those of us that believe in this form of progression, this is what we do. We also try to model ourselves on people who have succeeded in ways we define success for ourselves – forgetting that we are unique beings.

This constant journey of self-improvement pushes and stretches us, often beyond our pain threshold. So sometimes we will feel a little ‘sore’ when we’ve pushed ourselves far. But remember that High Heelers are malleable beings and will always heal if we allow ourselves to, and when we have the right support and attitude. When I make mistakes at work my fabulous boss, Natalie Maroun, gently corrects me (most of the time!) and pushes me in the right direction. Sometimes it hurts, but it always results in personal growth and achievement. The result has never been anything other than great improvement followed by personal joy.

So, may I encourage you to see yourself as a work in progress this week? Be kind to yourself for not being ‘there’ but continue to push your own boundaries and allow yourself to grow. There really is no pain as sweet as growing pains! Have a wonderful week!

Cheers,
Jo