What were you expecting when you saw this headline? Are you expecting me to brag about how awesome I am? Or how awesome our business is doing? How many cool clients we have? Or how cool it is to be entrepreneurs?
Well, if that is what you were expecting you are going to be quite disappointed.
Anyone who knows me and/or follows my blog knows that I encourage you every day to be yourself, to be transparent, to let your true self shine.
Being transparent is exactly what I am going to do to today.
Confession time:
Confession: I am too big for my britches.
What kind of britches do you think I am talking about? Well in my book there is only one kind of britches and they are the ones we wear. You know, the ones that should cover our nice little shaped butt.
I have a real problem. I am literally too big for my britches. The pile in my closet that fits is becoming more transparent than the pile that does not fit. You know the pile… the pile that either fit 5 years or ago or will fit in another few months.
When I was at the IBM Smarter Commerce event last week I had an epiphany. Actually I had a few of them.
As I sat up on stage at the IBM Super Women's Power lunch for a speakers panel with Porter Gale and Maria Winans, VP IBM Industry Solutions Marketing, it hit me. There Maria sat with her big guns and I with my big gut.
I have accomplished a lot in my life. I spent the first fifteen years of my career working in corporate America, rockin' brands big and small. I was doing social media before it was called social media. I have spent the last three as an entrepreneur. We sold our first agency, and launched a second full service social business agency last year and it is rockin'!
As I am getting booked for top international keynote speaking engagements, consulting and servicing dream clients from entrepreneurs to Fortune 50 brands, there is something missing.
As I took care of everything and everyone else in my life the past few years, I have let myself go. I let tweet chats, client meetings, and new projects take over the workouts, meal planning and time for me. I let the pile of “someday” pants grow and the “me” pants dwindle. I let the size 3 and 5 fall to the bottom of the “someday” pile instead of on my butt where they should be.
Taking Back My Britches (the small ones)
So here on this blog post at this very moment I claim my right to the “someday” pile of britches. They are going to be a “soon day” and I will fit in them. Heck I have every size from zero on up so I should be all set.
Maria Winans is an inspiration when it comes to business, life and fitness. She has more certifications in kickboxing and other martial arts than I know how to spell. Over lunch Maria and I were chatting about weight loss and setting priorities to keep fit and healthy. She recommends keeping it personal, surrounding yourself with those who inspire you and most importantly having an accountability partner. I took her words of wisdom straight to the heart.
My partner in both business and life, Josh Moore and I are committed to this “smaller britches journey.” We have also successfully recruited two of our good friends and neighbors (also a couple.) We started this past weekend and had a challenge who could make the healthiest side dishes for a Memorial Day barbecue. Our barbecues will now be focused on challenging each other to eat healthy versus stuffing ourselves. It's all how you look at it and where you put focus on what matters.
Join the “Fit In Our Britches” Journey!
Here is where you come in. I know there are many of you out there who feel the same way. I know because you have told me. You have shared your stories with me. It's why I write about passion, entrepreneurship, staying true to self and more. I know we all struggle with it from time to time. Heck, we can't be super woman and super men all the time.
I invite you to join us in this journey. If you too want to “fit into your britches” join the conversation on Twitter. Simply use the hashtag #2big4mybritches. We will inspire one another to make healthy choices, take time to workout, and plan our meals. We will help one another be accountable to who we are and where we want to go.
As I always say… if you hang with 9 brokes you are going to be the 10th. How about we change that to “if you hang with 9 people who fit in their britches, maybe you'll be the 10th!”
All joking aside, I am serious about this. You will see the real physcial me coming back to real life in the very near future. #NoExcuses!
What You Say?
Can you relate to this situation? Do you too have a pile of britches you want to fit into? Or have you been there and done that recently and want to inspire others? Either way, we'd love to have you along for the journey. Share your thoughts below and let's get-r-done friends.
p.s. The hashtag #2big4mybritches was inspired by one of our awesome clients. We have an inside joke where as they grow their online communities and see results in social media they often claim they are “too big for their britches.” To our friend and client you know who you are and we thank you for such inspiration! ;)
p.s.s. Bryan Eisenberg you are also an inspiration! Our conversation at the IBM Smarter Commerce event about your success in losing 100+ pounds and getting fit again ignited my passion and commitment to this journey. I thank you for that my friend!
