Saturday, January 05, 2013

A New Year, A New Resolve?

THERE IS NO TRY!

Wow! It sure has been some time since I posted anything new here. I guess I should apologize to those who expected to read more encouragement from me. I am sorry that I sort of let you down by not posting here for over a year. Maybe, if some of my readers are still around, you will take a minute with me again.   My new resolve for 2013 is to keep up with posting here more often.  I am going to stop waiting for something incredibly "profound" to strike my sense, though!  So, get ready to read more often, yet, maybe more "mundane" content!  It's going to be more the day to day, maybe even checking in or creating accountability with readers!  I hope you will stick with me and comment!

I have been thinking about this for some time now.  I have a wonderful new job for a great company: RealDose Nutrition.  Our main product is Weight Loss Formula No 1, which is an herbal supplement to assist those with their weight loss program.  I have been working in caring for our customers now for 8 months, and I LOVE my work!   I love being a helping, concerned customer service person, who wants to really help people make their lives healthier and happier.  Sometimes, I get a bit frustrated, which, if you've ever done any customer service type work, I know you understand!  I said this months ago however, to my boss, that working with RealDose would not only change the financial and work side of my life, but everything in my life as well!   The interesting thing about this is do I really WANT the changes?

I have been learning a LOT about diet, nutrition, our products and how the use of supplements can improve mood, overall health and impact wellness. I have also learned and studied quite a bit lately about the use of drugs, pharmacological treatments and the devastating use of these drugs, essentially chemicals, on life and health of many. So, this is where this blog comes in.  I talk to so many people every day.  People in every age group, and size, and state of health and mind.  Many have chronic health conditions, and have been told they must lose weight to help that.  These also seem to be the folks who say they a "tried" so many things to lose weight, and are still struggling.  Many want to just stay fit and trim, or maintain their weight and fitness.  Some seem to have a penchant, if you will, for any "natural" gimmick or new fad.  They watch Dr Oz and take pretty much everything he says as "gospel", so they are open to trying new things.  Our product appeals on a lot of levels, but I am discovering that it doesn't seem to "fit" everyone that buys it. 

One thing that has been on my mind a lot is how our customers seem to divide into two very distinct groups of people. First, there are the people who purchase our product, fully understanding that it can help them lose weight, and really expecting that to happen.  However,  they also chose to make healthier choices in their diet and lifestyle, along with using Weight Loss Formula.  So, they faithfully use our product as recommended,  and do all the things we also recommend in our guideline to healthy eating.  When they make that decision, they usually have good things to report to us within a few months of use.  One of the best parts of my job was being assigned to work on the testimonials that we have received from happy customers. 

This realization, along with my own personal ideals, brought a lot of insight into this "truth", as it were: that those who had approached buying and using our product with the resolve to do what was necessary to change old habits, did meet their goals or were on their way to meeting their weight loss goals.  Many have also reported how much better they felt too, not just as a result of using our product, but just about what they had accomplished!


Now this brings me to the other distinct group.  I do all aspects of customer service: I not only take customer calls for sales, but also for support and complaints.  Since our product has a full, money back guarantee, we do hear from a fairly good number of people seeking a refund.  When they contact us, we do try to do everything we can to help them understand that our product is not a "miracle pill", which magically takes off the weight, without their making any other changes to their lifestyle.  We always try to talk them into staying the course, continuing to work on their program and maybe try to refer them to our one on one coaching program for additional support.  Some customers are receptive to this, and decide to keep working at it.  

But, then there are some who simply decide, after just a few weeks of use, that like all the other things they have "tried" and failed with to lose weight, our product is among them now.  They have offered all kinds of creative reasoning, also known as "EXCUSES" why they don't want to keep working on meeting their goal.   Interestingly, some even make those excuses before even starting to try our product. 
As soon as they get the product, and read through our guideline for healthy eating, they say, "I just can't do that!"  or "This doesn't fit my lifestyle" or "I can't drink that much water every day!".   So, they call us up, or email us, to make a return!

I also realized that this pretty much sums up the whole of our society, or our humankind.  You can find these two types of folks in pretty much every walk of life.  The first group are the "go to", "GUNG HO" group.  Nothing holds them back, once they have set their minds on something!  They decided to make it happen, and they are willing to do whatever it takes now to be successful and attain their goals.  Then there is the second group.  For lack of a better word, they are simply "lazy".  In truth, their ability or skills are probably no less than the first group.  The only difference between them is a simple thing called "motivation".  Also, a healthy amount of desire, resolve, tenacity and faith, and a dash of humor!


To the second group, the folks that regularly meet with success at what ever they put their mind to appear "lucky", or "smart" or "privileged".  They seem to also place labels on the successful set: labels that they decide, for whatever reason(again an excuse), don't or can't apply to them.   They also seem to end up in a "rut" in life.  They go through life deciding to place these labels or limitations on their thinking first, and this adversely affects everything they do, or that they decide NOT to do.  You can find them, at that point,  going a step further in deciding perhaps that they were "victims" of their situations or circumstances.   I have also seen that this lifestyle habit is a pretty dangerous one.  They have "learned" helplessness, victim mentality, and maybe thrive on this through out their lives and prey on others for help.  Finally they seem to end up playing the blame game, and wondering why their life is so "crappy"!  And the thing they seem to do best is complain about how everything and everybody has "wronged" them throughout their life!

So, after this understanding, coming back to my personal experience, I realized this about myself.  Some years ago and through my journey to single living again, I learned how I had to make the decision to change things about my life that I found unsatisfactory.   When I made the decision to stop focusing on others, or placing the blame for my circumstances on others, and to turn inward, I began to realize that I too, wasn't any "worse" or "better" off than others.  That the people I envied for their "good" lives, or great jobs, or living situations, were really no different than myself.  And that if I made the decision to just DO IT, I could make the changes in my life to have to kind of life I envied in others.  This change began in my thinking, and then in my words: first to myself and then to others.  And finally, it culminated in my setting out to just DO the thing I desired!   I know you're probably thinking that this sounds deceptively simple!  Yet, any accomplishment really begins with how you think about it, and yourself, then make the decision to just DO the thing you want.  

That is why this film line is one of my favorite quotes:



"Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."   

-- Yoda in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back


Since it is getting quite late, I will go ahead and post this "installment" for today.  I want to continue on this subject tomorrow and to tell you about what all this has really taught me about myself, as well!  I will also share what all this great insight may hold for the coming days and month, and throughout this wonderful new year!  

I hope you'll stick with me, and tune in regularly for my new, 

"A NEW HEALTHIER YOU?
  or the journey to a healthier ME" blog!


2 comments:

TreborG2 said...

Its not that I mean to bad mouth the product .. but how much is "the product" and how much is it actually the fact that it tells you to change the diet, and to get moving .. etc.

We were hunter gatherers, gout was a thing for kings, and peasants were getting digits lost for theft of bread ... and now we're modified couch potatoes.

If we all ate better ... if we all walked more .... or did some physical exercise ... pills and fads wouldn't be needed.

Not that he's a great role model but look at Jared (yes, THE Subway guy) ... sure as time went on he worked out too .. but it started by walkin' to and from the lunch wagon.

I'm sure the standard dietary recommendations are much like many other health supplements .. more Veg, less meats, and what meats eaten are lean or with complex fats rather than chips and dips, easy on the starches, or if you do starch, do so without the "helpers" (ie baked potato *plain*, no butters no salts no creams)...

Even I've lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks being good on the diet, not eating late and going to bed right after, and Veg veg veg! .. starving? eat plain vegitables ... fruits are good too ...

but how many of us do that.. and do it the right way? Not enough. I'm sure the pills do help ... but its that secondary stuff they say we must do *with* the taking of the pills that does more for us (or so I believe, and so do others).

Now the motivation stuff.. well that's a hard sell no matter which way you look at it.. :)

Ruth Anne said...

That's exactly right! And the fact is its is NOT the supplements, no matter what it is. There is no "miracle" pill. Too many I think expect to buy the supplement to do all the "work" for them, without facing that fact that it is all about what you eat and changing habits!

And then, the success factor really does boil down to how motivated we are, and how much we WANT to change to improve.

Thanks for your insights, my friend! ;) <3