Trailer Trash Yoga
Susan Powter: Valley of the Lesbian Doll
I stepped on the scale this morning and it groaned. Gads, this time of year is difficult. I have zero motivation, a huge appetite. I feel constrained by this body, as if it is getting in the way of my doing the things I love to do.
It’s not as if I’m lying around the house making [tag]garbage angels[/tag]. It’s just that my internal motivation, my commitment to myself, fails me when the meds or the time of year sap my will.
I was allowing myself a small bout of self-loathing this morning as I read email, and what should arrive? An email from none other than [tag]Susan Powter[/tag]. You remember her, the exhuberant, crew-cut exercise guru? She’s back, better than ever, with a new hairdo, a new website, and the same old infectious exuberance.
I definitely have trouble staying motivated. I am confident that SP can motivate me - her book “Stop the Insanity!” made a big difference a couple of years ago - but I seem to disconnect from my commitment. Yes, I have discussed this problem with my shrink. We’ve concluded that my [tag]psych meds[/tag] are messing with my dopamine levels, and this messes with the connection between intention and action. The best answer is to reduce the psych meds, and I am trying to figure out a strategy.
I would like to pass on a concept. Motivation is something that comes from outside. Motivation is what gets you started. To continue after the external motivation has lost its power, we must also develop a commitment to ourselves. Commitment is internal and can’t be extinguished by external forces.
I’ll be watching Susan Powter’s new webpage with interest.
