Gerald is a happy physician. Even during tension and indecision, he looks happy, contented, and confident. The problem? His weight. By his own estimate, he is 100 pounds overweight.
For years, Gerald was convinced that he would always be a 300-pound man. “It runs in the family. My dad was overweight, my grandfather was overweight, and I’m overweight. That’s just the way it is and will be.”
And then it happened. A little boy accompanied his mother in Gerald’s clinic. Sitting in a chair beside his mother, the 7-year-old boy, stood up, faced Gerald and said, “You are fat. You are really fat,” and then sat down. His mother did not apologize or correct her son. Gerald realized that he spoke for his mother as well.
He began dreaming about the experience and was upset that he could not stop the recurring dream. The clinic staff confronted him. “Gerald, what’s happened? You stopped smiling and greeting us.”
Because of the drama with the boy, he consulted a therapist who recommended a weight loss program. Gerald enrolled and in six months lost 70 pounds. He now weighed 230 pounds. Convinced he could lose more, he continued with the program for six more months.
His smile, pleasant greeting, and positive outlook returned. He asked his patient, the mother of the boy, to bring him to the next appointment. Without saying a word about his weight loss, Gerald greeted little Jim, who said, “Boy, you have changed.” That’s all Gerald needed for confirmation. Little Jim may never know the impact of his confrontation. Gerald will never forget it.
To the reader: If you are confronted with a personal issue that inhibits your growth and relationships, change your internal scripts. You have the power to change your mind, your attitude, your worldview, and your life. Take the brakes off your brain, challenge your long-standing assumptions about yourself, and celebrate the “YOU” you want to be. You can do this
