How I’m Going from Couch Potato to Main Character
I’m going to change my life one step at a time
If I’m honest, this article has been drafted in my subconscious for longer than I care to admit. But I’ve been too scared to officially get it down on paper. And even more scared to publish it online. Until now. Today I’ve chosen to be brave (albeit very vulnerable at the same time!). I’m going to change my life and I’m going to document it right here on Medium. Why? Let me explain.
I’m one of those people who relies on external accountability to get things done. I can meet a deadline set by anyone else but myself. I can arrive at appointments and work on time, if not early, because I’d hate to let anyone down or have a bad reputation. But when it comes to being accountable to myself, I’m woeful.
I’ve had in mind that my life needs a bit of an overhaul. Particularly when it comes to my physical health and mental wellbeing. But what I have in mind will be a big change and it feels a little overwhelming if I’m honest. I’ve tried many times to make changes and I can usually build momentum for a week or two before I lose motivation. With no one to push me but myself, my grand ideas go out the window and float away in the breeze. And then I convince myself that having an incredible life is something for ‘other people’. ‘Lucky people’. Not me. But no more. That’s where Medium comes in.
I’m going to change my life. I’m going to stop being a couch potato and channel some serious main character energy into my life. I’m going to get all the things I want and have the life of my dreams. And I’m going to write about it here for the world to see. Share my journey and the lessons I learn along the way. Maybe no one will read it, but I’ll know that at any point someone might click on this article and see that I’ve promised to change my life. And that is my external accountability right there. My signature on the dotted line that I’m committing. My oath. And if I can get some words of encouragement along the way to propel me along, if I can provide a sliver of inspiration or motivation for anyone else out there who might be considering a similar journey of self-improvement, even better!
So what exactly am I hoping to change? A lot. Some big things, some small things. And in lots of areas of my life. Some ideas aren’t even fully formed yet. But that’s part of the journey!
Allow me to provide some brief context. In the grand scheme of things, my life is pretty good and I am very grateful for that. I have a secure job that I enjoy, I live in an apartment in a suburb I love, I have the most gorgeous niece and nephew in the world (biased as heck, yes) and health-wise I have no major issues. That all said, there are areas of my life I want to level up in.
While I’m lucky to have no major health issues, I’m also extremely aware of how unfit I am and my immune system has taken a little bit of a beating this year. My mindset tends towards … well, let’s be honest, a pretty substantial negativity bias, so I’m going to put in some work to flip that to more automatic positive thinking. I’m also single and looking to find love — and, really, looking to expand my social network. Finally, the last three years have given me a huge perspective shift and I am actively seeking ways to achieve financial independence. I want to be able to earn more money, on my own terms, and do so flexibly and with more time to pursue … well, life!
In summary, I’m going to tackle the following main areas:
- Health and fitness
- Loneliness and love
- Mental mindset
- Obtaining financial freedom.
As I work through each stage, I’ll share my strategies and knowledge, successes (and failures!). And you can follow me at any point in this journey, via this Couch Potato to Main Character reading list right here.
It’s probably going to be messy. I doubt everything I have in mind will neatly sit in those categories, to be ticked off in perfect order, failure-free. It’s a somewhat grand and slightly (ok, a lot) unformed plan. But it’s exciting and it’s not meant to be linear anyway. The detours are where the magic will happen.
So stay tuned for Chapter 1, where I start tackling my fitness, coming very soon!
