He lost 75 pounds in 3-1/2 months. He admits it wasn't likely the ideal way to do it or the ideal timeframe. But he was sick and tired of being sick and tired. Here's what he did:

1. Gave up soda and sugar2. Ate oatmeal every morning3. He ate grill chicken every day and premade enough for the week, his only veggie was broccoli4. When he got too tired of chicken he ate eggs instead5. He ate special k bars for sweet cravings (high glycemic but it worked for him)6. He did eat fruit but his overall calories were under 1500 calories a day7. He was hungry at night so he would go to bed early8. He avoided dairy and went to almond milk9. He did not go to the gym but he did walk and run

I saw his video about a year ago and for some reason, it popped up in my YouTube feed again so I watched it again. He's just a good 'ol boy trying to get better. The minute he said it, I instantly remembered watching this a year ago - because it's such a true statement.



Lots of folks who are smarter than me had said it. We all know it's true. In our own lives. In the lives of others.“We change our behavior when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of changing. Consequences give us the pain that motivates us to change.”                   - Dr. Henry CloudOur slimmed-down country boy says it in a way I can completely understand.

"You have to be totally tired of who you are."

Why would I be totally tired of who I am?

Let me count the ways. ;)Self-awareness is the ability to see yourself clearly and objectively through reflection and introspection.That's how an article at PositivePsychology.com begins. The title of the article is, "What Is Self-Awareness and Why Is It Important? [+5 Ways to Increase It]."

Social media is overrun with people disparaging the opinions or viewpoints of others when it comes to YOUR life. It goes well beyond the seemingly wise admonition to ignore the haters. It presupposes that everybody has the ability and desire to see themselves accurately and that each of us is able to do that without any help. It also foolishly holds that none of us benefits from listening to others.

The truth is we all struggle to accurately see ourselves or to face the realities of ourselves. We likely lean toward thinking too highly of ourselves, or too lowly. It's too easy for us to overestimate or underestimate ourselves. Accuracy is difficult. Others can help provide just enough perspective where we're able to more accurately see ourselves. If we choose to ignore their help, it hinders us. We need the insights, experiences, and observations that others can provide.

But not just anybody can do that for us.

Those with whom we're fully safe serve us best. These are the people who only want our best. They have no other agenda. They don't want to live our lives for us. They don't want to make our choices for us. They simply want us to do the right thing by helping us make the wisest choice that will help us be our best. They love us enough to challenge us, nudge us, push us, question us, support us, and do whatever else they can to help us move forward. If we choose to ignore or banish these people, we do so at our own peril.

Self-awareness is not a solo pursuit. It demands we make wise choices in who surrounds us.

That's a critical component to succeed in growing tired of who we are when who we are has become destructive or detrimental to being our best.

Recently we learned that a business hero to many - Tony Hsieh, founder of Zappo's - was living a life most of us knew nothing about. Virtually every major news publication, including the Wall Street Journal, has written pieces that reveal Hsieh had a serious drug addiction. According to multiple accounts, he banished those who attempted to help him correct his poor behavior, choosing instead to surround himself with people who would support anything he chose to do - common behavior for drug addicts. Sadly,