1. You don’t need to wait to become the perfect version of yourself to be happy.

Oftentimes, we prioritize reaching a goal so much so that we forget about our happiness in the whole equation. The focus centers on the weight we still have to lose or the definition we want to see, and we aren’t happy with ourselves until it happens. We close ourselves off to experiencing life and relationships around us so that we can finally get from point A to B—essentially, we equate our happiness with a goal. We spend so much time measuring ourselves up, punishing ourselves and feeling guilty for not being “perfect” when, in reality, you don’t have to wait to become this “perfect” version of yourself before you start loving yourself and truly enjoying your life. You’re allowed to be happy while you continue to evolve and improve. You don’t need a number on a scale, a number of reps, a number of miles or an amount of weight you can lift to feel validated.

Personally, I believe I’ll be the “perfect” version of myself when I am able to just enjoy exactly who I am in the present moment. This is the version of myself I am striving to become. Continue working toward your goal, but in the meantime, embrace, own, accept, love and just enjoy being who you are right now. There is only one of you and we have one life to live, so allow yourself to be happy!

2. No matter how far you still have to go, you’re allowed to celebrate how far you have come.

You’ve heard it before: “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.” When we focus too much on how far we have to go, we forget to realize how far we have come. We could be leaps and bounds further along in our journey than we were just a few months ago but not take the time to stop and celebrate all that we have achieved in the process.

We get this picture in our heads of exactly who we want to be, how we want to look and where we want to go. We work hard and we persevere every single day to get closer to becoming that picture in our head, but it’s not always about the end goal. There is so much to be proud of yourself for while you are on the way to where you are going. Take a moment right now. Look at yourself; look how far you have come. Remember that person who chose to start? You are that person. Be proud of that person. Celebrate that person.

Next time you get stuck thinking about how far you still have to go, challenge your perspective. Regardless of how far you are from the person you want to be and the place you want to go, you have come so far and that deserves recognition!

Don’t let the person you want to be stand in the way of celebrating the person you are now. Even though you may have more to go, your hard work is worth it, your hard work shows and your hard work has paid off!

3. You are your own kind of beautiful.

Stop comparing yourself to others. We are all guilty of this—I’ll be the first to admit that I do it too! Truth is, we were all born with different hair textures, eye colors, metabolisms and body frames, and every one of these things makes us beautifully unique. We are our own person. No one is just like you—how cool is that? You are you, and no one else can be you no matter how hard they try. We have to remember this when we find ourselves wishing we had what someone has or could do what someone else does. When we strive to be like someone else, it is a million more times difficult to be happy with who we were uniquely made to be.

If you take away anything from this blog post, I want you to know that who you are, every single part, is unbelievably beautiful. You are too pretty and too smart to act like you are not. You may look at yourself in the mirror and not think twice about the reflection you see, but what you aren’t seeing is the beauty others see in you. It’s time for you to look at yourself in a new way—we see it, now it’s your turn. Go ahead and tell yourself how beautiful you are! Do it today, and every day after that.

4. Who you are as a person is way more important than the way you look.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that no one is going to love you more for losing 20 pounds or having a six-pack. Those things are great goals, but the things that have a lasting impression are your character, values, actions, positivity, happiness, love and everything that’s inside you.

That five pounds you gained or lost weighs a lot less than the smile on your face and the passion in your heart. People around you don’t care about the number on your scale and probably don’t even think about it. So, stop torturing yourself and letting the way you look dictate your attitude. It’s more important to live a life that keeps you smiling and keeps others smiling than a life that keeps you obsessing over your weight. Remember what really matters.

5. You are strong, capable, beautiful, significant and more than enough.

You are! Stop telling yourself otherwise. Even when it feels like you aren’t, I hope there is at least a small part of you that believes you are. You may not be able to see it today, but others see it every day. Others see every ounce of greatness within you—more greatness than you will ever know. Never forget that.

If you know someone who needs to hear one of these reminders, share this post with them. If you’re more of a podcast person, you can download the podcast episode that goes along with this post and listen to it on those days when you need a pick-me-up.

Also, if you didn’t know, I have a cooking show called Morgan Makes It where I show you how cooking and eating healthy can be simple, quick and still so delicious. I release a new recipe every single Monday, which can be found on Burn Boot Camp’s YouTube channel. Go check it out if you are ready to start eating healthy and don’t know where to begin or if your diet is feeling stale and you are looking for new, fun and healthy ways to change it up!

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Sean Barcellona

Have you ever had one of those days where the last thing you want to do is work out? Maybe you’re tired, you’re stressed about work or things going on at home, and you just want to flop down onto your couch and relax.

We often try to talk ourselves out of exercising, internally justifying the decision and even negotiating with ourselves in some way to skip the gym, pass on that yoga class, or avoid going outside for a run.

Now, have you ever been in that same situation, but had a friend say, “Nope! We’re not taking today off, let’s go to the gym!” In the back of your mind you might be complaining, but you reluctantly peel yourself off the couch and go crush that workout.

Before you know it you feel a rush of endorphins, a smile spreads across your face, and you leave feeling energized and appreciative of the encouragement that got you there. That is one of the many reasons why having a supportive community around you is important and can help you accomplish your goals!

Whether your closest network of supporters is made up of family members, friends, or colleagues, having a support system is valuable when trying to make changes for your health and physical fitness.

As a Burn Trainer, I think fostering a supportive community around you is vital for a healthy, happy life! Here are my top 5 reasons why:

1. Support

We’ve all had times in our lives where things aren’t going the way we want them too. When we fall down, it’s easy to realize that we can’t always get back up on our own.

Sometimes we need our support systems to show us that we’re not alone in the challenge we’re facing and to remind us that we have a supportive group of people who may be experiencing the same journey we’re on. For example, the community we’ve built at Burn Boot Camp has gotten many of my clients through tough times in their lives!

2. Motivation

Finding motivation everyday can be a tough task, especially when going at it alone. It’s inevitable that we’ll wake up some days not feeling like doing anything and needing help to find the motivation to push ourselves.

Have you ever been having a terrible day when a friend comes by, gives you a compliment, and your mindset completely changes? Words of encouragement can go a long way and you never know the impact they will have on the people around you!

3. Accountability

Everyone needs someone to hold them accountable. Whether it means not skipping out on those last couple reps at the gym, choosing the healthier option when out to eat with friends, or pushing through a tough workout when you feel like you have nothing left in the tank, your community is there to push you past your own limitations.

Surround yourself with people that are going to bring the best out in you, and this will push you to make positive choices in your life!

4. Energy

Energy is contagious. When someone comes up to you with a big smile and a high five, it’s nearly impossible to hold back your own smile and reciprocate! When that energy is magnified by an entire group of people, it becomes even more infectious.

If you go to the gym by yourself and do the same old routine, it’s difficult to find energy every day. Instead, working out with others in a supportive environment can bring out a positive attitude and give you the energy you need to crush your workout… even on those days when your mind tells you that you can’t!

5. Inspiration

You may be thinking, “I’m just an average person, who am I going to inspire?” Well, inspiration can come from anyone! Watching someone accomplish something you thought was impossible will expand your perceived limits. It will open your eyes to new possibilities you never thought you were capable of.

Remember, you never know who you’re inspiring! Challenges are relative to every individual, but when you overcome adversity, push yourself outside your comfort zone, and refuse to give up when things get tough, you can inspire anyone regardless of your fitness level. “You don’t inspire others by being perfect. You inspire them by how you handle your imperfections.”

Are you chasing a goal that you haven’t been able to achieve, working out for the first time in over a year, or struggling to motivate yourself? If you are, I encourage you to find a support system that will help you grow, that will push you to the next level, that will have your back when things get tough, and that will be there to celebrate all of your achievements with you as you progress through your fitness journey.

Accomplishing your goal can be an intimidating task, but I can guarantee it’s much easier to do with a community supporting you every step of the way.

Sean Barcellona is a trainer at Burn Boot Camp Cornelius (North Carolina) as well as a Burn HQ employee. He began his journey with Burn in 2017 and is the man behind the daily protocol, continually creating unique workouts for all Burn Boot Camp locations across the nation. He is passionate about hiking, exercise, and spending time with his wife, Lindy, who also works at HQ.