Perceptions (Repost of a friends blog)

My friend Jennifer Bryan has a wonderful blog about kettlebells and life and she gave me permission to re-post her musings on perception versus reality. Enjoy:)

"Kettlebells have been a part of my life for years now--at least 4 years, maybe longer. (Time does fly). I was hooked the minute I picked one up, quickly casting aside the dumbbells and barbells that had been a part of my life since age 15 in favor of the "cannonball with a handle". Don't get me wrong. I know barbells have a place, and I still will pick one up on occasion. I just love kettlebells and the other odd contributors to fitness such as ropes and tires, rings and sandbags. They make more sense to me in light of the way we move in the real world, and I actually enjoy playing with them. Since I found them, I have been telling anyone who would sit still long enough about kettlebells.

The funny thing is, until recently, few people actually listened. They would politely nod and ask appropriate questions only to walk away as soon as possible without hurting my feelings. Now, however, people truly listen and some have even been asking me to teach them more, asking if they could work out with me. The simple difference is about 38 pounds. Though I worked out just as hard then, put in just as much time, got up just as early, loved it just as much, people just didn't pay attention because their perception of me as a chubbling led them to believe that kettlebells couldn't possibly be an effective tool if I used them like I said I did yet continued to look like I did. Sure, fitness professionals understand that no manner of increased activity is going to break down the walls to weight loss without significant dietary changes, but the lay perspective is just the opposite. The average joe believes that the key is the activity. So to uneducated eyes, my activity, i.e. kettlebells, was not adequate. This misperception was actually one of the reasons I so desperately wanted to be leaner. I wanted the credibility it would provide me.

Whether we like it or not, our words are gauged not only by our actions, but also by our appearances. As a medical professional, I am a bit more believable now when I tell patients that they should lose weight or quit smoking. I'm not perfect by any means, but I come a little closer to living by example."

Well said Jennifer and thanks for allowing me to share it with my readers.