Hey there. One of the biggest shifts I’ve had in my own growth journey is realizing how much time I wasted telling myself stories about other people. I used to assume I knew why someone said something, why they acted a certain way, or what they thought about me. Those assumptions almost always came from a place of insecurity. And the truth is, the stories I was telling myself were only holding me back.
When you’ve spent years on a weight loss journey, it’s easy to fall into this trap. You see someone at the gym glance in your direction and you assume they’re judging you. You notice a coworker comment on your lunch and you think they’re criticizing your choices. You post about your progress online and start wondering who’s silently laughing or waiting for you to quit. I’ve been there. And I’ve learned that those stories are just noise.
The inside/out approach has taught me that I can’t control what others think or do. What I can control is the way I show up for myself. The more time I spend making up narratives about other people, the less energy I have for my own growth. The moment I stopped assuming and started focusing on what I could actually control, things changed.
Here’s the thing. Most people aren’t thinking about us nearly as much as we believe. They’re wrapped up in their own struggles, their own insecurities, and their own stories. And even if they are judging, that judgment doesn’t define us. What defines us is the way we follow through on our actions, the way we talk to ourselves, and the way we build habits that support who we want to be.
If you find yourself stuck in these loops, ask yourself, what’s the real story here? Am I projecting my own doubts onto someone else? Am I giving away energy to things I can’t control? Every time you let go of those made-up stories, you free up space to focus on the only story that matters. The one you’re writing for yourself.
When you stop trying to live through the lens of other people’s thoughts, you can finally move forward. You’ll realize that the only person you need to convince is you. And that’s powerful.
If you’re ready to start shifting your focus back to yourself and stop letting outside noise slow you down, I’d love for you to join me in The YLF Experience. Together we’ll work on building sustainable habits and rewriting the way you see your own journey.