by Danielle Christopher
Confession time, I have never watched The Biggest Loser. In the promos I see Jillian yelling at the contestants like a boot camp sergeant and that gave me zero interest to read another self-help book. Curiosity got the better of me though, so I began reading Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life by Jillian Michaels a few nights ago.
This quote jumped out at me, “When you live in fear of your own desires and ambitions, you lose sight of your true calling and your true self.” That statement should be read to anyone stuck in a life where they are not being their authentic self. I wish I hadn’t wasted so much time in my twenties doing what others thought I should do.
Attitude and actions are the tools to get you your unlimited life. The book assures there will be no hype or false promises. To achieve the end result she will guide you on a self-exploration and discovery through three very specific steps.
It begins to help you identify your passion. There are people who make money doing what they love. There is a difference between thriving and surviving. Founders of You Tube would not let anyone smack them down; they sold their company to Google for 1.65 billion dollars. If you are stuck in a rut, just imagine everything you ever wanted out of life. Dream it and do it. There is a place at the end of each chapter for you to journal your journey to finding your true calling. Honor yourself by feeling worthy of a great life.
Dare to do something out of your comfort zone. There is a famous quote from her show, “To rebuild something from its foundation, you have to break it down first.” There are many quotes from authors whom she admires: Pauel Coelho, Dr. Wayne Dyer and Nietzsche.
Ms. Michaels gives you the steps on how to master your dream by using what she has done. Being realistic, specific, feeling it and getting excited about the process that will get you on your way. To help you focus on the power of visualization start by creating a vision board. There is no denying the power of your mind.
I admit I was squeamish and tempted to skip over the Say A Little Prayer chapter. It just is not my cup of tea. However, the purpose of reading this book was to review it, so in I went. On opening yourself to the power of prayer or mediation she writes, “And what have you got to lose, anyway? If your life were perfect, you would not be reading this book right now.” Ouch! And she is right.
“No one ever died from an open mind.”
Quantum mechanics is covered in depth. Through harnessing power for your benefit it broadcasts a specific message that is in alignment with your great desires. What you are passionate about can drive you to doing well.
What I realized that made this book different from other self-help books was that she shows you how to put in the effort. Jillian believes there is no such thing as luck. Life is about preparation meeting opportunity. In life there are times things don’t happen the way we want. If there are good intentions, actions will be too and will produce a positive result, even if it’s not the one we expected or thought we wanted.
She has helped many contestants and clients who have been hardwired to react to their history rather than their present. Jillian guides them to take charge of their daily life and prevent the triggers. Repetition compulsion is the desire to fix old wounds. There are directions through exercises so you can get ‘real’ with your life.
The toughest section for me to read was on her own experiences with her dad. In Jillian’s own empowered way she was able to stop internalizing the past and forgive him and herself. She explains how to stop allowing those who have hurt you due to their shortcomings. They don’t define who you are. What happened to you wasn’t because of your limitations, but because of the other person’s limitations. You will find true freedom gaining empathy for the person who hurt you. If we hold a grudge we are destined to relive the pains over and over again. It is a tough journey, but it will yield permanent results.
Clearly it was my own misconceptions and quick judgment that made me not want to read this book. I saw that what I defend against so vehemently is the very issue I am struggling with personally. I want to stop the cycle by being aware of my own issues so it doesn’t project on to others. I could become a permanent victim or make a commitment to heal. I loved reading this phrase throughout the book, “taking responsibility for my side of the street.” Being proactive is a major stress buster.
From her hard appearance comes a place of compassion to help others by either facing their waistline or improving their life in other ways. I have a new respect for Jillian Michaels. I may even want to watch the show now.
You can watch Biggest Loser or check her website www.jillianmichaels.com.
Danielle Christopher is a stay-at-home mom of two daughters, ages one and three. She blogs for The Momoir Project and writes book reviews for Women’s Post. Her teen story is in the collection “Parent/Teen Stories: Without Judgement”. She lives with her husband of seventeen years and her girls in Langley, B.C.. Follow her on Twitter.
