I recently read a story about a Cherokee elder who was teaching her granddaughter about life. I’d like to share my version of the story with you:
“There is a fight going on inside me,” the grandmother said to her granddaughter.
“It’s a terrible fight and it’s between two wolves.”
“One wolf is bad, lazy, and constantly indulges in harmful habits. She has an unhealthy body, mind, and soul and is full of negative self talk, self-loathing, not believing in herself, scarcity, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, lack of discipline, fear, procrastination, judgment of herself and others, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies (especially to herself), false pride, superiority, and ego.”
“The other wolf is good, productive, and has created great habits to move her toward who she wants to be. Because of her good habits, she has established a healthy body, mind, and soul and she loves the life she has created. She’s full of positive thoughts, joy, peace, hope, kindness, serenity, humility, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. She’s patient and kind to herself and is constantly learning and improving all areas of her life. She’s disciplined, practices curiosity over judgment, and constantly works to eliminate limiting beliefs in her life.”
“The same fight is going on inside you and inside every other person, too. One wolf will win and one wolf will lose.”
The granddaughter thought about it for a minute and then asked her grandmother, “Which wolf will win?”
The wise Grandmother simply replied, “The one you feed.”
I love this story. It can be applied to all the areas of our lives. We can never completely rid ourselves of the first wolf. Unfortunately, she will always be there.
But we also have this untapped wolf-hero inside us just waiting to be freed.
Both wolves will always be a part of our lives – in our emotions, behaviors, habits, and in all aspects of our lives. The fight between the two wolves is unending. But we have a choice as to the wolf we feed.
It’s often difficult to know where to start feeding the good wolf. Or sometimes we might feel like the bad wolf has already won the battle.
But when I’ve felt that way in the past, what I found was that I could take the doubts, bad habits, lack of discipline, and regret and let those things fuel me into moving forward. That’s how I learned how to feed the second wolf.
When I didn’t want to drink water, I drank 4 oz. anyway. When I found myself procrastinating, I took one tiny step forward. When I found myself focusing on the negative, I found one thing to be thankful for. Just one small step can give you momentum. And nothing feeds momentum more than … well … momentum!
Often, the first wolf can paralyze us, causing us not to take action. When that happens, we’re feeding that bad wolf. When we don’t take action, we eventually move backward. That makes the first wolf even stronger.
Taking action, regardless of how small, is what feeds the second wolf.
Remember that it’s easier to feed the first wolf because the options that feed her are the easier options in life. It’s easier to sit on the couch rather than do 5 sit-ups during the commercials. It’s easier to run by McDonalds and get a burger and fries than to cook a healthy meal. And it’s definitely easier to scroll through Facebook than to take the kids for a walk.
Make a decision today to feed the wolf that will move you toward the life you want and that you deserve. Take one tiny step toward developing daily habits that will make your dreams a reality.
Click here to check out my free Essential Weight Loss Jumpstart Guide to get tips on feeding the wolf that will move you toward your goals.
Here’s to your health!
