Naysayers according to dictionary.com, are those who habitually expresses negative or pessimistic views: Despite a general feeling that things were going well, a few naysayers tried to cast gloom.
You are excited about your new lifestyle, and you think the people who are close to you would be excited too, but to your surprise, they are not. Well, maybe they are not excited because they have seen you tried and failed so many times. And they are not convinced it’s going to be any different this time. In their minds, they are saying “Na today? She will soon get tired.”
How To Deal With Naysayers
The first type of naysayers you will encounter are The Nonbelievers.
Some nonbelievers may even be your overweight friends who you think should be happy for you. Well, sometimes individuals who have been unsuccessful with weight loss tend to think it can’t be done. But they forget that because they can’t do it doesn’t mean no one else can do it.
How To Respond To Nonbelievers
One word, SUCCEED! It is hard to argue with success.
Be so committed to your fitness goal until you succeed at it. Nonbelievers are doubting-Thomases who want to see before they believe. Show them proofs, and they’ll support you all the way. In fact, they might even become your fitness buddies.
There will be haters, there will be doubters, there will be non-believers and then there will be you, proving them wrong. ~Unknown
The Mockers
The mockers are usually your overweight friends who are not happy that you are leaving them behind. Think of the mockers as your “your folks from the same fold.” They have thought you’d soon be back in the fold, but they have been wrong. You have not gone back, and you have no desire to go back.
Then they begin to speak out, and their words are not kind. They will ridicule you, and start to find errors in what you are doing. They will laugh about how “sickly” you look and make you the subject of their discussion everywhere they go. They will try to ridicule your efforts even when others are commending you.
How To Respond To The Mockers
Protect your emotion against the mockers. Do not allow their attitudes to get into you. They are not mocking you in the real sense of it. They are angry at themselves because you are doing what they haven’t been able to do and mocking you make them feel good about themselves.
You must, therefore, show compassion and not hate. Don’t pay evil for evil.
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The Frenemies
A Frenemy is a person who chooses to count your blessings instead of counting hers. I have seen friendships in this place, and it is a terrible place. One person becomes jealous of the other person’s progress to the point where the relationship begins to deteriorate, and friendship goes sour.
She is not happy that she can’t do what the other person is doing. And instead of her to be grateful for what she can do that the other person can’t do, she chooses to be counting the other person’s blessings and goes deeper into jealousy.
You must never get to the point where you allow jealousy to take root in your heart because of someone else’s progress. It’s not that serious. And if someone chooses to go this route because of your progress, it means she is not your real friend in the first place.
How To Respond To Frenemies
Separate from them and maintain your distance. Some relationships should not go beyond “Hi and Bye.”
Keep moving forward. Your frenemies are waiting to laugh at you when you fail, don’t give them that pleasure. Keep progressing and keep shining. Never get to the stage where you begin to think you have arrived. There are always new heights to conquer and new goals to achieve.
In the end…You win
First, they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight. Then you win. ~Mahatma Gandhi
They have thought you wouldn’t make it to victory, but you have proven them wrong. You have reached and surpassed your fitness goal, and you are now in the best shape of your life. You have become a mentor to the naysayers, they look to you for counsel and respect your opinion dearly.
Welcome to the company of Winners! Let’s make a toast to your victory.