About two years ago I made a decision which ultimately changed my life. A friend gifted me with a membership to a local Curves fitness club. I decided to use it. And that decision has led to a lifestyle I wouldn’t have recognized five years ago. After a summer of dinking around at said gym, I got serious about things. Between healthy food choices and working out three or more times a week, I started seeing my weight drop. I really started feeling good with more energy and vitality. I noticed I had a better attitude.and outlook for each day. A revitalized life. But it didn’t happen overnight. Real transformation never does.

The world is full of videos, books, infomercials, self-help folks who promise help with weight loss, anti-aging techniques, attitude adjustments, debt reduction, or healthier skin and hair if you’d just buy their product. But their promises rarely succeed because the ultimate decision lies with you. Real transformation doesn’t come in a bottle, a pill, a book or a YouTube video. Real transformation comes when you act on a decision. You can want it…you can really really want it, but until you ACT, that “want to” never gets going.

It’s not easy. It may take a while. You may get discouraged before you see whatever results you’re looking for. But when you persevere and stop thinking it’ll be quick, you’ll get past the first hurdle and it gets a little bit easier. Use whatever motivation works for you, whether it’s a scale, the mirror, the tape measure, the FitBit or posting pics on Instagram.

Baby steps are still steps.