There are two mirrors in my house. One in the bathroom and one in the bedroom.

The gargantuan mirror in the bathroom makes it almost impossible not to glance a full-frontal (and rear) view of ones stark naked body when stepping out of the bath. This full length, the reflective monstrosity was installed by the previous residents, who I can only assume had far more admirable physiques than my own, or perhaps far less critical eyes.

If I make the irredeemable mistake of taking a glance at the mirror in the bathroom, I question why anybody, anywhere would want to take part in a workout with me – the harsh light revealing every imperfection, ‘misplaced’ cookie and ‘one beer too many’ I have ever consumed.

Fortunately, a short, naked stroll to the bedroom places me directly in front of a mirror that projects an infinitely more flattering reflection.

This is the mirror the evil queen wishes she had.

It would have saved much heartache for her, snow white and the seven dwarves.

“Alex, call GQ – I’m thinking they could do with a new model.”

I shout down the corridor to Alex.

“Check mirror one.”

She shouts back. Bringing me crashing back to earth with a bang.

Which mirror is correct?

One is a positive image, one is negative – and both are true. So, more importantly, which mirror do you think I choose?

Well, let me leave you in no doubt.

Before bath time, I lay a towel and clothes in the bedroom, right next to the magic mirror.

Then, after my bath, I risk my very life on exit by placing my feet on a wet and slippery surface with eyes firmly shut and head down, before risking my marriage to Alex by running starkers across the carpet in the corridor, soaking wet and dripping half the contents of the dirty bathwater on her antique Persian rug as I go.

But it’s worth it.

Arriving naked as the day I was born in front of the illusionary reflector I feel much better about myself for the rest of the day.

I choose my mirror. I am not in denial, I just know that looking in mirror two has better outcomes:

  • I’m more likely to do my workout
  • I’m more likely to eat healthy choices
  • I feel more confident when filming workouts
  • I feel better about myself overall
  • Most importantly of all, my positivity extends to the way I look at, treat and speak with others

And so it is with life.

The glass is neither half empty, nor half full. It is both half empty AND half full, depending on which half you choose to look at.

What is IN your glass?

Is it common and uninspiring water? Or is it WATER, the most important, healthy and hydrating liquid on earth. It is both. It is both the most commonly available liquid on this planet AND the most important and hydrating one.

How about you? Are you good or bad?

If I knew every single thing that was less than wonderful you’d ever done, thought about or considered doing, I may very well think you were not a good person.

If you knew mine, you’d no doubt stop reading this blog, cancel your TBP membership and take a long bath to cleanse yourself from ever having worked out with me! (make sure you have a decent mirror to look in afterwards).

If I knew every single GOOD thing you’d ever done, thought or considered doing, I’d probably stop writing this blog and contact the Queen of England to make sure you were placed on the new years honours list for services to humanity!

You see, the point is that we can choose. We really can.

I have no interest in reckless positivity and denial. I believe in looking at all permeations and possibilities and have often written as much. At stages in life, we have to confront harsh and unavoidable realities, but these realities will always find us – we don’t need to go looking for them every morning!

Yet, looking at life minus the rose tinged spectacles of boundless optimism, and even when confronted with unfavourable circumstances, we can still presume a far better action, outcome and overall life experience when we choose a glass to be half full and delicious, rather than half empty and bland.

We don’t choose to look at the positives because we want to ignore the negatives. I accept my reflection in mirror one is true, I just choose not to dwell on it because it extrapolates into other decisions, thoughts and actions I take.

Focusing on mirror one is also pointless from every possible vantage point.

Choice

We choose to look at the positives because of the chain reaction it causes when we do so. This is a pragmatic and sensible approach, not an optimistic one.

“I can still hear you saying you would never break the chain…”  Fleetwood Mac.

Stevie Nicks was right, it’s hard to break the chain once you’ve built it. So make sure you go about linking the right chains from the word go.

So CHOOSE to look at what is good and right and well and positive and uplifting and wonderful and exciting and marvellous in yourself, in others and in the world.

And don’t install full-length mirrors in rooms with harsh lighting.

10 Comments
  1. Orsolya Draskoczy 5 years ago

    Daniel, I fell in love with TBP workout because you and Alex really make them as your motto says:Real people, real workout! But even better for me as a member in this comminity reading your blog and realize you are real people as us)))) Thanks a lot

  2. Elizabeth Lijewski 5 years ago

    Terrific Blog Daniel! Thanks for sharing!

  3. Shundranique King 5 years ago

    Great blog post!

  4. Sara Gretlein 5 years ago

    Great Post Daniel! Can definitely relate to the mirror scenario.

  5. Sami Bradley 5 years ago

    Such a timely post, as I literally just spent way more time then I would like to admit breaking down every little thing that is wrong with my body… however, this got me thinking about the chain, and how hard it is to change it… always reminding me to help our kids try to get started focusing on the positive and the good. Thank you as always for your vulnerability!

  6. Jennifer Jarvis 5 years ago

    Every single reflective surface, every single mirror, shows a slightly different image, and given the choice, I’ll take the one that’s most pleasing to my eyes all day long. Why not? Great post.

  7. Heather Santos 5 years ago

    Thank you for another great blog! I needed this today! I was fighting a little negative thinking yesterday. Here’s some of my thinking: I wondered if my quest to strengthen my core and work on reducing the stubborn fat was even worth the time. Is this something I can even do? I’ve failed before so why is this time any different? Who even cares?….then I thought, I can do this, I will do this! And who cares? Well I care! I’m not doing this for anyone else, this is for me. I will stumble, I will fall, but I’ll get back up and keep trying and keep working at it! It’s amazing how both negative and positive thinking can make a person feel. In the negative thinking I felt blah…not good at all. Positive thinking had me feeling like Wonder Woman. I know that I can’t feel that positivity all the time, but if I can find a little light even on the darkest of days, I’ll be doing ok! Again, thank you! The blog has become my morning reading to accompany my coffee, so I hope you keep them coming and coming!

    • Orsolya Draskoczy 5 years ago

      Hi Heather it was great to read your comment
      You are a real Wonder Woman everyday having victory to do workout regularly against our “lazy-part of us”))))

  8. Andy Broomhall 5 years ago

    Great Blog as usual Daniel, in life I think we all focus too much on the negatives and not the positives.
    I blame photoshop and the media for not portraying real people giving the majority of us something unrealistic to achieve!
    Oh and I think I speak for the rest of us, I love the fact you are not showing off your 6 pack every day like some some others out there (if there’s one under that t shirt of yours)

  9. Sherry Chaffin 5 years ago

    Love this, Daniel. Really. “What’s in your glass?”, my new favorite thought. Great read to start my day! Thank you.

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