Title: Do You Have A Pinocchio Nose?
Author: Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW
E-mail: mailto:editor@overcoming-depression.com
Copyright: by Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW
Web Address: http://www.Overcoming-Depression.com
Word Count: 764
Category: Peak Success
DO YOU HAVE A PINOCCHIO NOSE?
Ever try to make a powerful personal change, only to have a voice inside your head sabotage you, make you feel in-authentic and attempt to convince you that you aren’t capable of your goal?
I call this the “Dark Inner Pinocchio,” not the cute and lovable Pinnocchio we’ve seen on the VCR. No, this guy is dark all right. His whole negative approach is the key to his own survivial. And his nose!! It’s got to be so long that it’s pushing against a vital body part somewhere!
I’m on my ‘weigh’ back from a big weight gain. Sound familiar? For months I tried this-and-that thing with no success, until I found the secret. Of course, I’d taught the secret so many times to my clients (I’m being humble here), but had failed to figure out that this same power-technique could be applied to my own weight loss. I had to wholeheartedly BELIEVE that my natural weight is 180 pounds. In fact, I had to get out pictures of me as far back as high school, all the way up to a couple of years ago. I studied my facial structure, my body type, my bone structure etc. The results confirmed that my ‘natural’ weight should be 180 pounds. I could ‘see’ myself at that natural and healthy weight. I beleived it!
I implemented my plan and began my quest, but it was uninteresting because it wasn’t any different than the things I’d tried before. The tickle-me part is I have gone from 255 pounds down to 210 pounds and that’s with gaining approximately 6 pounds of muscle in the process.
What was the difference? Before, Dark Pinocchio had me convinced I was meant to be a fat, out of shape person. I shut him up with ‘THE TRUTH.’ Can you envision me bending his long nose around and jamming it into his mouth? 
I’m a peaceful man, but this Dark Pinocchio guy is threatening my life with pounds of fat,
literally! How is he threatening your life?
I am still in the process of reclaiming the truth about who I am physically. As part of this journey I’ve decided to journal. Good thing I did too, because that’s where I caught this Dark Pinocchio in action. As I would sit in the morning journaling about my previous day I would notice moments where I felt suddenly doubtful about what I was doing or saying.
For example, my brother came by as I was doing weight training in my workout room here at the house. That’s a fancy way of saying I was working out in the garage Anyway, he’s been working hard to shed the pounds too and doing so with a membership at the YMCA. He had just finished a workout and was bummed after getting on the scales and not seeing what he wanted to see.
He asked for my opinion (I know… that’s dangerous with family!) and I began inquiring about what he ‘truly believed’ was his natural weight. I was getting fired up. Can you almost see me?
There I was with my lifting gloves on, sweat running off my back and all fired up. I went on to talk with him about how I had begun this time. Suddenly, I felt a strange feeling in my gut. I call that a “felt-sense.” Any guesses who it was?
Dark Pinocchio showed up. He was saying things like, “You’re a hippocrite! Your weight loss won’t last and then you’ll look foolish for saying things like this. Don’t you know you are a FAT MAN!”
Quite frankly it stunned me, although my brother didn’t pick up on it. Later I sat down with some pictures, including those I’ve burned into my brain of my natural body and allowed myself to “feel” what it feels like to be at a natural and healthy physical state.
That was yesterday. I feel much more calm and confident today. And, you know what? I will continue to tell others how I am doing this weight loss thing and if Dark Pinocchio wants a piece of me… here I am!
To your success!
Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW
P.S. You may believe this blog was about weight loss. Maybe you’ll use it this way. That’s okay. But it’s about something much more deep and powerful – The Dark Pinocchio in all of us. Unfortunately, I’ve met very few people who did not have this liar in their head. Defeat Dark Pinocchio and you’ll change a whole lot more than just your weight!