Ooh, The iTC Starts Tomorrow!
[ 20 April 2008 ]
Yes indeed, the iCiNG Transformation Challenge starts tomorrow. I know that some of you might be feeling a little daunted, especially if you took my advice of yesterday to pick a couple of goals that scare you a bit. I know how you feel, & trust me, we’re going to get through this together!
Let me give you an example. As a child growing up in New Zealand, raised on the Sweet Valley High series, cheerleading was always something amazing & cool & foreign to me. I wanted to be just like Jessica Wakefield, the most popular girl in school & a great cheerleader. But living where I did, & going to a single-sex school & well, let’s face it, feeling uncoordinated & being more interested in serial killers & Marilyn Manson than high kicks & pom-poms kind of meant I was out of the cheerleading loop.
Well, yesterday I decided that if I could take cheerleading classes, I would. It would be part of the iTC, & I could just do it once & maybe if it sucked I wouldn’t go back, but at least I’d know. & my childhood dream would finally be fulfilled! I found a place that had a squad & taught classes, & made arrangements to go.
Today was the day. I was nervous. Okay, let me re-phrase that. I was terrified. “Terrified of a bunch of cheerleaders?”, I hear you scoff. Well, yes! What if they were all blonde & perfect & extremely coordinated & I, well, wasn’t? What if I sucked really hard, & smashed my face on the floor? What if they hated me & someone tried to suffocate me with a pom? What if it was like the try-outs in Bring It On? Would my ego survive? Would I run from the class, crying in embarrassment?
Imagine my surprise. They were all super-friendly & cool. I had a blast. It was so much fun. It was really hard work, but totally awesome. I’m not the world’s best at following choreography, but I did well — & they told me I was picking it up really quickly. I watched them do stunting (where you throw people in the air!) & then I learned how to do a back & forward walk-over, something I have always wanted to do!
I left the class euphoric & power-walked home. I am still buzzing. I had such a great time. I am now part of a squad! Squeal! Anyway, the point of writing this all down is to encourage you to feel the fear & do it anyway! Trust me, if I can go to a cheerleading class, you can do whatever it is you want to.
We have all previously let our beliefs & fears dictate what we do. The thing is, beliefs & fears aren’t rational. I thought I was uncoordinated. Why? It’s not even true! If you can sweep your fears & false assumptions aside (hint: EFT is really good for this, & trust me, I did a lot of tapping before I left the house this afternoon!), you really, truly can do anything you want.
Don’t let your mind hold you back!
Best of luck for tomorrow!
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala 
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Yesterday I went to a dance class, something I’ve always wanted to do. It was scary but I’m so glad I went. Not sure if I’ll go again, don’t think it was really me but so proud of myself for being brave!
Also, this is the first time I’ve commented even thought I’ve been reading for months, being brave again! x
Cheerleading? High 5!
However, I HAVE NOT THOUGHT OF ANYTHING YET! PANIC!
:(
Holy moley, cheerleading class?? They have them in Melbourne? Far out, go Gala!! You are awesome.
And I really needed to hear those encouraging words today, you’ve lifted my mood! Thank you :)
I only had one idea.
Not eating McDonalds for the month.
But it seems like a bit of a copout
Amelia J it’s not a cop-out, it sounds like a good challenge, why don’t you add up the money you would have spent there and donate it or save it or something.
I’m going to try a ballet class myself, I rather fancy wearing a tutu!
I guess it would be okay to borrow some I have seen before.
I’m going to attempt to drink only milk and water. The soda machine at my work has become my best friend. My staffmates and I get each other drinks and fondly refer to it as ‘Coke on the rocks’. I need to use the machine only for ice and get water out of the tap!
I also need to halt the McDonalds. I have eaten it so many times this week purely for it’s convenience and I must be stopped! No more double bacon but no egg McMuffins. :’(
Oh wow, congratulations!
Thats made me try and think of anything that I really wanted to do when I was younger, and well anything that scares me, I’ll let you know!
Cheerleading? WOW.
I’ve chosen my goals but it sounds like they are just Weekly Reoslutions! I want this to be something huge!
Help?
M.B. Whimsical — Well, the difference is that a weekly resolution is something you can complete in a week, while the iTC is about real transformation. Something you can work towards every day that will change your life in some way. It doesn’t have to be major, even giving up McDonald’s or putting a bit of money aside every week are great stepping stones to something better.
I mean, mine aren’t that extreme — exercise every day & eat raw. I already eat mostly raw & I already get a bit of exercise, but what I want to do is up the stakes. I’m hunting out new forms of exercise that I think I’ll enjoy, stuff I have wanted to do for ages but kept putting off for some reason or another. & I know that eating 100% raw is going to make me feel amazing, which is why I’m doing that. Just choose something that makes sense to you & your lifestyle. You’ll find something, I’m sure! Just give it a bit of thought & don’t be afraid to push yourself :>
cheerleading?! that’s awesome!
Do you have like an outfit thing and pom poms and everything?
eeee, thats so cutee!!!
I agree with ivy, you are so awesome! I don´t know how make something that seems potentially lame, into something so brilliant and inspiring.
When you think about it, that the girl from bring it on was pretty hard core, and it turned out alright for her…
For my challenge i´m going to go raw (probably not 100% through, ill see how i go) and only drink water. Ive just realized that at new years that one of me resolutions was to only drink water for a month, it did wonders for my skin. But after that I went back to drinking other stuff, which was silly of me.
Cant wait till tomorrow!
Word up pom pom swinging sister!
You go for it!
Sounds like it was super fun!
I did cheerleading a few years ago and I really enjoyed it, but it was for school, so we only had a few lessons.
I start my iTC tomorrow at 6am, when I’ll wake up and go walk my dogs (this is two major challenges for me, as I am neither an exercise-y person or a morning person)!
For my challenge I would like to…...
* To exercise everyday. This used to not be an issue at all. I have been sick over a number of months and have lost a part of myself with it, so this is a great opportunity to try and get back on top of things.
* Eat small but healthy meals that include various foods and to drink 2 litres of water. Once again, not normally an issue….
* Rid myself of things that I no longer need in order to start a new chapter of my life. This includes clothes etc.
* Read at least 50 pages of a book every day.
Goodluck everyone
I keep deciding on things, or thinking I’ve decided then deciding no that’s not right. It’s rather frustrating >(.
Hi Gala! I don’t have any specific goals yet… I very much need to get my life out of a rut. I’ve been ill for over a year with no sign of a diagnosis so I want to learn how to live my life despite my failing body. Is that too general? It’s hard when every time I start to get things on track my body lets me down. I guess I’ll try to be more optimistic!
Goodluck everybody!
jessabee — I don’t know if they have an official uniform for competitions & games etc., because I probably won’t be doing those. (I travel often & at the drop of a hat, so I don’t want to leave them in the lurch if that happens!) But they were all wearing t-shirts that said “Cheer” on them & little booty shorts that say “Cheer!!” across the butt. Haha! If I give them some cash I will get those, plus poms (!!!!!!), plus a membership to some association which then provides me with insurance if I hurt myself doing it or whatever. I will totally take photos of myself in my “cheer uniform” when I get it. HAHA!!
martha x — I think a lot of people think cheerleading is for bimbos but it is actually hardCORE! It kicked my ass & I loved it, I begged for more! Haha.
sushi zume — Hell yeah babyyyy!
Katy — Don’t sweat it too much. Just choose something & have faith that it is the right thing for you to do. Your body knows what you need! Good luck! xxx
Haley — I would suggest doing a bit of research into natural healing. For example, eating raw & trying EFT would transform your life. Kris Carr is a woman who had cancer who has managed to get rid of it by basically eating raw & being positive about life (!), have a read: http://crazysexycancer.blogspot.com
Cheerleading? You’ve brave for sure!
For my transformation month I’d like to:
* Practice yoga twice a week in between classes. * Eat healthily every day, not just for a couple of days then pig out like I usually do. * Do a detox week of no meat, caffeine or junk food. * De-clutter – I’m moving house so this is my chance to stream-line my stuff. *Think positively about myself every day
Here’s to a wicked month (raises coffee mug)
I finally decided on my goal after reading this. I’m going to attempt to get over my phobia of exposing my personality. I’ve read this blog for ages and only had the courage to comment maybe once, even when I’ve had good reason to comment on many, many other articles. I’m terrified of having my photo taken lest someone else see it, I can’t cope seeing myself in mirrors, I can’t look people in the eye. So! with the transformation going on it seems high time that I tackle this. I’m going to use a combination of: EFT every spare second I get, taking daily photos of my face and posting them on my Flickr page (I’m katmint on Flickr) and attempting to look every person I speak to in the eye while I’m talking to them. These might not seem like the most challenging goals to someone who can do these things easily but I’d feel like I owned the Earth if I could just suck it up and change the things that have bugged me for so long. I posted my first flickr photo yesterday (started early!) and I hope I can keep on going til the very end. Wish me luck! I’ll be cheering everyone else on in my head the whole time!
Wow cheerleading, that is soo cool! Are you going to a class or something? I would really love to do that. I loved SVH so much and totally wanted to be Jessica, definitely not Liz who was far too smug! They are bringing out new editions of the books and even though I’m 25, I kinda want to buy them.
Oh, that’s so great Gala! You should buy a set of pom-poms to match your hair! ;D
I’m going to take this day to decide what I’m going to really set my sights on. That means, going through old copies of my journals throughout the years, and doing a lot of thinking!
Maybe a dance class, since I’m very uncoordinated, and want to be able to dance up a storm on my graduation night!
Wow! Congratulations! I’m so glad you managed to do something like that, that you’d dreamed about! Inspiration for sure :)
I’m not off to a good start with my goal of getting a good sleep pattern going as it’s so late already, but I will go off to bed right now!
ooh, i’m excited, things are looking up for me a tiny bit, already, this week i’ve tried making little changes already so the challenge won’t be a struggle (drinking lots & lots of water, trying to eat healthily) if i stay positive & try my best i’m sure with your help gala i’ll be able to make a transformation :)
xx
I’m so excited, I could squeal…. really loudly!
What I want to do
*Exercise atleast 30 minutes a day… That should be easy if I can find time to check my e-mail I can exercise
*Spend more time with my 3 year old… I spend way too much time worrying about what I think has to get done rather then what she needs from me. That’s not fair to either of us
*Get back on track with my eating, for like 6 months I was doing really well the last month ugh I’ve done horrible.
That’s it for me — Thank you Gala for thinking of this. Fantastic idea!
Yay! I wanted to be Jessica too :) spent far too much of my childhood reading that series of books…
I decided to go for:
No complaints
Practising violin for 45 minutes< every day (!)
Study for my exams on a daily basis
Although the violin might not work out particularly well because I have RSI, but I’m going to be sensible about it and take rests if my hands kick up a fuss! :D I’m not sure how hard the no complaints thing is going to be for me, but I know the other two will be a challenge! (And I love challenges!) Eee!
Oh goodness, Gala, I’m so jealous! I bet one day I’m going to see you as a cheerleading expert on those awesome cheerleading competitions that ESPN2 airs. Eee! (Imagine me jumping up and down squealing. There ya go.)
This reminds me of my goal to get figure skating lessons and a professional pair of skates (I’ve learned that the reason I can’t spin quickly is because my skates don’t have enough support, ew). I’ll start hunting for teachers and skates ASAP, thanks!
I always wanted to be in a dance group, but couldn’t get past feeling self-conscious. I’ve always been told I had great rhythm and knew I could dance well, and even choreographed dances with my girlfriends when I was young! Hmmm…you just inspired me! While you were influenced by Jessica Wakefield, I believe the majority of me was impressed with Elizabeth. She had a humble, understated beauty that I always found cool!
So, question for you: Did you ever find your own Bruce Patman? ;)
Kat > That is AMAZING!! I have had problems with similar things through my life, and I also did the self-portrait thing to help get over my issues with my face/body. It did WONDERS. Really got used to how I look and how to show off my best features, and be all “HEY!” instead of shy. You go for it, girl! I added you on flickr. hope you don’t mind. i can be your cheerleader :)
And I still have issues with the looking people in the eye, thing! I might try to work on that this month myself. :)
hooray gala, that’s so exciting!
i will start my iTC on wednesday due to our moving out schedule – i just want it to be perfect & start my challenge in our new home .
& Ailyex, that one week detox thing sounds nice – like a resolution in a resolution!
i’m so excited at the moment about this challenge & about all that is involved – can’t wait to see what articles we nonpareils will be reading in the coming days!
ok, now i’m wrapping my hair in curlers so i need my hands to get of from the keyboard :>
coochiecoo kisses & luck to everyone! we’re on this together tigers, roaar!
Go you good thing – cheerleading is FULL-ON! Even though the likelihood of being suffocated with a pom is vanishingly small . . . tee hee!
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek it starts today!so scared but excited at the same time!!!
so I have a few goals…I know we shouldn’t focus on too many but I found it so hard to choose a top 5!
-drink STACKS of water.I’m probably in some sort of state of chronic dehydration after years of drinking crapola drinks etc
-not eat ANYTHING processed
-severely cut down smoking.I don’t think i’m quite ready to quit YET but I am ready to stop smoking every 20 mins out of boredom and habit.The goal is 3 per day.
-some form of exercise every weekday…I already do close to this but some days I just can’t be bothered(I feel like that today but i’m fighting through!)
-and the hardest and scariest one of all to me…..SHOPPING BAN!basically I know I have a shopping addiction(and it’s pretty serious:/) and also know theres some pretty messed up psychological reasons behind it.Somehow I think that by having the latest chanel bag my self worth is increased.The only way to tackle it is to just go cold turkey and break the habit.This is so the scariest one for me.I buy something pretty much everyday of my life..even when i’m sick I find a way…and I know theres more stuff in my wardrobe/house/bathroom than any human could wear in a lifetime.I know it..but somehow it doesn’t stop me.
this is going to be hard…..
Ameya thanks so much for the encouraging words, it’s great to know that what I’m planning has worked for someone else before. And I’m super excited that people have added me on flickr!
Fleur your goals do sound hard but it’s so damn brave of you to commit to taking them on. Well done! You could try EFT for the shopping addiction, even if you don’t think it’s for you it’s free (so fits in with the shopping ban!) and might just work wonders! and if you get no results there’s nothing much lost except for time. Wishing you the best of luck, we’ll all be cheering you on!
!I’m SO INCREDIBLY EXCITED! I just keep on coming up with more and more goals. And I can’t shut up about all the shit I wanna do! I actually just ran a mile, which is a lot for me, since I never exercise, and it felt amazing. And I just made one of my best friends promise to run with me every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday… psych!!
I can’t decide what my main goal should be, though. I really want to learn another language. My dad is one of those autistic idiot savant type people, and he takes slightly less than four weeks to become fluent in a language. So maybe some of his talent has been passed down genetically? I don’t think I can GET FLUENT in a month or whatever, but one year of high school should be a piece of cake if I just commit (high school language textbooks are so easy! I’m worried for what levels I’ll test in for college)...
Good Morning! Happy ITC start day! Gala I loved this post! I laughed out loud haha! Go GIRL!
Kat: You sound really amazing and brave! Good luck. We will all be your cheerleaders. I look forward to see your progress and I am going to log into Flickr right now!
I wanna go cheerleading!
Good on you! I wonder if you went to the same lessons that my friend teaches at? Until I saw some videos of her doing competitive cheerleading, I had no idea how talented you have to be – and how fit, co-ordinated and flexible! She can do 50 star jumps in a row, touching her toes to her hands! Cheerleading is a very cool combination of fitness, flexibility, gymnastics, dance and acrobatics so my hat is off to you for learning it. I was too wussy to take lessons. ;) I’m way impressed. Have super fun!
Oh my gosh: I LOVE CHEERLEADING! I used to be a cheerleader in school, and no one could figure out why I liked it because I guess I’m not that stereotypical ‘cheerleader’ type.
It really does kick your butt. For some reason, people always think of gymnastics and cheerleading as wimpy sports, but it takes a lot. I remember in school, training with running and exercises (which you probably won’t have to do! be thankful, haha) and then practicing for hours. It was so hard, but so much fun.
I am TOTALLY thrilled, now, at the possibility of cheerleading outside of a school team. I’d never thought of looking into that before! Thanks for the inspiration :)
And have fun with cheerleading, Gala! Hehe.
Oh CHEERLEADING?
I have always wanted to give that a whirl. and it wasn’t even the choreography that scared me, because I am a dancer. It was the costumes. Seriously, the costumes. I don’t have the stomach to pull off the tops I have seen them wear.
I know, how stupid to be put off trying something cool because you’re worried about what you have to wear HAHA
I have been wracking my brains trying to think what to do for this challenge, as I already eat amazingly well, keep active and live fairly ethically … so I’ve decided my own challenge will involve thinking positively and creative output – as these two things are key to transforming my life from what is is now :)
Cheers, Gala!