Wishful Shrinking

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You know, the other day, the phrase “wishful shrinking” popped into my head, and it’s been stuck there ever since. I hear it all the time from folks I work with — “I wish I could lose weight” or “I wish I would stick to a plan,” or “I wish I had the energy to keep up.” Oh, how I get it. That longing, that hope—it’s real. But here’s the thing I’ve learned after years of coaching: wishing won’t make the scale budge. There’s no magic wand for shrinking your waistline. It’s all about working for it, one determined step at a time.

Wishful shrinking is that sneaky mindset where we pin our hopes on “someday” without taking action today. It’s dreaming of fitting into those old jeans or feeling confident at the beach but stopping short of doing the hard stuff—like choosing a salad over fries, lacing up your sneakers even when you’re tired, or saying no to that late-night snack. I’ve seen so many people get caught in this trap. It’s easy to wish. It’s comfortable. But it keeps us stuck.

Too many people I meet and clients I work with wish they could snap their fingers and be healthier, stronger, happier. And every time they say, “I wish,” they give away their power. Wishing is like tossing their goals into a far-off future they can’t control. I tell them they must decide to flip the script. Instead of wishing, they must start working. They must make small choices — drinking water instead of soda, walking a little more each day, celebrating every pound lost, no matter how small. Those choices add up, and they can turn wishes into reality.

That’s what I want for you. Stop wishful shrinking and start working shrinking. It doesn’t mean you have to overhaul your life overnight. It’s about one choice, one moment, one day at a time. Swap one unhealthy habit for a better one. Take a 10-minute walk. Eat a veggie-packed meal. These aren’t wishes—they’re actions. And actions? They’re what make shrinking happen.

I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s not. I’ve coached enough people to know the struggle is real—cravings, setbacks, self-doubt, all of it. But every person I’ve seen succeed has one thing in common: they stopped wishing and started doing. They took their power back. And you can too.

So, next time you catch yourself saying, “I wish I could . . . “ pause. Ask yourself, “What’s one thing I can do right now to make that wish real?” Maybe it’s planning your meals for the week. Maybe it’s doing a kitchen “cleanse” to get rid of all triggers. Maybe it’s calling a friend to join you for a workout or a walk. Whatever it is, do it. Because you’re not just wishing for a slimmer, healthier you; you’re building that person, one positive choice at a time.

What’s one action that YOU are ready to take today?