I used to believe I had reached the age where I could no longer look the way I wanted. Recently, I proved myself wrong. I assume you, too, have some areas of life where you feel defeated. This is how to shift from defeat mode to winning your game, whatever it is.

When I turned 50, I wanted to stop obsessing about my weight. Through the past year and a half, I have slowly gained one pound after the other. My IG feed was kind enough to provide me with some insightful information. It is natural to gain weight at 50, experts warned, and don’t even bother to eat less or exercise more because your metabolism rests in peace, and there is nothing you can do about it. Nothing, except, of course, the magic solutions these experts offer. To learn about their solutions, I was dragged to watch 40-minute-long videos aimed at selling me a supplement or a diet plan. 

I added cinnamon to my matcha latte. I bought high-end supplements that promised me a lean and active figure. To my dismay, the more weight-loss videos I watched and the more supplements I purchased, the more weight I gained. 

It was more than just feeling uncomfortable in my jeans. I felt defeated. I started feeling jealous of women my age who had stunning figures. In my long conversations with myself, I reasoned that these women had more time to care for their appearance. I concluded that I had to accept that my body wouldn’t be as gorgeous as it used to be, and I should learn to embrace it and love myself as I am. But the thing is, it’s hard to love yourself when you feel defeated. 

When I returned from my recent trip to Boulder, CO, to hurricane-beaten Asheville, I stepped on the scale and found that things really got out of hand. The digital number that flashed brightly from the scale’s screen was a red flag. I could not do much about Helene’s devastation, but I could do something about my weight. This shocking moment on the scale was when I shifted from defeated mode to warrior mode. 

What I found out in the following weeks was remarkable. All I needed to do to get the body I wanted was to be determined to eat less and exercise more. It turned out my metabolism was amazingly well. I asked for tips from friends who knew, but eventually, I listened to myself and developed a method that worked for me. I kept eating everything I loved, just less. I kept snacking between meals but switched from chocolate and ginger candies to fruits and nuts. I devoted more time to preparing my meals, ensuring they were rich and tasty. I returned to my favorite training program with Tracy Anderson, which works magic on my body. 

There were no shortcuts—this path required discipline, dedication, and hard work, but the results were much more than feeling and looking better than ever. I triumphed over my defeat, and that impacts everything I do. I gained a deep inner knowing that if I want something, I can make it happen. I would be asked for the same level of devotion I applied to getting the body I wanted, but it would be so worthy. 

Many of my clients experience a similar sense of defeat. Some suffer from health issues and feel defeated about their chances of succeeding in their businesses, some have successful careers but feel defeated about their chances of finding love, and some feel defeated about their ability to have a job that excites them. These are just a few examples. 

When Mercury starts retrograding in Sagittarius this week, it is a time to review our defeated thought patterns and set ourselves free of them. Sagittarius is the optimistic sign of the zodiac, and it is also the sign that represents our beliefs. Our mind creates thoughts, and thoughts that repeat themselves repeatedly constitute belief. These beliefs can support us on our paths (Yes! I can do it!) Or limit us (No, I can’t). 

Whenever you feel you can’t do something, I encourage you to look at this thought and tell yourself that you might be right. Maybe you can’t do it. Once you do that, you can also introduce a new idea inspired by Sagittarius’s optimism – perhaps you can.

You can tell yourself: maybe I will succeed in my business despite my health issues/ I will find love/ I will look gorgeous/ I will find a fulfilling career / I____ fill in the blank. Maybe, in the end, you’ll get so much more than you believed was possible. It happened to me, so why wouldn’t it happen to you? 

Wishing you a wonderful week,

With love,

Yael