In the game of chess, SPACE is particularly important. This allows the player better freedom to move across the board. This also plays very well for a TOPS member.
When I joined TOPS, I had a preconceived notion that I was going to be handed a specific plan to follow. Now, at that time, it would have made me feel very restricted, but I was looking for a new OPENING. Quickly, I learned that there were many paths that I could take to a healthier lifestyle.
Our founder, Mrs. Manz, knew right at the beginning, everybody was different. Allowing each individual to work with a healthcare representative to help them craft their journey allowed that member the SPACE they needed. When family and friends ask me why, after all these years, I still remain a TOPS member, I explain that TOPS provides a safe SPACE. A SPACE where I am not judged. A SPACE that allows me to try trusted plans that can fit my lifestyle. A place in which I do not feel confined.
Just think back to the times when the “The Choice is Mine” phrase was used often. It is no secret that there is a lot of noise that fills the SPACE when it comes to weight loss. There are a lot of fads that catch desperate people who are craving a healthier lifestyle. It is unfortunate that these individuals are preyed upon by all that noise. TOPS can provide that safe SPACE to get real information because we are “real people.”
When I created my SPACE in TOPS, I took the POSITION to try a different STRATEGY (or seven) in order to map my path. I am quickly learning that it will always take adjustments, and nothing is perfect. No matter what SPACE I am in, patience is needed.
I admit that I was a person who did not like change. I now believe that this may have led to the many HOWLERS I made over the years. It is fair to say that TOPS opened my eyes. I realized that change can be a good thing and is indeed necessary.
However, as someone who struggled with change, I’ve learned that I need to know why a change is necessary. Not only at a personal level but also in my capacity as President of TOPS. My frustration sometimes lies in the fact that change for the sake of change is not always for the best.
My next blog will deal with another chess expression called CRAMPED. I mention this now because with the new year coming and changes in TOPS that you may or may not have already heard about, may cause you to form a BLOCKADE. It is important to note that changing for the sake of change without a clear mission may have caused members to lose their SPACE. More Making the Right Moves with TOPS to follow!
