Why Waiting for Perfect Circumstances Keeps You Stuck
The uncomfortable truth about taking ownership of your health transformation
I need to have a real conversation with you about something that might be hard to hear.
If your body doesn't feel like home right now... If your energy is inconsistent and unpredictable... If you're doing "all the right things" but not seeing the progress you want...
I'm willing to bet you've been telling yourself some version of these stories:
"It's just my crazy schedule." "It's probably my hormones." "Once work calms down, then I'll focus on my health." "I just need life to slow down a little first." "When the kids are older, I'll have more time for myself." "If I could just get more sleep, everything would be easier."
And here's the thing I need you to understand: Those things might be completely true.
You didn't ask for the overwhelming stress. You didn't choose to have your hormones go haywire. You didn't create the chaos that seems to define your daily life.
But it's still yours to deal with.
This isn't about blame. This isn't about shame. This is about recognizing where your power actually lies.
The Circumstance Trap
We live in a culture that encourages us to wait for the "right time" to pursue our goals. We're told that transformation requires perfect conditions:
The ideal schedule with unlimited free time
Low stress and perfect mental health
Supportive family members who never make demands
Unlimited energy and motivation
A body that responds predictably to every intervention
But here's what nobody tells you: Those perfect circumstances never come.
There will always be another project at work. Your family will always need you. Life will always throw curveballs. Your hormones will continue to fluctuate. Stress will remain a constant.
While you're waiting for life to calm down, life is happening.
And every month you spend waiting for better circumstances is another month you could have been building habits, gaining strength, and creating the health and energy you need to handle whatever life throws at you.
The Power of Ownership
When I talk about "owning it," I'm not suggesting that everything is your fault. I'm talking about recognizing what is and isn't within your control, and choosing to focus your energy on what you can actually influence.
What You Can't Control
Your work demands and schedule (at least not immediately)
Other people's needs and expectations
Hormonal fluctuations and life stages
Unexpected stress and challenges
How quickly your body responds to changes
Past decisions and their consequences
What You Can Control
How you respond to stress and challenges
The choices you make within your constraints
What you prioritize within your available time and energy
How you speak to yourself about your circumstances
Whether you take action or continue waiting
What support you seek and accept
The transformation happens when you stop focusing on what you can't control and start maximizing what you can.
As research from Dr. Stephen Covey on personal effectiveness shows, highly effective people focus their energy on their "circle of influence" rather than their "circle of concern." This principle applies directly to health transformation.
The Stories We Tell Ourselves
Let's examine some of the most common stories that keep us stuck in waiting mode:
"I Don't Have Time"
The story: I'm too busy to meal prep, exercise, or focus on my health.
The reality: There will always be someone busier with less free time in their day that still gets it done. I have seen it happen. So the question isn't whether you have time, but how you're choosing to use it.
The ownership shift: "I haven't made my health a priority within my current time constraints. What can I do in the time I do have?"
"My Schedule Is Too Chaotic"
The story: My life is too unpredictable to maintain any kind of routine.
The reality: Very few people have completely predictable schedules. Most successful habit formation happens despite chaos, not because of perfect order.
The ownership shift: "My schedule is challenging, but I can build flexibility into my approach and focus on what I can control."
"My Hormones Are Working Against Me"
The story: My hormones make it impossible to lose weight or gain energy.
The reality: Hormones definitely affect your journey, but they don't make progress impossible. They just change what approaches work best.
The ownership shift: "My hormones create additional challenges, but I can work with my body's current state and seek appropriate support."
"I'll Start When Life Calms Down"
The story: Once this stressful period ends, then I'll be able to focus on my health.
The reality: Stressful periods are often when you need healthy habits most, not when you should abandon them.
The ownership shift: "This stressful period is exactly when I need to take care of myself. What can I do to support my body through this challenge?"
The Cost of Waiting
Every month you spend waiting for perfect circumstances has a compound cost:
Physical Cost
Your energy continues to decline. Your strength decreases. Your metabolism may slow further. Health issues that could be addressed early become more entrenched.
Mental Cost
You reinforce the belief that you're powerless over your circumstances. Your confidence in your ability to create change erodes. The gap between where you are and where you want to be grows wider.
Emotional Cost
Frustration builds as you watch time pass without progress. Resentment grows toward your circumstances. Hope diminishes as you see others making progress while you remain stuck.
Opportunity Cost
You miss months or years of feeling stronger, more energetic, and more confident. You lose the compound benefits of small daily actions taken consistently over time.
What Taking Ownership Actually Looks Like
Taking ownership doesn't mean pretending your circumstances don't matter or that you should be able to do everything perfectly despite challenges.
It means working with what you have instead of waiting for what you wish you had.
Practical Ownership in Action
Instead of: Waiting until you have an hour for the gym Take ownership: Do 15-minute workouts at home or take walking meetings
Instead of: Waiting until you can meal prep perfectly Take ownership: Focus on adding protein to whatever you're already eating
Instead of: Waiting until stress decreases Take ownership: Build stress management into your daily routine
Instead of: Waiting until your schedule is predictable Take ownership: Create flexible frameworks that can adapt to schedule changes
Instead of: Waiting until you feel motivated Take ownership: Build systems that work even when motivation is low
The Mindset Shift
From: "I can't because..." To: "Given my constraints, what can I do?"
From: "I'll start when..." To: "I'll start with what I have now."
From: "If only my circumstances were different..." To: "How can I work with my current circumstances?"
From: "I don't have enough time/energy/support..." To: "How can I make the most of the time/energy/support I do have?"
Real Client Examples
Let me share some examples of what ownership looks like in practice:
The Executive Mom
Circumstances: 60-hour work weeks, two young kids, frequent travel, high stress
Old story: "I'll focus on my health when work calms down and the kids are older."
Ownership shift: "My job and family aren't changing anytime soon. What can I do within these constraints?"
Actions: 15-minute morning workouts, protein-focused breakfast routine, walking meetings when possible, hotel room workouts during travel
Result: Lost 20 pounds and gained energy to handle her demanding life, all while maintaining her career and family commitments.
The Perimenopausal Professional
Circumstances: Hormone fluctuations, sleep disruptions, aging parents, demanding career
Old story: "My hormones are making this impossible. I'll wait until I get through menopause."
Ownership shift: "My hormones are challenging, but I can work with my body's current state."
Actions: Adjusted nutrition to support hormone balance, modified exercise for recovery needs, prioritized sleep hygiene, sought medical support
Result: Stabilized energy levels and improved body composition despite ongoing hormonal changes.
The Overwhelmed Caregiver
Circumstances: Caring for elderly parent, managing household, part-time work, chronic stress
Old story: "I can't focus on myself when everyone else needs me so much."
Ownership shift: "Taking care of myself allows me to better care for others."
Actions: 10-minute morning self-care routine, meal planning that included family needs, short walks while parent napped, boundaries around personal time
Result: Increased energy and emotional resilience, which improved her ability to handle caregiving responsibilities.
The Resistance You'll Face
When you start taking ownership, you'll face resistance, both internal and external.
Internal Resistance
"But it's not fair" - You're right, it's not fair. Life rarely gives us ideal circumstances. Taking ownership doesn't mean accepting that unfairness is okay; it means choosing to act despite it.
"I shouldn't have to" - Maybe you shouldn't have to deal with all these challenges while also trying to improve your health. But the alternative is remaining stuck while waiting for someone else to fix your circumstances.
"It's too hard" - It is hard. Taking ownership while managing difficult circumstances is challenging. But it's less hard than staying stuck indefinitely.
External Resistance
Others may not support your changes because your ownership makes them uncomfortable about their own choices.
People may try to sabotage your efforts either consciously or unconsciously because your growth threatens their comfort zone.
You may face criticism for "being selfish" or not putting others first.
Remember: You're not responsible for managing other people's discomfort with your growth.
Building Your Ownership Muscle
Taking ownership is a skill that strengthens with practice. Here's how to build it:
Step 1: Inventory Your Stories
Write down all the reasons you've been giving for why you can't focus on your health right now. Look for patterns in your language.
Step 2: Separate Facts from Stories
For each reason, identify what's actually true (the facts) versus the story you're telling yourself about those facts.
Step 3: Find Your Control Points
Within each challenging circumstance, identify at least one thing you could influence or control, even if it's small.
Step 4: Take One Small Action
Choose the smallest possible action you could take today that moves you toward your health goals, regardless of your circumstances.
Step 5: Build on Success
Each time you successfully take action despite challenging circumstances, you prove to yourself that ownership is possible. Use this evidence to take slightly bigger actions.
The Transformation That Follows
When you stop waiting for perfect circumstances and start taking ownership of what you can control, several things happen:
You Develop Resilience
You learn that you can maintain healthy habits even during challenging times. This resilience serves you in all areas of life.
You Build Self-Trust
Every time you follow through on a commitment to yourself despite obstacles, you strengthen your belief in your own capability.
You Create Momentum
Small actions taken consistently compound over time, creating visible progress that motivates continued ownership.
You Become an Example
Your ownership inspires others around you to take responsibility for their own lives and health.
You Experience Freedom
Paradoxically, taking full ownership of your circumstances creates freedom because you're no longer a victim of them.
The Bottom Line
I know this message might feel harsh. It might feel like I'm not acknowledging how hard your life actually is.
But here's what I know: You are stronger than your circumstances.
You've already survived 100% of your difficult days. You've already figured out how to handle challenges that once seemed impossible. You've already demonstrated resilience in other areas of your life.
The same strength that gets you through everything else can get you through creating the healthy, energetic body you want.
The question isn't whether you're capable. The question is whether you're ready to stop waiting for permission from your circumstances.
Ready to stop waiting and start taking ownership of your transformation?
I've created a comprehensive Metabolic Assessment that helps you identify exactly what you can control within your current circumstances and how to maximize your results despite real-life challenges.
This detailed analysis looks at:
How to work with your current schedule and energy levels
What you can realistically change given your constraints
How to build sustainable habits that survive stress and chaos
Strategies for taking ownership without overwhelming yourself
A personalized plan that fits your actual life, not your ideal life
Take the Metabolic Assessment →
Because the goal isn't to wait for perfect circumstances. The goal is to create extraordinary results within ordinary, imperfect circumstances.
Your Power Is Waiting
Your circumstances may be challenging. Your life may be chaotic. Your resources may be limited.
But your power to create change is still there, waiting for you to claim it.
You can keep waiting for life to get easier, or you can get stronger within the life you have.
You already know which choice builds the future you want.
The only question is: Are you ready to own it?
Coach Megann helps women take ownership of their health transformation regardless of their circumstances. Take the Metabolic Assessment to discover how to create sustainable change within your real life constraints.
