So I stumbled across this NYT piece about reinventing yourself, and damn did it hit home. That title "The Person I Used to Be" kept rattling in my brain while brushing my teeth next morning. Started digging through old photos on my phone - found this cringey shot of me from three years ago, stuffing my face with pizza at 2AM wearing a stained Marvel tee. Realized I barely recognized that guy.
The Brutal Wake-Up Call
Grabbed a marker and ripped a cardboard Amazon box. Wrote "OLD ME" at the top and just went ham listing shit underneath:
- Always hitting snooze 5 times
- Chugging energy drinks like water
- Mindlessly scrolling Instagram in bed
- Making excuses about gym membership collecting dust
Stuck that ugly truth manifesto on my bathroom mirror where I couldn't ignore it. Every morning brushing teeth became this awkward staring contest with my own lazy ass.
Baby Steps Revolution
First win? Waking up when the alarm actually rang. No snooze. Just feet on floor - felt weird as hell. Took that shaky victory energy straight to my neglected running shoes. Jogged exactly 1.3 miles before wanting to die. But hey, did it again Tuesday.
Started noticing patterns - like how scrolling TikTok made me crave junk food. Deleted that app cold turkey. Swapped midnight snacks with herbal tea. Small changes, but man did they snowball.
The Real Turning Point
About month three, caught myself passing McDonald's without cravings. Actually wanted to run. Weirdest damn feeling. Took another selfie - sweaty, red-faced after 5K, but smiling like an idiot. Compared it to that old pizza massacre pic. Different species.
Now? That cardboard list hangs framed in my office. Not cause I'm perfect now, but to remember how far simple daily choices dragged me from who I was. Still slip up sometimes - yesterday had three Oreos before catching myself - but that's okay. Growth ain't pretty but damn is it real.
