Being the Pink Elephant

Posted On: September 14, 2010 by Kurt Blosser

Before you can understand the pink elephant you have to know what it is. When you find out what it is, you find out that the pink elephant is YOU. Now that I have everyone completely confused but hopefully intrigued let me explain my pink elephant philosophy.

The pink elephant is what I like to refer to as something that sticks out in a room, crowd, or any social setting that everyone sees but no one knows how to address it. Everyone knows that it is present but they don’t know what they can do to help. The pink elephant is obviously a situation that is uncomfortable for everyone involved because they don’t want to run the risk of being the person that speaks out and then is looked at in an unfavorable manner. Being the one that points out the issue is not an easy thing to undertake and it takes a lot of inner confidence to take that step. There are very few people that will ever take that responsibility because it is easier to talk to others about the situation without addressing the problem. You feel better because you feel like you are helping the situation due to pointing it out and you get the feedback from everyone else involved, but in the end that pink elephant will never go away or become invisible until something is done to address it.

In my situation, I was (and still am) the pink elephant. I knew that things were not right, I knew that I was unhappy, I knew that I wanted to improve but I did not know or didn’t want to accept the fact that it was affecting everyone around me. I am truly blessed to have people in my life that cared enough about me to be worried and took the steps to address the issue with my weight and appearance to invoke change. It was not until the process started that I realized the magnitude of being the pink elephant and all that it encompassed. My friends and family for a long time had made subtle comments, offers and clues that there was an issue without ever really saying anything.

That all changed one cold December afternoon over lunch with one of the people in my circle of friends that stepped up to the plate and tackled the pink elephant. He ran the risk of a negative reaction by me and the real possibility that by addressing the issue that the result could change the relationship forever. This person though was not just addressing the issue for himself but for everyone in my circle of friends and family. When he addressed the issue not only did he tell me the issue, he offered a solution and made a commitment to guide me through the process. He was not going to take no for an answer, he was not going to leave until he got the buy in from me and he let me know how many people were involved in the process. This is the day that began to change my life.

Nine months later, I am beginning the process of chronicling the events that have transpired since that day and how they have POSITIVELY impacted this pink elephant and my life. There will be more to come but I thought this was a fitting introduction.

Kurt Blosser

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