One year

What a difference one year makes!!!..... yesterday I celebrated my 39th birthday.  What a difference THIS birthday from ANY other birthday.  Today I find myself 100% completely happy with my life.  I am surrounded by my family that loves me,  I have  many wonderful friends that called and texted and left me messages which made me feel so loved.
A lot of people have told me how much I have inspired them, which I LOVE to hear, so when I thought about this last year and all that I have been through and all that I have accomplished..... it felt even BETTER to know it's been MORE than for just myself.
Today at age 39 I am fully confident I am going to live a long and healthy life.  I have changed not only the way my body looks but how my body functions. I will not have diabetes, I will not have heart disease, I will no longer suffer from depression, I will not lead a sedentary life that weakens the immune system and leads to many health problems.  I am HEALTHY and FIT and STRONG!  I am beyond excited for the future that lies ahead of me.... one that has fulfillment, one that has purpose and one that has joy.
My last birthday I was in the pit with a lion..... struggling with how much further I had to go, what I really wanted out of all this hard work, feeling overwhelmed in a job I was not completely happy with and I remember feeling like "how am I going to continue this fight?"  Even when you have a good support system there are times you feel really alone.
I have often said this journey has not just been about weight loss, and I am grateful to have been put in a position where someone who had the knowledge and took the time to teach me.  It's been a journey to have a deep understanding of how much the human mind can overcome.  Oh my gosh that sounds so cliche, but it's the truth! I had this idea of what life should be like.... emphasis on SHOULD.  My should be life consisted of a nice even path, no hills to climb, no pits to fall in.  Where I got this idea from, I have no idea?   But it sounded really good, I mean who doesn't want to coast through life?  If given the choice would you take the nice easy path with the beautiful scenery?  Or would you take the path that was difficult and at times very dark... so dark it's hard to see.  At times...... such a struggle you wanted to turn back and give up?
Me?..... I now chose the difficult path.  I'll tell you why.... because the growth that comes out of the difficult path, the triumphs you feel through each obstacle, the beauty you see when you reach each milestone....... is so much better than any scenic  route you will EVER take.  You may just have to trust me on that one!  
For me it came in the form of weight loss.  A lot of people want to loose weight but they don't DESIRE it, they don't believe they can do it. I know because I was that person for many years. It takes desire to want a healthy lifestyle, it take desire to change jobs... It takes desire to WANT TO CHANGE and NEVER look back.  And that comes at a price......
Get rid of the old you, get rid of your pride, get rid of your negativity, get rid of your fear.  It takes the ability to be willing to take responsibility over YOUR own choices, YOUR own actions.  This is where most people fail and I mean really fail.  If you learn how to exercise, eat right and live a healthy lifestyle but don't apply it...... you need to do it for YOU.  I encourage you to learn to "love who your are" be patient with yourself and push yourself to make a long lasting change.... one that you will make and NEVER look back!


Jen