Inspiration and Transformation

Last week was challenging.  Stress, lack of motivation, and frustration at myself left me feeling like an emotional mess by the time Sunday night rolled around.  I was feeling pretty low and beginning to doubt that I was going to be able to reach any my goals.  So when the alarm clock went off at 8:30am on Monday, the last thing I wanted to do was get up and go to a Weight Watchers meeting.  I felt like I had been run over by a bulldozer and I just wanted to find a big rock to crawl under and hide from everything.

What did I do?  I got up, got dressed and went to the meeting, and I am so glad that I did.  This week, the focus was on inspiration and motivation.  The group leader asked use all to write down what it was that made us decide to join WW.  While we were writing, she shared her story about how she had been in poor health due to her weight, suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, and she realized the only way she could get that under control was to lose weight.  Some of the other members shared their stories, some had health reasons, others were tired of the way they looked and the comments they received from friends and loved ones, most of the members who shared their stories had been WW members before.  I decided to share my story.  As those of you who have been following my blog before know, I've been battling my weight for quite some time and, although this is my first time joining WW, I have been on several other diets that have not worked for me.  I told the group that, when I walked through the WW door that February day, I was tired of the way I looked.  I was tired of looking at myself in the mirror every January and seeing the same fat person staring back at me.  I also talked about how I celebrated a big birthday this year and decided that I was ready to take control of my eating and my relationship with food.

It felt really good to share and to realize that I am not alone on this journey.  After talking about what motivated us to join, we wrote down why we were there, at the meeting, week after week.  My answer was short, I am doing this for me.  As I looked at my answer, I began to think of the things I have started doing for myself and the ways I have started to put myself first, rather than hide behind others, and it felt good.  As the meeting was wrapping up, the group leader talked about Dr. Oz's Million Dollar Transformation Challenge.  The Dr. Oz show has partnered with WW to help motivate people to make healthy changes in their lives and, by making these transformation, you could win one million dollars.  My group leader told everyone that, if they wanted, they could pick up an application to join the challenge and encouraged everyone to watch the Dr. Oz show that afternoon.  As the meeting ended, I was sitting and talking to two women that I have become friends with and one of them looked at me and said, "You should do this.  You should sign up to win the million dollars."  Well I looked at her and laughed, not sure what to say, when the group leader came over to me and said the same thing.  I think I gave them a look that said, "Are you crazy", when the group leader said she thought I would be a perfect candidate to transform my life.  As my two friends shook their heads in agreement, I realized that there were three people who didn't know me that well, but firmly believed that I could transform my life.  Talk about a big jolt of inspiration!  If these people who I have only had contact with during WW meetings firmly believed I have what it takes to transform my life, why didn't I?  So I took an application and filled it out and I watched the Dr. Oz show and completed the online application.  Who knows, I may be one of the finalist on the show in May, I may just be the one who wins the million dollars.  Whether I win or not, I will transform myself, from the inside out, and I will continue with this journey.

Last week, I gained 1.6 pounds.  This week I lost half of it, 0.8.  I am happy for any loss because it is another step in the right direction.  Overall I have lost 15.4 pounds since I started this journey.

So, as I close this blog entry on inspiration, I want to share one more person who has also inspired me when it comes to writing and being creative.  I recently reconnected with my friend Leanne from college through Facebook.  Leanne has a blog call From Chaos Comes Happiness,  fromchaoscomeshappiness.blogspot.com, where she has written about the ups and downs in her creative and personal life and does it in such a way that, even when she is going through tough times, she still manages to be positive.  I have linked Leanne's blog and I encourage you to check it out.  I hope you will find it as inspiring as I have!

Who or what inspires you?  Leave me a message, I'd love to know. 

Now, go out and be inspired to reach your goals!