I'd like to make a deposit..

I don't know, maybe this is just how I'm "wired" but giving back brings me so much fulfillment. I remember walking in to my first WW meeting and thinking, "Ok, IF I can do this.. IF I can overcome this weight issue I've never been able to conquer, then I'm not only going to do this for myself but for those around me." It's just something I do, I try to make deposits into other people's lives. There is no point in doing something if you're not able to impact someone around you. During the beginning of my journey, I had to focus on myself first. I had to figure this weight loss thing out. I even tried to keep it a secret for the first 30 pounds, but that was mainly because I was afraid I'd fail and I didn't want to look like a failure in people's eyes (yep.. you're talking to a people pleaser here.. it's not a pretty sight) But slowly, those around me started to notice the changes in me and wanted to know what I was doing. So that's when I started to share and hope that those that needed it would grab a hold of whatever they needed from my experiences. I guess for me, it helps me in several areas. One, it helps me keep my eyes off of myself. I have walked through frustrating and discouraging times during this journey but knowing that others were counting on me to finish, it helped keep me going. When you're making deposits into other peoples lives, it sorta helps keep your eyes off of your own problems. It's also a great accountability! If someone is asking me for advice on what they should eat or how to keep going when they don't feel like it.. well I better be doing those things if I'm going to hope someone else will! I have the wonderful privilege of waking up in the mornings and opening up my FB messages to find people sharing with me their exciting news about their journeys. I get to talk to those that just need a little boost of encouragement or a little push to get them past a hurdle. I feel so lucky to be able to do this. I do believe we all can do this! And why not? This is such an amazing thing you're doing for your health, life and future.. and another persons health, life and future can be greatly impacted by you. I think even in our struggles we can help others. I want to encourage you, if you're having a hard time on your weight loss/getting healthy plan.. then try making some deposits into others. Find someone that might need a workout buddy and set a date to workout together. Maybe you'll find someone that just needs some encouragement. I know lots of people that simply need some cheerleaders on their side! You might not see that you've come far enough to help someone else, but just the fact that you're trying is good enough to help others! Make a deposit into someones life, expecting nothing in return except the satisfaction and joy knowing that you've helped someone else. Thank you to those that have allowed me to deposit into their lives. By you allowing that, you've helped me in so many ways! Keeping our eyes off of our own "ho hums" helps us not be so down about the things that might not be going our way. And as always, thanks for reading :)

If I want it.. I get it!

Have you ever been at the mall and saw something you just had to have? Maybe it was an outfit, a pair of shoes or a super awesome new TV?! I definitely have!! How convenient is it that you can purchase these things on borrowed money!! You can take out credit right then and there, if approved of course, and you don't have to wait. We have what we want and most of the time we get it when we want it. We don't wait and save, we spend money we don't have. I like to say, we can be over indulgers :) I think I just made that word up!! We really do have some out of control habits. We like to get what we want and we don't always think beyond that moment. Look at the economy, that explains our consequences to our spending habits.  So it should be no shock that two thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese. We lack this thing called self control. And it's literally killing us. Believe me, I have been there! I ate what I wanted, how much I wanted and when I wanted. If I wanted a a double cheeseburger...every day, I ate one... every day. I didn't think about the consequences to my actions. And I said I cared about the consequences, but apparently not enough to do anything about it. My little sister, Enam, recently asked me if losing weight was hard. I had to take a few minutes to think about this question (it was a really great question, Enam :) And really, the act of losing weight isn't hard. It's gaining and keeping the ability to have self control. I think when people think of "diet" they think, "UGH!!!! Now I can't have ANYTHING I want!! I have to give up ALLLLLL my favorite foods!!!" And that's not true at all!! We can have whatever we want. We don't have to give up our favorite foods at all!! I think the problem is that we can't have it all the time, every day, whenever we want it! Well you can but with that comes some unwanted consequences. What do we think will happen to our body if we don't take care of it? I have learned that the more you say no to something, the easier it gets. You build up a resistance to it and caving in is less likely. You learn your weaknesses. I'm not saying self control is easy.. it is quite the opposite, especially when you're just building that character trait. But I will tell you, the longer you keep it up the easier it gets! I often think about my kids and how I have changed their lives by changing mine. I want my kids to grow up with the ability to show self control. Not just in the area of food but in all areas. I think it's ok to over indulge, at times. But if we have a lifestyle where over indulging is an often habit, that's where the trouble comes in. I'm telling you, if you will build up the ability that you already have inside you to have self control.. if you stop caving in to every little tasty craving you have.. it will get easier. I want to encourage you, do not give up because you feel like it's too hard to tell yourself no. Don't cave in to that lack of self control you have. Think about what you're doing and the consequences that comes along with it. I am telling you, you will build a very important trait inside yourself that will come in handy for the rest of your life.


Self control is the ability to control one's emotions, behavior, and desires in order to obtain some reward, or avoid some punishment, later.