Quitting is always an option..

I think I've told myself a billion times, "Quitting is NOT an option, Mel!!" But really, it is! We might not call it quitting, because that just sounds so bad! We might call it something else, but we know what we're really doing. I know I get to the point that I want to quit. I get tired! I get lazy! I get bored! The last few months have been the toughest months for me. I haven't quit, but I sure have been dragging my feet! So I was thinking, what would happen if I just gave up? Because I'm the boss over myself, I really can just give up! No one's going to say anything to me if I quit, I've come so far, right?! If I quit, I'm only telling myself, "Giving up is ok!" I'll know that when things get really challenging, all I have to do is quit, walk away, be done! If I quit I'll never be able to say I hit my goal. I'll be able to say, "I got super close, I even saw the finish line!! But I just stopped right before I ran through the finish line." When my kids ask me how I felt when I got to my goal, I'll never be able to tell them. I know my thinking can be a bit overboard and I can be a bit of an over thinker ;) but weighing quitting vs. sticking with it and seeing it ALL the way through was something I had to do. I had to stop dragging my feet and start moving ahead again. I totally understand the feeling of being tired and drained of the process. I also understand the feeling of wanting something sooo bad and knowing that you just have to dig deep down inside yourself to grab whatever you can to push yourself there. There are times when others words, inspiring quotes and stories, new recipes, a really great new workout routines or even praying won't work. There are times when the only thing that works is just going! Just making yourself move forward! Just reminding yourself why you started this and that you aren't done until you're done. I think in those times when quitting is a very close decision for you.. and you push through even when you don't wanna.. WOW! The character building, the inner strength you get, the fact that you didn't pick the quitting option.. there's a lot more going on inside you than just losing weight and getting healthy. I think about life beyond weight loss and how the perseverance I have will effect the other challenges I face and journeys I will be on. Because if we can do this, if we can conquer this.. I believe that we can do anything!

Invest into yourself!

You know how it works; you have to make a deposit in order to get a return. You know how it goes.. we do for everyone else before we do for ourselves. In many situations that's the reason we don't do for ourselves, because we're tired and drained. I was thinking about this.. and the fact is, this shows that we do have it within ourselves to invest into ourselves. Look, we've been doing it for others for so long. We invest time into our friendships, we invest perseverance into our kids goals we invest our hearts into our spouses dreams. So we have the ability to invest, within us. But why don't we do it for ourselves. You know, the best thing you can give those you love is a better, healthier, more active "YOU!" Why not take some time for yourself and see what a little investment can do! Over the past year and half I've made some great investments into my life. I've taken some time for myself and it has paid off! I've invested in myself by taking time to exercise. I take time to journal my food. I write it down as a means of accountability and also the fact after a long crazy day, I really can't remember what I've eaten that day, so it helps keep me on track. I plan meals, so when I'm busy I make sure I have good, healthy foods in the house so I have something to grab on the run. And I have my groceries ready to be prepared for a meal instead of running through drive thru's at the last minute (not saying I don't ever do this, because there are times I do) I try not to let my time be taken by things that, in the end, won't really matter.   It takes time, YES!! There will always be reasons why we "don't have the time" so you just have to make the time! It's tough in the beginning to make changes, for me it was. But once you make the investments where you need to make them and teach your family the new things you're going to be implementing in your own life and possibly in theirs.. it will make for a better YOU! I just want to encourage you to not wait any longer. Make some deposits into your own life!