I am worth it!

Hello Blog World!

My name is Monique, and this is my very first post on my very first blog. I set up my blogs weeks ago, tinkered with it a lot, trying to decide how much I should share, and how much I shouldn't. I then decided that I just needed to do this! I have been reading other blogs for months, and have learned such amazing things about healthy lifestyles, wholesome food choices and of course amazing success stories. Here is where I come in...

I do not yet have a success story. I am a work in progress with my weight loss, and am determined to lose 60lbs slowly, healthily and be happy while I am doing it. I chose to blog because I thought that I would make a support group of people who I could share my daily ups and downs with, as well as continue to get more advice from others who are on the journey, and who are on the other side of the weight loss finish line and are maintaining.

I decided to make today the day I publish a first post because of Caitlin at Healthy Tipping Point. This is the week that her book is to be released, and I wanted to support her on the first day of my blog, because she has inspired me daily for months now. I emailed her once, and one of the first things that she wrote back was that she wanted to give me a hug. A person like that, who doesn't even know me, truly warmed my heart, and really motivated me to feel that I am worth the fight, deserves my first post spot! ;-)

SO, in honor Change the Way You See, Not the Way You Look, I am deciding that my weight loss will be about something other than numbers....numbers on the scale, sizes on jeans, calories, fat grams, carb grams, etc.  Obviously, I have to measure those things in order to continue on with success, but I want my heart to focus on raising my level of self awareness, and knowing my worth ASIDE from the exterior things that other people see.  I decide today that I am worth the small amount of extra time that it will take to make a better food choice, the extra effort that it will take to go to the gym and push myself, and of course, the effort it will take to say no to things that are not the best choice for how I like to feel after I eat....light, healthy and super proud of myself.

I heard a quote once that said, "Be a human being, not a human doing or a human having". That really hit home for me, because all my life, I have been either trying to achieve this or that, or fit into a size this or that. I have never once lived a day thinking....wow, I am pretty funny sometimes...or I am very compassionate and caring at times...or even just I am a good listener. It's so hard to live in a manner that allows you to focus on those qualities that you cannot see, because society does not support an attitude like that, but in determining your worth as a person, you must dig deep to pull those qualities out and put them on display for awhile.You can then experience a sense of happiness from your achievements because your efforts emerge from and affirm who you are.

I feel that Operation Beautiful is such an amazing idea that will inspire people and most importantly future generations to come. I am thankful to Caitlin for stepping out and being brave with her message, and am happy to be able to say....I read her blog before she became a super famous author! :-)

P. S. Today, I feel COMPLETELY EMPOWERED! I was worth the hour of cardio that I did this morning! F.Y.I. I have never done an hour of cardio in one day ever in my life!! Thanks Caitlin!

~Monique