Enjoy the Ride

All throughout this process - this journey of ours - we have to learn to take the time to enjoy the little things. No matter how stressful this journey may be, it is critical to our success to "smell the roses". So often it is difficult to imagine enjoying the process of losing weight. It used to amaze me to no end when I would attend meetings to see and hear the frustrations of those who were not satisfied with their results for the week. Some will lose weight weekly while others will gain and yet others will neither lose nor gain.

To hear someone say "I cannot believe I only lost [insert number of your choosing here] pounds!" Frustrating is really not the most accurate word, rather it was more irksome. After time however, it was clear to me that those individuals were not enjoying themselves. That realization was huge for me. This journey of ours undoubtedly will lead to changes in our bodies, minds, hearts, souls, and also in our ways of thinking. If we take the time to open our eyes to all of the changes taking place - to the evolution of our whole person - we will develop a greater appreciation for that which is occurring. It will mean so much more to us. It will be tangible and palpable. This new understanding will aide us in the ever challenging emotional aspects of dealing with the evolution of our persons that out respective self-care plans have afforded us.

These are not unfortunate changes, as some on the outside may feel. Sure, our personalities may change. Our usual behaviors and character traits may adjust slightly - or more than slightly. But our self-care plans are quick to show us that we have really been ignoring life. I know I did.

Life essentially just dragged me along for the ride. For 32-plus years, I was a comatose, submissive passenger on a trip to nowhere in particular. I felt as if I had no control over my life. It was true. I didn't. Enjoying life, for me, was too a process. Misery is no longer something which follows me around like a whiff of cologne. I want to be more active. I want to fuel my body the right way. I want to do all of the things I previously thought were ridiculous or unnecessary. Yes, there was a point when I weighed 335 pounds when I actually felt as if I did not need to lose weight. Why? It was the easy way out.

After I started my journey of one thousand steps, it took me a long time to realize that I had better enjoy the ride. Otherwise I was destined to be rejoined by those miserable feelings of my past. I am not perfect. I am a work in progress. I am not handsome and turn shy when folks say as much. I still have a bunch to work on, and I am still 30-some pounds away from where I want to be. But I will get there. I respect my body and my life too much not to. And throughout the entire rest of this journey - one that will undoubtedly last the rest of my life when considering the maintenance of my work - I will enjoy every step along the way. I will enjoy the ride.