Let me begin by apologizing for my lack of blogs recently. This whole living life again has taken an enormous amount of time and energy... it also gives me great empathy for all the hardworking folks embarking on their journeys...
My life has been so abundantly blessed because of The Biggest Loser. Because they took a chance on a broken, overweight former teacher, I have truly found new LIFE. In my new life, I now have the opportunity to travel all over our great country talking with all kinds of groups... grief groups, schools, health and wellness communities, and several churches. (I've been in four states in the past 11 days...) When I started this whole new endeavor, I had no idea what to expect. In fact, in the beginning, the speech writing was so emotionally draining I didn't know if this was the path for me. Boy how those feelings have changed! This whole process is analogous to my weight-loss journey in so many ways... It's overwhelmingly hard work in the beginning, but the payoff is so very worth it! Getting to meet people in the flesh and look them in the eyes "feeds" me more than I ever dreamed would be possible. With this newfound epiphany I feel compelled once again to encourage, implore, beg... whatever must be done... for YOU to live your best life.
I watched the recent episodes with Sam and Sunshine's eliminations. The overriding message remains the same... they are living their best lives! The Biggest Loser remains successful because we are inspired by watching other people do what we want to do because deep down, it tells us that WE can do it too. Despite all the obstacles and hurts in this world, there is so much beauty to be had when we shift our focus. I had to shift my focus from what I had lost to all that I HAVE. No, I will never be thankful that my family is not with me here on this earth... ever... but I will say that I am so thankful for all the wonderful things I have been blessed with since that time. Your mind and perspective are the most powerful tools you have in your arsenal. Michael comes to mind when I think of this idea... for a time he was focusing on how far he still had to go on his journey. How easy it is to feel overwhelmed and stuck... but what joy came when he focused on his accomplishment... 204 pounds LOST! That's amazing!!! Use your attitude to allow you to create the life you have always wanted!
One last thought to leave you with... I hear over and over and over again, via the show and in meeting people, that they don't take care of themselves because they are taking care of everyone else. Maybe it's just a matter of semantics, but my perspective differs here because I would give anything to have my family to take care of... I say that, NOT for pity, but only so you hear my "heart" in what I'm about to write. To me, it's not about putting yourself first... or putting yourself last... or putting yourself in the middle for that matter. It's about putting yourself in the equation. When you take care of yourself you are better able to serve your family, your friends, your community, AND yourself. I firmly believe we are put on this earth for a reason and purpose. If our focus is only on ourselves we miss out on the best parts of life. A great life is ours for the taking... let's EVERYONE take the world by the tail!