Relish the Journey

When you have a lot of weight to lose, like I do, it's easy to get caught up in one of two emotions even when things are going well, and you've been successful. The first emotion is, man, I have so much weight to lose, so what that I've lost 31 pounds in 2 months, big deal, that's NOTHING... no it's not, and just about anyone would say it's not, but mentally, the journey ahead is SO much longer, that it is just a drop in the bigger bucket. The second emotion is disgust that you've done something so terrible that it will take years to rectify, and you are going to have to be strong and resolved to keep it up and end up being successful. And because it has certainly taken years to get to this point, you know (and I'm talking "me" when I say "you") there have been plenty of other attempts to reach the ultimate goal, that ended up failing... so the second emotion is sort of a "sigh" can I make it? 

Both of those emotions are dangerous to success, but the good news is, both are defeatable. I think the best way to defeat them is to learn how to love the process, and enjoy the journey for what it is. There's nothing that can be done about the past. Although, there is a benefit, even to multiple past failures. You can learn from them and use those to help avoid the mistakes that happened. 

I've had several minor victories, a pair of shorts I found that I hadn't been able to wear in several years, and just the week before were too tight to wear even though I was able to fight them up for the first time in years. Yesterday I was able to wear them comfortably, no heartburn, sleeping better, walking around the house freer, and most of all, being able to go to the health club and walk all the way from front to back where the locker rooms and pool are without a walker. So, I decided to go "deep closet diving" today again. And low and behold, I found several more items, shorts and a pair of pants I hadn't been able to wear in years, and now I can wear them. A couple are tight but wearable, a couple are totally wearable, but all of them were a great feeling of success. I also found several more items, shirts, shorts and pants that were okay, not yet, but give it another 10 or 15 pounds and you've got it, so they are my new goal for the next few months. And there are plenty of others in the closet still that will be future goals. Every little pound (or as in this week, half pound) of loss is a celebration to relish, and the journey, while not short, should still be something to enjoy and find happiness in. 

The road to health may not be a short one, but we still have to remember to live in the moment and love life as it improves, and get the most out of it. I know I can't wait to live two years from now. I have to live now, and love my life and myself... that's success. 




Don't misunderstand me. It is the past "failures" that have made this journey a little better. Even though there are times those two emotions I mentioned above creep in to my head, I am feeling more powerful knowing them for what they are, and understanding that I have to learn to relish this journey.