Stop Talking About It!

Not everybody wants to hear about your weight loss. I learned that lesson this week. All I said was that "I get cold now that I've lost..." and the response was "You really have to stop talking about it! We ALL know that you've lost 100 pounds." [eyes rolling at me]

I think about all the people that have been inspired to lose weight because I did talk about it. You can share your story, just know your audience. Lesson learned.

I'm reminded of another lesson about how we respond to others. I do not know who the author is, but I am always touched with the lesson.

There once was a little girl who had a bad temper. Her mother gave her a bag of nails and told her that every time she lost her temper, she must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the girl had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as she learned to control her anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. She discovered it was easier to hold her temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the girl didn’t lose her temper at all. She told her mother about it and the mother suggested that the girl now pull out one nail for each day that she was able to hold her temper. The days passed and the young girl was finally able to tell her mother that all the nails were gone. The mother took her daughter by the hand and led her to the fence.

She said, “You have done well, my daughter, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.”

You can put a knife in a person and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Children are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us.

I want the heart of a child. I want to share words of praise not tear others down.

A Letter of a Lifetime

Dear Shannon,
You did it! You achieved Lifetime Membership with Weight Watchers. I want you to remember this day and how good you feel. Your journey is not over.

You must make a promise to yourself to do the following:

1. Always keep track of what you eat. Continue to plan your weekly meals and stick to it.
2. Always attend your weekly WW meetings.
3. Always weigh in...accountability equals success!
4. Never think that it just doesn't matter if you gain back the weight because it does!
5. Continue to share your story because you never know who might need to hear it.

Here are some of the accomplishments over the last year and ten months:

1. Lost 101.8 pounds
2. Went from a size 22/24 pants to a size 8...oh yeah! Remember that dance that you did in the dressing room?
3. Stopped shopping in the plus size section. The lady at the store even told you that you might be in the wrong store and that their other store would have your size. You floated down the mall...your feet never touched the ground that night.
4. You did two 5Ks in one day!
5. You've formed healthy habits that you can pass down to your children.

I'm writing you this letter today, because I don't want you to start listening to those people that keep asking you when you are going to stop "dieting" and when are you going to get back to "eating normal" again? During the Christmas season of 2008, you bought a winter coat for your best friend. It was beautiful. You said that you wanted to be able to wear a coat like that someday. Well, I've attached a picture to this letter of you wearing a coat very similar in style to that coat you wished that you could wear. Well, your wish came true and you worked hard to make it happen. So, wear it with pride and know that you achieved lifetime today.

Love,
Shannon