What it's all about...thank you Julie Shepherd

I am writing this late at night and my thoughts may not be crystal clear, I will definitely proofread in the morning before posting, but I wanted to get it all out while it was fresh on my heart and mind...

I am overwhelmed!  We all go through life doing what matters to us and making choices that are right for our lives, but most of us never think about how our lives impact others.  My journey was never about helping others or being inspiration for others.  And I am beyond humbled by the outpouring of encouragement, kindness and support that has been showered on me by friends, family and complete strangers. 

From day one of this journey I have shared my story on Facebook.  I did this to hold myself accountable.  I did this to have a "diary", if you will, of my progress.  So I could look back and see how far I have come,  or I could be encouraged when I was struggling.  And in the process, sharing my story has been those same things to others....I am humbled that people look to me for inspiration, for advice, for strength.  I am just a girl who got tired of being tired!  A girl who wanted more for her life.  And the same girl who doesn't always succeed, who struggles, but who knows that everything worth having takes perseverence, hard work and determination.  I have learned it is not about never failing.  It is about learning when you fail and picking yourself back up and pushing on, with more gusto than before you fell!  And if I can share the strength I have found with others, I am blessed!  Because somewhere along the way I learned that true joy comes not in just being successful, but in reaching out to those who need help and giving them the tools, lessons and experiences that have worked for you to equip them to be successful as well!  Nothing feels as good as helping someone else find their strength!  We all have a well of strength deep inside of us.  It flows freely from some of us with little effort, while others have let life, tragedies, pain and mistakes bury that strength somewhere hard to find.  But it is still there!  And helping people dig deep to find their strength only makes me stronger!  I didn't set out to help anyone, but me....but the blessing of helping others has far exceeded my wildest imagination!

I want to share a story with you, one that left me reeling with emotion yesterday.  It was an eye opener and I hope if you are reading this and you are not living a healthy lifestyle that you will examine your choices and realize you DESERVE to be healthy, to live a LONG life!!!  None of us is guaranteed tomorrow, but we need to put forth every effort we can today to have as many days here as we can!!

A friend of mine posted my blog on her facebook page.  One of her friends reached out to me and requested to be my friend; she also sent me a message.  In her message she shared with me that she had 3 children who had gone to high school with me and that her daughter, Rebecca had passed away last year at the age of 28 from Congestive Heart Failure.  She told me that she would do anything possible to help encourage me to get to my goals.  She also shared with me that when reading my story the similarities were uncanny, Rebecca's highest weight was 419 lbs, the same as mine.  And like me, Rebecca would come home from school in tears so often and this mother knew the heart break that my mother also experienced.  Reading her message brought me to tears.  I immediately shared it with my mom.  And thanked God for the chance to be healthy.  I know that at 419 lbs my days were numbered.  Had I not taken the steps to get that weight off I may not be here today.  And I have so much left to do on this earth!  Rebecca had so much left to do too and her death left a family without a daughter, a sister, an aunt and left so many without a friend.  My heart aches for all of them!  And going forward, she will be in my thoughts and will be one more thing that motivates me to never give up!!  I am so thankful to her mom for sharing her story and for her support and prayers!

This post was way too important to me to share.  I promise a post is coming about AdvoCare's 24 Day Challenge, just not today!


As you go about your day today, no matter what goal you have set, no matter how big, just remember that the first step is the only one you need to focus on.  Take that first step and then focus on the next....


"You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands - your own."  -Mark Victor Hansen