The Journey

dauchsmom

I've read so many people on here who talk about the many times they've "messed up" on their weight loss attempt, only to have to start over again. And so many seem distressed by their lapse. If I may share this thought with everyone?

All through our lives, we're on a massive journey and a set of small side trails. Picture yourself on a hiking trail. There's the main trail, but sometimes, in order to complete the long journey which involves gathering leaves, nuts, foraging for sustenance, picking wildflowers, finding wood, etc., we have to trail off, for just a moment.

Weight loss is NOT, I repeat NOT your long journey. If God is willing and the creek doesn't rise, the long journey is your life.

Weight loss is but one of the trails of life. Like getting married, having children, your employment or career or educational goals, weight loss is a trail. And one you will take temporarily but which will become part of the life journey itself.

On that trail, you will learn about the foods that make you healthy and sustain your life. You will gather these, or incorporate them into your life so that as you travel that long path, you will have them with you for the full journey.

You will find out that the smaller trail requires you to do some physical things you never thought of doing nor, in some cases, wanted to do. Extra walking, some climbing maybe, lifting heavy branches, etc. And you'll learn how to do these things in the safest way, with the help of more experienced hikers.

And all of this will continue with you as you return to the main trail.

You see, all the small trails we take are but branches of the main trail called life. And we need the lessons learned on those small trails in order to complete the long trail of life.


Sometimes, though, we don't quite make it to the end of the small trail. When that happens, and we feel like just forgetting it and going back to the main trail without a second thought or, in many cases, with the sense of failure, we sell our walk short.

You see, that trail will still be there. Even after you complete it, the trail will always be there. It can either be your welcoming friend or a looming enemy. Do you go back, start over, grit up and say: this time, I will find everything on the trail that I am supposed to find? Or will you walk away, saying: "this trail is too difficult to face again. I simply cannot do it?"

That is your choice and your attitude to choose.

Starting over isn't a failure. NOT starting the trail again, when you find yourself sitting down, returning back to the main trail, or feeling like you can't go on, is when there's a failure. But the trail will always be there. Even if you chose to walk right by it.

I am going to opt to get back on that trail. I may exhaust. I may temporarily quit. I may even turn back to the main trail. And I may miss some things along the way. But I am always going to opt to get back on that trail and no longer fear failure.


I hope this was inspirational to someone out there.

BMcC9

Here is the link to the February, 2019 UAC group https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/130876-ultimate-accountability-challenge-february-2019

New members are accepted up till the 7th of the month - then the group becomes private until ~ a week before the start of the next month. It is a very welcoming and supportive group.

It is a great place to develop self-awareness / accountably habits and shift yourself towards a new sustainable lifestyle. Works no matter what your food plan, exercise strategy, or where you are on your journey (everyone from just starting to nearing goal weight to maintaining for years now)

We have a raft of brand new members also starting this month, a crew that are only on their second month with us, and more than enough olde-timers who can guide you through your transition period.

Hope to see you there.

dauchsmom

Thanks! I didn't know this group existed. There's so many groups listed its hard to find them all. I signed on