a little breakfast inspiration...

i've shared these images before. i used to be ashamed to show people how i looked back then. but more importantly, i was ashamed of how i felt. even though i looked happy, i was struggling with a lot of insecurity and self-hate.

so i was driving home this morning from a breakfast date with an awesome sister in Christ, and something hits me! no, not literally!
i was inspired to write this blog post.

we were talking about weight loss (among other things...many other things), and how it's a journey. it's extremely personal and different for everyone. it's not just about what you look like on the outside...not just a number on the scale...not just the size of your clothing.

no one wakes up one morning and decides that they want to be obese, or overweight, or unhealthy. no one wants to become so ugly on the inside that they feel the need to stuff their emotions waaaaay down inside themselves with food. but it happens. and it happens over time...slowly...painfully. then one day you wake up literally sick and tired. you're so broken that you can't even reach those deep, inner emotions anymore that got you to this point to begin with. you cannot seem to get to the point of loving yourself again enough to take a step in the right direction, let alone take a whole journey to wellness and self-love. your self-esteem and self-worth are so low they seem almost nonexistent. you stay there because you're afraid or comfortable, or just feeling stuck. or perhaps you feel useless and think it's pointless because who cares anyway.


please please please! wake up and KNOW that you are loved! there ARE people who care! there ARE people who love you and want you around and actually need you to be around! they need you to be healthy inside and out, not only for them but for yourself!

getting healthy is literally a journey. it doesn't happen in an instant or overnight or even in a month. it takes time. it's a journey that only you can decide to take. it'a a journey that takes you inward...deep inside of your heart and soul. and THEN takes you back out again to your body. because any weight loss program, any diet, or "fix" is only temporary. you have to learn how to love yourself again and enough to WANT to be healthy. you have to learn to own your emotions...control them so they don't control you...to deal with them without the comfort of the food. you need to let go of the stuff that feeds those emotions. take back your life and feel worthy of a healthy, strong body, mind and spirit. because YOU ARE WORTHY!

this life we are living...this road that we're on...this journey...is never ending while we are still alive. if you've hit a dead end, you don't just stop living. you go on living. but are you going to set up camp at that dead end street? i say no! turn around! go back! take another road! if there's a fork in the road...take it! move!

there will be many hills on that road. many ups and downs. but hills make us stronger. and when we get over that hill, we can coast a while and rest until that next hill. there will be many turns on that road. some are long, sweeping curves...and we can see what's coming. but some curves are sharp, switchbacks and it's difficult to navigate...difficult to see what's coming. so we take it slow...we have courage and faith to persevere...until we make it to that next straight away. it will come. but first you have to WANT to go on that journey...and want to do it for YOU!

if God so loved the world, so loved you, that He sent His only Son to die for you, how dare you NOT love yourself! who are you to not love someone who God loves that much?! no. the answer lies within you...it's that still, small voice that tells you, 'you are loved...you are worthy...you are needed...and you are here for a reason.' you are here because He has a plan for your life. and He needs you to be the best you to carry out that plan.

choose to be a healthier you...choose to be the BEST you! choose this journey called life.