The Transformation: Preface

Happy New Year!!!

God bless each and every one of us who are here for 2013. There are countless people who did not get to see this beautiful New Year. Whether by tragedy, accident, or illness, they are not here today. Many are resting comfortably in a better place now. I personally know at least one woman and one man who have earned their seats in heaven and will forever look down on all those they knew and loved. Rest in Peace to each person who was taken from this world too soon and for each individual who fought the good fight living life abundantly.

I begin my first post of the New Year with a great sense of gratitude. God didn’t have to see me through 2012. Reflecting back, He didn’t even have to bring me through 2001 when I had given up on myself. Nor did He have to bring me through 2008 when I was in a car accident in which I totaled my vehicle and walked away without a scratch. I have a heart filled with joy simply because I’m alive. The people that have passed before us and gone home can no longer walk this journey of life physically. But the footprints they left help show us how to move forward. They want us to move forward. They want us to continue their work or start our own with a purpose. We have the opportunity to live today should we not see tomorrow. It is no mistake that I’m here today with work to do. My life has been spared enough times for me to know that He’s not through with me yet!

After returning from Barcelona in October I decided I wanted to put my mind and body through a full transformation. At the time I said it would be my birthday gift to myself for October 2013. I would give myself a year to work on me, in all areas, and then celebrate my accomplishments on my birthday. I did exceptionally well throughout the month of October, but as the holidays approached I fell short of consistency. I entertained writing about my experience for readers to follow. It was such a spontaneous decision; I wasn’t even sure I could do it. Failing publicly would have been worse for me than failing privately.  Today I am relieved that I chose not to document my venture because sadly I did not follow through. However, I am also disappointed in that choice because I set myself up for failure from the very beginning by possessing a significant amount of self-doubt. I was so worried about failing I gave myself no room to focus on succeeding.

I now sit here with the same desires I had over three months ago. My feelings about them are even stronger now than they were before. Several people have asked me why I want to lose weight when I already look good just as I am. People also assume I eat healthy just because I’m gluten intolerant. Though both opinions can be taken as a compliment, the only opinion that matters is mine. One of the biggest reasons I want to change my physique is to benefit my health. Since turning 30, I have become more aware of how important it is to take care of this precious gift I have – my body. Although I have no ailments or life-threatening diseases, I want to do my very best to prevent any future conditions from arising. My greatest weapons to fight off such conditions are a strong and healthy body and a faithful and positive mind. I envision my body changing physically. I picture myself working hard, exercising daily and eating well. In addition to improving my physical health, I also see myself learning more and reading more thought-provoking books. I have so many visions of where I want to be, who I want to be, how I want to look, how I want to feel, and how I will achieve it all. None of those aspirations have disappeared. Hope remains in my heart that I will fulfill each ambitious goal. Despite the number of times I have fallen by conceding to failure, I do know I can always get back up again. So I will start over and take it from the top with relentless confidence, unbreakable focus, and unwavering faith.

If you desire, join me over the next year as I take myself through a mental and physical transformation. Every month I will post an entry with my progress update. Yes, I am claiming my progress before I even start. If I think I will fail then sure enough, I will fail. If I focus on success then my accomplishments have already been achieved. The only thing left to do is watch it happen. The journey I’m about to take is not just for me. It is for all those before me that were taken too soon, those that fought the good fight, and those of us who are trying to find the fight within ourselves. Along the way I hope to inspire and encourage others to also transform any area of their lives that they decide needs altering. Change is necessary for growth.  If you always do what you’ve always done, then you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten. Those were words shared to me by one of my high school teachers. Nearly two decades later, I still use them as a compass for my life.

Living life to its fullest – because I can!