Can't Never Did Nothin'......

"Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die."

Carrie Fisher (Author and Actress)

Call me stupid, but I draw a lot of inspiration and introspection from quotes or sayings. These quotes can be from very wise people, or from a magazine, its whatever jumps out at me at that the time. The particular quote above was sent to me in an email from my Dad. He has worlds of knowledge under his belt that comes from living a long and successful life. So, when the header of his email said, 'Wisdom', I decided maybe I should pay attention to its contents.

Carrie Fisher, noted actress and author, is one wise woman in my book. This could not be a more true statement. Think about it. When you resent someone or even if you're jealous of another person, think of all the horrible, negative feelings that you go through. Why not just let it go? Why not just shrug your shoulders, roll your eyes, and move on? All the while allowing that person of distaste to go on living their sad, sad existence.

Believe it or not, this is another thing I decided to work on within myself. I'm not a very jealous person and there are very few (if any) people that I can say I resent, have resented, or will ever resent in the near future. However, I have been jealous. I mean, who hasn't? And to me, the feelings experienced with jealousy are the same that are experienced with resentment.

Here's how I tend to look at things: when you allow yourself to resent someone or become jealous (for me, they coincide) you are then allowing yourself to become "the victim". People, let me tell you there is nothing that I dislike more than the person who plays the victim. Here's a little tough love for those of you who fall under this category: STOP WHINING! There are others out there who have it a lot worse than YOU and THEY are more positive! This is directly related to the weight loss journey.

Too many times I have heard people saying, "I've tried everything. I just can't lose weight. Its too hard. Its not fair. I could never have a body like hers. I guess I'm just doomed to always be overweight." BOO-HOO-HOO! <----- That's what I say to all the bullshit listed above. Have you tried everything? No you haven't, because chances are you never tried NOT GIVING UP. You want to sit there and claim that you "can't" do something? Well, here's some wisdom from my mother: 'Can't never did nothing.' When you sit there and proclaim that you 'cant' do something, you're admitting defeat, you're immediately taking 'no' as an acceptable answer. All people that have been successful with anything in life have been people who push. They push themselves to do more, to do better, to embody excellence. They push others to perform to their standards. They push and push and push and push, until they succeed. So, for those of you who use 'cant' as your excuse or reason....I do not feel bad for you.

When I started this weight loss journey, I started by making Youtube videos with my best friend Bronwyn. From the very beginning we made a promise to each other. We were going to be accountable to each other and everyone that followed our videos, and most importantly, we were NOT going to make any excuses. Every time we screw up, every time we eat unhealthy, every time we don't work out, every time we don't do what we know we should be been doing, we cop to it. That is to say, 'we fess up'. This is the only way to really be successful, both in weight loss and in life.

I know, I know. Some of you may be thinking, 'What the hell does she know? She's only 24!' And you know what? You're totally right! <---See? That's me, making no excuses or defenses. I accept the fact that I could be completely and entirely wrong about everything I just said. However, in these 24yrs of mine I have had many accomplishments in life, school, work AND with weight loss and this is the attitude I take when it comes to life and its situations.

I won't sit here and tell you that I never experience days of defeat. I felt defeated and felt like giving up just the other day! Of course I get in those moods from time to time, I'm human and its only natural. But consider this: In life, we cannot stop situations or monumental moments (whether positive or detrimental) from occurring; but its what we do AFTER these things happen, that determines who we are as people.

Who are you? Are you a victim, or are you a fighter?

I choose to fight.