"In union there is strength." -Aesop

A couple of nights ago, I had a friend text me saying that she was in need of some motivation because she was feeling down about her progress and felt that she was close to her breaking point. Receiving this request really made me think about my own situation because it took me a minute to really think of what to say to her....I've been going through a bit of a rough patch myself with my journey and having someone look to me for motivation right now made me realize that I needed to kick myself in the butt and get back on track. I told her to keep going. I know, that sounds like an obvious piece of advice, but it's the best I could come up with. Keep going, keep pushing, have faith in yourself and in God that you can get through whatever you're going through. It also made me realize that everyone needs a support system. This isn't just true about the journey of getting healthy, but in all aspects of life. If you're going through a tough time, of course you can look to God for help and put your faith in him, but that's not always enough. Everyone needs support and love from other humans. As for me, I could not have gotten this far without my Mom by my side. She has always been there for me no matter what I'm going through. Having her go through this process with me has helped me keep going and in turn taught me to how to support others in a more positive way. I've always tried to show support to others, but it was always sort of forced. Through this journey, I've learned how to truly care for others and want to see them succeed! And I really do! When people ask me for advice, I do my best to inform and support in a way that will truly help them. I honestly want to see everyone succeed who asks for my help!

Seriously, though. Just keep going. If you're going to exercise, don't think too hard about it, just get up and do it. If you're having trouble sticking to healthy eating habits, just do better! If you mess up at one meal, don't say 'I'll get it right tomorrow', say 'I'll get it right at the next meal'. Don't wait to get it right, get back on track as soon as you possibly can! That doesn't mean you should mess up all the time, but let's be honest, you can't be perfect either. If I had never messed up, I would have reached my goal months ago..but I'm human and make mistakes. Having this blog and having people hold me accountable makes me want to do better and set an example. I thank all of you for helping me get so far :)

The moral of this story is that everyone should have a support system. Whether it's someone you see on a daily basis or if it's someone you only are able to talk to through text or even Facebook, someone who lives with you, down the street, or even in a different state, you need to find someone who will give you words of encouragement. You need to find someone who will tell it to you like it is, someone who won't sugar coat things for you. This person needs to be able to tell you when you're doing the wrong thing and help you get back on track. They need to tell you how proud of you they are when you reach a goal or achieve something great. I am so grateful to live with mine, but I know that each of you who have spoken words of encouragement to me have helped me immensly. If any of you are struggling to find someone like this, just know that I'm here for you and you can always come to me for help if you need it. I will always try to help in any way that I possibly can. You can talk to me on Facebook or you can even text or call me. I will be happy to answer :) (205)966-5018.