Writing Your Story

Every week, K and I weigh in on Thursday mornings to see what kind of change has happened. Every week, I have lost pounds. One week, it was less than 1 pound, but it was still a loss so I was happy. Another week, it was 5 pounds...I questioned the scales calibration, but was still happy. I've been averaging about 2 pounds per week. I'm not going up and I'm not staying the same and that constant loss helps keep me motivated. I've become excited for Thursday mornings now. Never in my life did I ever think I would look forward to looking at a number on the scale. But that number has been getting smaller and smaller 6 weeks in a row. I think I like Thursday mornings so much now because it shows that all the hard work that I've been doing throughout the week is paying off. All that work that I am doing, I am doing to make me the best I can be. I just wish it didn't take 24 years to realize that focusing on making myself well isn't selfish. Not only am I doing this for myself, I am doing this so I can be in the best mind and body to help others.

I'm currently reading a book by Donald Miller (If you've never heard of Donald Miller, I think he is a FANTASTIC writer. I highly recommend picking up his book, "Blue Like Jazz" and starting there. You'll be hooked). It's called "A Million Miles in A Thousand Years." I didn't realize it when I chose to start reading it, but it's very fitting for my life right now. It's all about creating a better life story and how he learned to live a better story. That's one of my goals. I want my story to be memorable and I want it to have meaning. When I'm old, I want to look back on past memories and accomplishments and think, "I did it and I'm happy because of the choices I made." I want my story to have a happy ending, not become a tragedy. Sure, there will be (and have been) ups and downs and zigs and zags, but all those twists are what makes a good story anyway...so I'm ok with that (I also hope it will be mostly comedy...like, laugh out loud Anchorman type comedy. Because, you know, I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany :) Sorry...I digress). Those twists are what make a story memorable. I'm working towards making my life one that people won't forget. I have big plans and I am taking steps to make them happen!

I kind of feel like I'm going all over the place in this post, so I will leave you with this...I believe Donald Miller puts it best:

If you watched a movie about a guy who wanted a Volvo and worked for years to get it, you wouldn't cry at the end when he drove off the lot, testing the windshield wipers. You wouldn't tell your friends you saw a beautiful movie or go home and put a record on to think about the story you'd seen. The truth is, you wouldn't remember that movie a week later, except you'd feel robbed and want your money back. Nobody cries at the end of a movie about a guy who wants a Volvo.

But we spend years actually living those stories, and expect our lives to feel meaningful. The truth is, if what we choose to do with our lives won't make a story meaningful, it won't make a life meaningful either.



I want my life to have meaning - not only to myself, but to others. I want to become that success story that people read about. I am changing my life so I can help others change theirs.