Every day comes with new possibilities to grow and to connect with someone. I ran into the most unlikely person today that has touched my life. I was sharing the experiences of my daughter in general conversation regarding her eating disorder. Out of nowhere this person steps away and told me to wait - she wanted to give me something. She shared the name and number of a therapist that specializes in eating disorders and shared with me that this person was her therapist and has helped her with her own eating disorder struggles of the past 15 years. She asked that it stay between her and I - because as I said earlier, total shocker as to who this person was. So I am being vague on purpose. On my drive home from this appointment, I felt a need to reach out to her in some special way. I will see her again in a month and I hope that I will be able to, if nothing else, sit down and write my thoughts down as to what I have learned in the life of a mother who has had to deal with this horrible disease for 20 years and hopefully in some way I can help her by sharing my experiences as she shared hers with me. It also opened another door for me to maybe share something new with my daughter that may help her. I just adore people that are open about their struggles. So many people hide behind them and by hiding - there is no way to receive help nor to give help to someone else that is struggling with the same problem. So share away - time is short and it's OK to be going thru challenges. When I see this person I see a professional that cares immensely for people, she has the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen and she has an awesome sense of humor and I enjoy talking and joking with her. Never did her weight enter my thoughts. She is very tall and not thin nor heavy. But the big thing here is that she spends most of her time worrying about how she looks to other people regarding her weight (because that is what people with eating disorders do) and it just is not important - so very not important. I struggle with my weight and have my entire life - but truthfully - who really cares???????? Most people are worrying about how they look and really don't care about how you look - if that makes any sense. And the people that comment on someone's weight are almost always struggling with something about themselves that they are afraid to admit.....So why the heck do eating disorders exist? That is the million dollar question.

Today is January 1, 2015 and I am thrilled to be back to my blog. It has been a really long time and a lot has happened since my last set of posts. I am looking forward to posting again on a regular basis. It is so helpful to see where you have been and where you are going by posting experiences and thoughts.

Self Confidence Can Replace Self Doubt

Those who are quick to see their limitations generally are slow in seeing their opportunities.

Movie producer Michael Todd once said, “Being broke is temporary; being poor is a state of mind.” So it is with opportunity. Whether you see opportunities or limitations is entirely within your control. How you view the world is a reflection of your mental attitude. If you focus on your inadequacies, you will be plagued by fear, doubt, and failure, but when you focus on your strengths, you will find courage, confidence, and success. Self-confidence can replace self-doubt only by deliberate, planned effort. When you start to doubt your capabilities, pause to review your previous accomplishments. Identify every experience that might be helpful to you in your present situation. When you apply the knowledge and wisdom you have accumulated, there are few limitations that you cannot overcome. (Napoleon Hill Foundation)

FOCUS ON THE SOLUTION - NOT THE PROBLEM

Life says, “make good or make room, but don’t make excuses.”

In today’s management parlance, “Lead , follow, or get out of the way.” When you are actively working toward a goal, there are no failures; there are only degrees of success. Choose to be a leader. Take the initiative. When you are faced with a problem or a difficult decision, don’t waste endless hours agonizing over the solution. If you analyze the situation objectively, you will always find an answer. Don’t focus on the problem; focus on the solution. Then get into action. As W. Clement Stone often said, “The emotions are not always subject to reason, but they are always subject to action!” (Napoleon Hill Foundation)

You Have the Tools to Feel Good

Who you are and what you know when you are born is everything that you need to know to thrive. You are born with a sense of self and a sense of wanting self to feel good and the mechanisms to bring it about. --- Abraham-Hicks Publications

Busy People Are Not Procrastinators

If you want a job done promptly and well, get a busy person to do it. The idle one knows too many substitutes and shortcuts.

Most of us will never know our true capacity for achievement because we never challenge ourselves to perform at our best every day. This truism becomes apparent when you are presented with an opportunity that really interests you. No matter how busy you may be, somehow you will find the time to pursue it. Conversely, duties that have little appeal for you are easily postponed and eventually forgotten. Busy people are not procrastinators. They know that life, as John David Wright once observed about business, “is like riding a bicycle. Either you keep moving, or you fall down.” The most effective people have a sense of urgency. They set deadlines and force themselves to establish priorities. Even if your activities don’t usually require strict deadlines, set them for yourself. You will be amazed at how much you can accomplish in a short time -- if that’s all the time you have. (Napoleon Hill Foundation)

Waste no words on a man who dislikes you. Actions will impress him more.

Waste no words on a man who dislikes you. Actions will impress him more.

Some people think they can talk their way out of any situation, and for a time they may be right. But if someone already dislikes you, either because of a simple misunderstanding or an error in judgment on your part, he or she will be especially difficult to persuade with words. Their emotions will always get in the way of their ability to think logically and reasonably. Consistent actions over a sustained period of time, however, will usually persuade even the most devout skeptic. If you constantly demonstrate that you are a generous, kind, and caring person, it will be very hard for even your enemies to dislike you. In any case, you will become a better person for having made the effort. (Napoleon Hill Foundation)