Seeing the “X” Fall

Almost a year ago, I started a self-change project that I was calling my “It Only Takes One” challenge (at least, that’s what I was calling it to myself…). The challenge began as a way of me wanting to streamline, simplify my life. So I decided that by getting rid of (throwing away, donating, returning to rightful owner) one thing each day, my life would look very different over the course of some time.

Shortly after that, I added a physical and mental health aspect to the challenge.

Over the course of the year, from May 2012-May 2013, it is my challenge to do at least one thing each day that will help me streamline, simplify, live healthier, and/or be a better steward of the life God has blessed me with. Some days I don’t do this, but over the course of time since last May there have been many changes in my life.

 I have made a move that required that I greatly eliminate some of my belongings, thus simplifying.

I have also found my time at the gym I work at a great encouragement to keep up those little things that are allowing me to live better physically: saying “no” to soda, working out often, eating better.

Today, a friend of mine even commented that I looked like I’ve been losing weight.

It is amazing what a few months will do, what a year will do, what 5 years will do, but none of it will happen if you do it for everyone around you.

It’s the love, the desire, and the passion within yourself that must drive the change for the change to stick.

As much as I love the words of encouragement around me, nothing is quite as encouraging as knowing there are no more “X”s in front of the “L”s…and that’s across the board. There used to be stores where I was too big for even their largest size, and in the course of a little more than year (since the weight loss started in November of 2011), I can now fit into the largest size at at least a few of these stores. It fuels my passion to get healthier.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love that there are trendy and stylish clothing stores for plus sized women, but being “almost too small” to shop in these stores did not make me feel any better about myself. There is something very discomforting as a woman to know that you are too big for most trendy stores, but not quite big enough for the stores that carry trendy clothes for plus sized women.

What came about as a desire to better myself has now become a passion to become a much healthier me all around, and to help others along similar journeys.

Whether it be a battle through the darkness of depression, a desire to simplify your life by separating from your unneeded belongings, or just someone to be one of those encouraging voices in the weight-loss battle, I have a passion to help others see the “X” fall.