| Sorry, guys, I hope you don't mind terribly, but this | | | | Claire for the reminder!)," we can't deny the fact |
| article is for us girls only. No peeking now-nope, you | | | | that, for us women, making waves doesn't feel |
| won't be interested, so scat-just click yourselves | | | | good, does it? |
| away! | | | | Well how good does it feel to get a breast cut off |
| Okay, girlfriends, now that it's just us girls, I've got a | | | | or to get insulin shots every day for the rest of our |
| question for you. | | | | lives? |
| Have you ever noticed that we love to please | | | | How good does it feel to look in the mirror, morning |
| people? | | | | after morning, and not like the way we look? And |
| Ya' think??? | | | | what about not being able to fit into our clothes or |
| We grew up trying hard to please our mothers and | | | | enjoy shopping? How good does that feel? |
| our fathers and our teachers and our friends and | | | | We all know that whenever we make changes it |
| then, of course, our husbands (okay, occasionally we | | | | always makes other people uncomfortable, and that |
| get a wee bit contrary with husbands, but the REAL | | | | makes us uncomfortable. That's just the way it is. |
| us has to squeak out sometimes) and our children. | | | | The only constant in life is change. |
| As kids, we didn't like getting yelled at (to this day, I | | | | We are all old enough to know just how quickly life |
| STILL hate getting yelled at-it gives me a bad feeling | | | | can and does change. So why not choose our |
| in my stomach), or even growled or scowled at for | | | | changes when we can instead of waiting for change |
| that matter. | | | | to happen to us? |
| We tried our hardest to be good little girls. | | | | Do you think it would be easier for your husband, |
| As adults, we don't like to cause trouble or step on | | | | kids, and friends to adjust to simple, common sense |
| any toes. We really feel badly when we hurt | | | | changes in your eating habits, or to adjust to the |
| someone's feelings, don't we? | | | | changes forced on them, and you, if you get |
| Most of us can't get through the day without saying | | | | lightening-bolted by that dreaded diagnosis-cancer; or |
| "sorry," even when we have absolutely nothing to be | | | | perhaps even worse? |
| sorry for. It's quite automatic. | | | | If you don't know which changes your loved ones |
| Just for grins, listen to yourself sometime. How many | | | | would prefer, just ask them. |
| times in a day do you say, "Sorry"? (Hey, look! I | | | | And the next time you wonder what to say to a |
| JUST realized that "sorry" is even my very first word | | | | family member or friend about what you're choosing |
| in this article!) | | | | to feed your body to get your weight down and |
| It's simple. We women don't like to get in the way. | | | | your self-esteem and energy up, BE HONEST. Whoa! |
| We like to make other people happy, and we like to | | | | Now that's a novel idea! Honesty with your loved |
| be liked. | | | | ones-exactly what you taught your own children, as |
| And that, girlfriends, are some of our greatest gifts; | | | | taught to you by your own mother. |
| and some of our greatest challenges, especially when | | | | Tell the simple truth about what you're doing for you. |
| it comes to making changes in our lives. | | | | And don't preach, judge, or try to convince them |
| And, yes, I'm talking about changes of all kinds, but | | | | that you know what's right for them. |
| you know what kind of changes I'm leading up to. | | | | You don't know what's right for them. But you do |
| (Darn, I hate being so predictable); changes that can | | | | know in your heart what's right for YOU. Make |
| literally add life to our years and years to our lives. | | | | conscious choices that reflect who YOU are. |
| One of the most common questions that women | | | | Who knows? Perhaps being a model for others will |
| ask me when they are ready to make that bold leap | | | | change someone's life. In fact, perhaps being a model |
| of courage into the world of permanent weight loss | | | | will SAVE someone's life-and that life may just be |
| and healthy eating is, "What do I do when I go to | | | | your husband's, your friend's, or your child's. |
| someone's house to eat?" or "What do I serve when | | | | Now, just between us girls, wouldn't that make you |
| someone comes to my house?" or "What shall I tell | | | | the happiest woman on the planet? |
| my family and friends about the changes I am | | | | As my daughter, Erin, reminds me in my low |
| making?" | | | | moments, "Mom, you have to be different to make |
| Many times we are so concerned about what other | | | | a difference." |
| people think of us that we choose (it is a choice) to | | | | So, girlfriend, be your perfectly different and beautiful |
| stay stuck in our old eating habits, which are literally | | | | self and shine your light on the world. |
| killing us, rather than make any waves. (Sometimes | | | | Your life does make a difference! Know it. Feel it. |
| we really don't want to make changes, and we use | | | | Hey, what do you say we let those guys back in |
| other people as convenient excuses.) | | | | now? Shhhhh, mum's the word! |
| Even if we say to ourselves, "It's none of my | | | | "Hello, guys, we missed you! |
| business what other people think of me (thanks | | | | |