The Monday Project

The homework this week from the Sisterhood was to recap the latest challenge "Rethink your Shrink". We are supposed to tell how we did and what we learned. I have a lot to tell you. Here goes.....

Let's get the bad part out of the way first. I gained 2.2 pounds this challenge. Would you like to hear the funny part of that? I don't even care. This challenge was so much more than weight loss that gaining weight this time around is okay with me. I can handle it. I never would have said that any challenge before now. I would have been devastated. After going through this challenge, I'm not having a problem with this fact. I don't like that I gained, but I'm not going to go nuts and beat myself up over it.

After the last paragraph, I'm sure that you can tell that if I had any victories in this challenge, they were nonscale victories. I had some awesome victories, really awesome victories. I learned so much about me. They are things that I should have known a long time ago. Maybe I knew them deep down, but now I know them outloud and up close.

I had a few bad weeks during this challenge. I got into a deep funk and had a hard struggle getting out. I gained weight several weeks in a row. I had three funerals in two weeks. My family was driving me nuts. My coworkers were driving me nuts and on and on. I threw myself the biggest pity party you have ever seen. You all read about it. I whined and complained like a big baby. People left sweet comments, but Christy and Melissa (I love you hookers) weren't having any of it. They pretty much said quit your bitchin and do something about it. And I did. I realized that nobody but me could help me. I had to make the conscience decision to pick myself up and get back in the game. I did just that and here is what I learned.

I loved this challenge!! I learned that I am a good person who can do anything she wants to do. I can do so much more when I give myself credit for what I do instead of beating myself up for the things I didn't do. I learned that it is okay to put myself first once in awhile. That is a hard one for me. I may be 55 years old, but putting myself first is something I do very rarely. I learned that I am stronger than I thought I was. Both physically and mentally. I learned that nobody can stop me but me. I learned that I love the tworkouts on Tuesday night during the Biggest Loser. I remembered that the Sisterhood is absolutely the best place in the world for me to be in my fitness and weight loss journey.

This last thing I learned deserves it's own paragraph. I learned that I enjoyed doing homework again. It has been many years since someone was expecting me to turn in an assignment. The Monday Project was totally awesome. I found that I couldn't wait to find out what the new assignment was. The motivation wall, the look back at our year, the letters to future self. I loved every one of them. They made me think and dig deep for the answers to the questions. If by chance you are taking a vote, I vote please keep doing the Monday Project. I would really appreciate it.

Due to my mid challenge pity party, I don't feel that I deserve my non food reward for achieving my goals. I did all of them some of the time. I don't think that is good enough for a reward and I am okay with that. Maybe that can be something to earn in the next challenge. One More Mile will just have to wait a little while longer for my money.

In conclusion, I loved this challenge. Even though I didn't have a successful time with weight loss, I think this was my best challenge yet. The things I learned the last six weeks will help me for the rest of my life and don't think I can ask for more than that. In the final analysis, I did good and I am proud of that.