Not Ashamed of Who I Was

I was asked the other day if I hated the way I looked or who I was before I lost some of my weight.  The answer is no.  I am not ashamed of who I was or what I have done in the past.

I was once described as engagingly perky.  My general disposition is I am a rather happy and upbeat person.  Actually I was once told by a boss that because I was so happy all the time that I could not be unhappy.  I was actually written up for having a bad day.  I left that job soon after that.  I am a self described cynical optimist.  Yup, there is a snarky, smarty pants side to my happy disposition.  I like the irony of life along with a attitude that everything will eventually work out.

If I look at most of the photos of me over the last few years, one thing stands out - my smile.  I had the opportunity to meet author and leadership expert John Maxwell.  He told me that I had a million watt smile and it was no wonder people followed me as I lead a volunteer organization a few years ago.  I bank on that smile and it gets me through so much.

I look at the photos of me from just 5 months ago and I know that in many ways I was very happy.  In others I was not.  I am not ashamed of the choices I made all the years that I kept those 55 pounds on.  And I hope that after I lose another 133 I will feel the same way.  I had to get to this point for a reason.  It was meant to happen now.

There is never any shame in being obese, overweight, thin, or just right. I think everyone is beautiful.  How people live their lives is totally up to them.  I decided to live another way.  I could have stayed the same and still found happiness.  It was all up to me to decide.  

Never be ashamed of who you are or what you look like.  If you want to change, great.  If you don't want to change, great. Just be happy in the decision you make and the life you live.  Being happy makes life so wonderful.