My Vision Statement

As a counterbalance to my "shallow motivations" post, I thought I'd share my vision statement of the deeper reasons motivating me to live a healthy lifestyle. Following the advice from a fantastic sparkpeople article (http://www.sparkpeople.com/re
source/wellness_articles.a
sp?id=695), I wrote down a statement early in my journey that I read regularly to remind myself why I am working so hard to achieve my diet and fitness goals. Here it is:

I am choosing a healthy lifestyle because I want to set up good habits for the rest of my life. I watched my mother suffer innumerable health problems due to her weight, and I don’t want to make the same mistakes. I want to model healthy living for my future children. I want to maintain my health so my husband is proud of me. I want to “stick it” to all of the advertisers, fast food manufacturers, auto superhighways, and other societal structures that set Americans up to fail. I want to feel proud of my appearance as I approach my 30s. I want to walk into any room with a sense of confidence that derives not just from looking good, but from the peace of mind that comes with taking care of myself. Equally important, I realize that proper diet and exercise is critical to my mental and spiritual health. It keeps me grounded, helps me cope with daily stressors, gives me a better night’s sleep, and provides me with a spiritual compass that allows me to feel a sense of inner peace. Most of all, I want to respect my body, knowing that health is the biggest gift I could ever give myself.