fighting the Negative nmessages of the Culture

This list was generated at the last FWSW group meeting in March . . . --talk about it with others --positive self-talk --surround yourself with the right kind of people --educate yourself --find balance --focus on choices and lifestyle, not on image --be honest with yourself --set your limitations and stick to them. --do positive things for yourself --face your fears --exercise! (when you exercise your body releases an amount of seratonin equivilant to a low dose anti depresent --don't overthing the food ~~~~ and I would like to add THIS one, after the negative assult I recieved last week . . . NEVER LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN'T DO SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU ARE OVERWEIGHT. My whole life the culture (at large, and within my circle of life) has told me I can't. I've had all kinds of lies shoved down my throat . . . you're not pretty enough . . . you're fat . . . you're dumb . . . you're too young . . . you're too smart . . . you're too fat . . . you're too busy . . . you have too many kids (ain't no such thing, baby!) . . . you're not holy enough . . . you're too holy . . .you don't work hard enough . . . you work too hard . . . I could go on and on. There is one place in my life where I have learned to actually love who I am, and that is at Spiece Fieldhouse, home to the Fort Wayne's Smallest Winner program. It is there that I learned to believe in myself. It is there that I learned that anything is possible and there is NOTHING that I cannot do. When I am there I don't feel like I have to hide in the back row and be quiet. I don't have to be perfect when I am there. Just plain me is good enough. There, MOST people understand that life is a journey and that none of us are perfect, its more about how you get there and what you choose to do with your life. I lost a day of my life last week to one of the worst depressions I have ever experienced when I allowed someone to convince me yet again that I am not enough. That it isn't okay for me to be me because of my weight. I will never give that power to anyone again. And I thank GOD for putting people in my life to help me remember the truth about me. They are true friends that I will cherish forever and always!