My New Year's Revolution

Sunday 1-1-12
Yes, that's Revolution, with a "V"


This year I am changing my life, Lord willing and with His help!  The last couple of months of last year were a good start, and now that the holidays are over, I am more than ready to get back on the wagon and move forward toward my goals of renewed health, fitness and  a greater commitment to God and searching out His purposes for the remaining years of my life.  And I want to make positive contributions to the lives of those around me as well.

A  longtime friend of mine had his own weight loss surgery this past week.  This is a person who has spent his life and career investing in other people.  Now he has decided it is time to reclaim his own health and well-being.  It is no coincidence that all of these things have converged in the way that they have.  God has worked out the timing so that each of us will have a friend in the process for support and encouragement, and the fact that his surgery preceded mine will allow me to see how his recovery goes and to learn, from someone I know and trust, what the pitfalls are and how to avoid them.  What I hope to be able to offer to him is a safe place to ask questions, to voice frustrations, and an unconditional, supportive, ongoing friendship that will not be altered by his rapidly-changing appearance.

As I undertake my revolution, I have to prepare myself for a possible revolution in the world around me as I change.  Already, unfortunately, I have been surprised that another longtime friend had a borderline-snarky response when I revealed my plans to pursue weight loss surgery.  I've been really selective about who to reveal my intentions to, choosing people from whom I believed I could expect unconditional support.  And yet, this friend surprised me in a less-than-totally-supportive way.  That is fine.  I believe the response just came from a lack of education on the subject.  If my friend remains uneducated about weight loss surgery and why a person would eventually resort to it, that will be a matter of choice. 

When I experienced my last substantial weight loss, years ago, people's changing responses to me, or more accurately, to my appearance, were interesting, surprising, humorous and frustrating in some cases.  It always amused and annoyed me that, as I shrank, suddenly I seemed to become more visible.  It made no sense to me, and for a longtime fat person, it really did a number on me at the time.  I am much older now and in a much more stable place in my life, so, while I know there will be issues related to my changing looks, I don't expect to have the complete upheaval I experienced before.  And if complete upheaval does rear its ugly head this time, I have tools and resources to deal with it that I lacked the last time.  My groupmates in CPE will be a valuable source of insight in the months prior to surgery, as will my husband, the weight loss support group, and the other confidants I have chosen for myself.  And if it begins to feel overwhelming I now know that counseling is an option, something I did not avail myself of the last time I lost a lot of weight.  Accepting help, whatever kind I need, hurts my pride...but that kind of pride has not done much to contribute to my well-being over the years. 

The Incredible Shrinking Diva's New Year's Revolution has begun!  My prayer is that the coming year will bring drastic improvements in my physical, spiritual, emotional and mental health.  The work I can do, I am willing to commit myself to doing.  The work that only God can do, I am committed to trusting Him for.  I want my life to be His work of art, pleasing to my Maker and a blessing to the people He places in my path.