You can only move forward...

...by looking ahead. If you look backwards it will only slow you down or stop you in your tracks.

Don't let the past get in your way. That was then. This is now. Learn from your mistakes and move on.

Don't blame yourself for what you did, what you didn't do, what you should have done. It's wasted energy. This moment is a chance to start anew--it doesn't have to be New Year's day. If you made a resolution but you've already blown it, start fresh. Set small achievable goals and build from there. Don't blow your entire year. If you want to lose 10 lbs break it down into 1/2 pound increments a week--that's less than 4 months to your goal--easily achievable by reducing calories by a modest 125 calories and burning 125 calories (by strength training and/or cardio) a day. In a year you can be 30 pounds lighter, stronger & fit. Or not.

You have the control. You have the power.

It takes time. I've been rehabing my shoulder (initially tendonitis/impingement then on to nerve damage-oh joy) for over a year (it's getting there! :) and to be honest at times my corrective exercise is quite monotonous and boring. I want to be doing push ups instead of side lying external rotation, chin ups (which to be honest I have never been able to do--yet :) instead of protraction/retraction. But I'm moving forward. Little by little. Trying to look at all I can do instead of what I can't.

It's taken me a long time to get to this point. In fact there were times that I actually cried while trying to lift two pounds during my side lying external rotation. I couldn't do it. It wouldn't budge. Around me people were doing bench presses and lat pull downs. I was frustrated, defeated and felt terribly sorry for myself. Had I stopped there in my self-pity I wouldn't have been able to do the 2 sets of 15 reps that I did today. I am by no means special. Just stubborn and thankfully, in this instance, my stubborness payed off.

What I did or didn't do in the past, to some extent, caused my injury (at the time I didn't know better). Poor posture, lack of sufficient exercise, putting my health on the back burner, it all led to a painful year of rehab. But I try not to blame myself. What good would that do? Now I know better and try to use that knowledge to better care for myself.

Learn from my mistakes. Take care of yourself from this moment on. Set your sights ahead. Do what you have to do to get there.
Let me know if I can help.

Be strong. Be fit. Be confident. Be your best.

Hugs,

Joanne