I have a large yard that is divided into severl small sections due to our landscaping, and it is full of weeds, I would look out the window and say to myself, "if I could just get ALL of those weeds pulled, the yard would look so nice. The job is to large and I can not see myself with the time nor energy to pull all of those weeds, so I will just let them be, I am sure that pulling as few as I could would never make a difference anyway." Time passes and more weeds join the ones I have looked at before, "what a pitty, my yard is such a bunch of weeds, but what can I do I don't have the time or the energy to pull them all."
This past week I was just home form my walk and my son wanted to stay outside for a while, I became restless just sitting watching him, so I begain pulling on weeds, one at at time thay came out of the ground, and I really got into it, when my son wanted to go inside I was disappointed, but went. Later that day I looked out my window and noticed that where I pulled those weeds did make a difference, :) "but it was just one weed at a time." now everyday I pull a few weeds, and my yard is starting to look really nice, I enjoy seeing my progress as one little section of the yard is almost weed free.
As I was pulling the weeds this morning I thought to myself, this is alot like losing weight, when I look at the whole picture, I am overwealmed, I can never lose that much weight I think to myself, but when I take it one little step at a time it doesn't seem so bad. I have been at this for almost a month now (the weight loss thing) and I have made some really great changes, I don't drink Soda or sweet breverages, I don't eat when I am not hungary, I walk everyday (except sunday) I enjoy things in life besides food. Due to these changes, I have fit into some previously to snug jeans, and I have improved my health alot. I can now walk farther than before, and can sit on the floor and get up on my own. It just takes one small change at a time, one small step towards the big picture. Just like the weeds in my yard, they are not all gone yet, but they are disapparing, I just do what I can when I can and enjoy the results. :)
You can too, just one small thing at a time.

------------------
sisnelly

What a great post, Sisnelly! And doesn't it make you feel great to make progress in not one, but two areas in your life! Great job.

Diana

Yes Diana it does make me feel good. Thank you for replying.

------------------
sisnelly

What a great job sisnelly. As for your little boy wanting to go in the house when you want to be out why not get him to join ya? Make a game out of it. I'm sure he'll love it. Depending on his age of course. hehe. That is one of the greatest forms of excercise you can get. Bending and then standing etc. Keep up the great work and when you are done you can come do mine. TEEHEE Heck maybe before ya know it you will make your way to your neighbors yard.

Maybe, but it will probally be winter by then and they will all be dead anyways, and the pounds will be plucked right out also :) Ha Ha. My little one is only 17 months and try as I might can not get him to delay what he wants. That is OK he will only be small for a while (I know this due to my 3 teenagers) and I am going to enjoy him while he will still let me. :)

Sisnelly..... that was a very inspirational post and proves that taking it one day at a time is the way to go. I know for me with weight loss and getting healthy, I can't do it anyother way. It's so cool that you applied that to another area of your life and saw the same kinds of results. Sometimes the simplest things are the things that it takes us the longest to see! Thanks for uplifting me today. Your post really made me smile! Take care and keep on pulling out those weeds... it really is great exercize - physically AND emotionally!

------------------
Here's to healthy and happy!

Dj

Sisnelly,

Your analogy is filled with truth. Just think, not only are you pulling weeds in your garden (negative thoughts)but you are also you are planting new seeds (positive thoughts)I can hardly wait until you write about your harvest :)

Thanks for your reply Dj. I know that I have been at this for just about a month now (this time around, shich will be the last) and I have learned that each day is special and to just do with it the best I can. I have now finished two sections of my yard, and even though I have started fighting with my allergies, I am determined not to give up on the rest. I am starting to feel skinnier, and love it.

Traci; Yes out with the bad in with the good. I have diffently noticed that positive thoughts get you alot farther than negetative, even when I slip of fail with my eating, those positive thoughts can really get me back on track. Thanks for your reply.



------------------
sisnelly

My husband is leaving for three weeks. Yes, hunting season has come :). While he is gone, I am going to organize my house. Although it is tidy, it is a cluttered tidy. That is how I think that I became close to 30lbs over overweight. I became cluttered. I stopped exercising, I stopped watching what I ate. I just stopped caring. And like your garden, if you don not go out and pull the weeds everday...it becomes "overgrown"
That too has happened to me...I have become "overgrown."
I am starting today to unclutter my life, to weed my inner garden by exercising and eating healthy.
Thank-you for your inspiration :)
Traci

Traci;
Thank you for your reply. I believe we all need to weed our selves out every so often. That is a good resolve. Just thank of Hubby's suprise when he comes home to a thinner wife and a spiffier house. Keep me posted on your progress. :)

------------------
sisnelly

That is a wonderful post sisnelly!
It really made sense to me, and not just in the weight loss sense. My house and garden etc have been getting me down lately and getting a bit out of hand, and the whole picture looks bad, but like you said if you take it a step at a time you will get there in the end.
I bet you feel wonderful pulling the weeds from yourself and your garden!
I am starting today on my journey to a new me, feeling very frightened but determined to at least take that first step, then hopefully the next will follow.
Your weeding has also got me thinking about the first job that I can do around my home to make it look and me feel better.
Thanks!

------------------
Being Good To Myself and My Body
Baby

Wow, amazing how encouraged we can get talking about pulling weeds!! ha ha!! I find gardening very gratifying and relaxing, great exercise too... and I too, have some gardening to do in my inner self, thanks for the motivation! LeeAnn

Sisnelly,

I found your analogy to weeding and weight loss very inspirational. I am a gardener and a secretary and must deal each day with weeds and negative influences. Each day I commit myself to be the blossom in other people's gardens. I do this by removing my negative attitudes about myself and about others. I replace them with smiles, encouragement, compassion, or what ever I think it will take to make someone else's day better. So not only will I not have weeds in my life's garden, I'll hopefully have many blossoms of friendship where the weeds were pulled.

Thanks for the inspiration.

------------------
Katie

Thank you all so much for your replies.
Here's more thoughts,
I have noticed that there are weeds growing back where I pulled them all, to thoughts come to mind, I didn't get the root, and I need to put something in their place so they do not have the room to grow.
When we weed out an old habit or elimate something we need to fill the hole with somethig food for us. Like me I have totally given up soda (6 weeks now) and have replaced them whith good old h20 I find that if I do not take my water with me I get thirsty and want a soda, but if I keep the water flowing I am fine. I have learned thaat weeding is a continual project and just the same my eating habits and good judgement will have to always be with me.

------------------
Pulling Weeds!
Sisnelly

Glad you dug that analogy a bit deeper! it is so true what you say. Weeds will come back..weight will come back...if we do not get to the root of the problem. Bingo! we have a winner.

You are brilliant! :)

Traci

Wow Sisnelly,
Thanks so much for that great post! It is written so vividly, that I can "see" your yard, you and your son pretty clearly.
Congrats on cleaning up that yard and on your new good habits!

I know that I am bound and determined to elimiate these weeds. Thank you all so much for your replies.

------------------
Pulling Weeds!
Sisnelly

Thank you so much for your post. It was so nice to read and feel the happiness that you have found in this "chore". I understand your feeling of being overwhelmed by the "big picture". That is how I have felt about my weightloss for a long time. Thinking it is going to take me forever to lose 75lbs., where do I even start.
I finally decided to start in the center and work my way out. I started with my mind and soul and feel my self slowing moving out. I figured that if I start on the inside ridding my self of my biggest weeds, being low self esteem and negativity, then I can work on the smaller ones. eating habbits and exercise.
Now as far as phyically tackling a project. I will be doing the same as I think "mer" said. I am picking a place to start in my neatly clutered home and go from there. I think I will be starting with my hall closet. Now that is a frightening thought.
Thanks for the insperation.

Michelle

Yes my weed pulling journey contineues!!!
I have enjoyed the responses to my post so much. I have been working on a big weed in myself, emotional eating. I believe I have gotten the root out and am felling it with the knowledge of dealing with my emotions and not covering them up, if someone upsets me, I let them know, nicely of course. If I am upset, I allow myself to cry. If I am angery, I go in the other room and yell, I don't want to scare anyone. If I am tired I sleep, if I am stressed, I walk and sort things out, if I am overwhelmed, I work on the situation the best I can. It is a start and guess what if I am really hungary, I eat. Yes I have discovered trur physical hungar. WOW!!!

------------------
Pulling Weeds!
Sisnelly

You are a bright and shiny star!

Traci

My weed pulling journey continues and I have had a couple of newer diettalkers ask me what pulling weeds means so I thought I would bring this to the top and guess what reading it has inspired me to get back on the straight and narrow again and get rid of more of those weeds.

------------------
Pulling Weeds!
Sisnelly

excellent analogy! We all have weeds in our life that we can eliminate one pull at a time..and so what if it takes a while, time passes anyway...good for you!

My heart sang as I read this thread! What beautiful positive thoughts! We're all such beautiful flowers growing where we're planted, helping each other witht the weeds and nurturing each other along the way...with water...giggle...and positive sunshine! God bless us all :D

------------------
Good thoughts be with you!
Robbie

What a great Post! I enjoyed reading all the replies too. You know, I did not know what Pulling Weeds meant either, lol, so now I do! Thanks!

------------------
~Here is to eating right and living longer!~
Massielita

Someone on the 2 Down Challenge board metioned this post I did several months ago, I wanted to reread it and thought some of the new people here may be interested also.

Thank you, Sisnelly. I just joined DT in January, and had not seen your beautiful post. When Mer mentioned it yesterday, I made a note on my tablet to go find it. I was so happy this morning to see that you had pulled it back to the top.

What a lovely, insightful piece of writing. And congratulations on the 2 "weeds" you pulled and tossed this week!

Hugs,
ThinLynn

I wish I had some real weeds to pull right now..this winter has been interminably long and I am longing for my flower garden and the pretty red and yellows and bright hues that spell spring and summer....could help me take off a few pounds too, right? :)

Wonderful! I'm glad you brought this back up to the top. You have inspired me to keep at it and to take better care of my flower beds this year when the time comes. I've really been letting them go the past couple of years.

Sisnelly thank you so much for bringing your post back up to the top. It is so inspirational. I really needed to read something like that. I have copied it and posted it on my refrigerator so I can read if often. Thank you.

I just read your post for the first time, and WOW, what an inspiration. It is very true, I have to take one weed (or one pound) at a time and not look at the whole thing, and IT WORKS, it really does. Taking one pound at a time, I have now lost 70 lbs.

Thanks for the great post.