A few weeks ago I was referred to as “the most fit person” in a group of people. And this unbelievable feeling of pride welled up within me, because not only did I know that they meant it in all seriousness, but I also knew that I’d earned it. It’s no secret that I’ve struggled with my weight for a long time, but I think what might kind of be a secret is that I’m more and more comfortable with the journey I’m on to be healthier.

My lovely friend Alicen is doing something for the next year called ‘The Happiness Project’, and this month’s theme is ‘pride’. It’s a tough challenge for sure, but after that comment and going back and seeing all the post-workout selfies that I’ve taken since February I was inspired by her to show my pride in my journey.

I’ve tried a lot of different ‘programs’ over the years, but in the past 3 or 4 I’ve done the ones that have made the biggest impact, not so much on my weight (although it IS better) but on my mindset when it comes to it. The Strongest You Coaching with Girls Gone Strong is where is started, a huge component is mindset, especially growth mindset to seeing things as challenges, and if I don’t succeed that they’re not failures, but opportunities to learn, grow and try again. It also taught me to love lifting. Learning that I can lift heavy weights and they’ll make me feel good? There’s nothing quite like the feeling of empowerment of knowing that I can carry most things people warn me are heavy.

I’ve been doing the My Peak Challenge for the past two years, and while I haven’t had some of the weight loss success that my fellow Peakers have, I’ve certainly gained conditioning, and that still feels like a win. The other big thing that I’ve learned is that I can do this. It may take me a long time, but I can still do it, slow and steady will win this race in the long run, and if I have to take the scenic route, then so be it. I’ll get there eventually, and I’ll be proud of the journey I took to get there.