Thursday, January 15, 2004 Nourished by challenge ++++++++++++++++++++++++ The value of an ambitious goal is not measured by what it will bring to you. The worth of a goal is measured by what it will make of you in the process of following and attaining it. An outrageous and impractical goal can be just as valuable as a prudent and pragmatic one. What matters is not how realistic or practical your objective may be, but how much it compels you to push beyond your limitations. There are stunningly brilliant possibilities for your life that you've never even imagined. Set yourself on a meaningful and ambitious course, and the best of those possibilities will begin snapping into focus. It pays to dream big dreams. And it certainly pays to follow the biggest and most ambitious of them. For the biggest dreams will put you face to face with the biggest challenges. And those challenges, difficult as they may be, will nourish you in ways that nothing else can. PS.. If you would like to continue seeing Daily Motivator on our message board please let me know., and if you think it is crowing the message board let me know that also... Until next time... go out and have a great day. TJ

Wednesday, January 14, 2004 What kind of life +++++++++++++++++++ Here's a clear and simple question that can quickly put things in perspective. How do you want your life to be? When faced with a major or minor decision, when choosing among the available alternatives, it pays to keep this in mind. The choices you make, minute by minute, day by day, largely determine the life you live. Yes, many things are beyond your control. Yet even with those things beyond your control you can choose how to live within their framework. And your choices can make all the difference in the world. So how do you want your life to be? Are you moving in that direction with the choices you make in each moment? Or are you ignoring your own power to choose and counting on some stroke of incredible luck to rescue you? Your life can be whatever you imagine. Just make the choices that will take you there.

Congrats on your loss, I too spent a month and half on a plateau. This was from before thanksgiving until just after christmas. I stopped and looked at what/ how much I was eating and relized that I was NOT EATING ENOUGH!!!! I had only been consuming betwen 350-450 calories a day. My body had gone into shut down mode. It was keeping everything I put in. I guess during christmas I pigged out, at a little of everything I wanted, even sweets. My body starting moving again and I have now lost 8 lbs just in 2 weeks. You might keep a food diary for a couple of days and make sure you are eating the right things, and eating enough or too much? I do the same exercise as you, I walk every night on the tread mill. Jan P -132, waiting approval for skin removal and hernia repair

Hi Sherry, You look great! I'm looking into Plastic surgery too, I have a consultation with a plastic surgeon on Thursday January 15th. I really need to get all this skin removed. It's really bothersome. Let us know how it goes for you. I will update after I get back from the surgeon visit. Marilyn

Hey ya'll, I just returned from Chapel Hill and Dr. Farrell where I just had my "9-month" check-up. I am down to 171.8 lbs from 309 on the day of surgery (3/20) and from 364 on 12/22/02!!!!! Only 32 to go (allowing 20 for skin)! Wow--I don't know I ever really believed this would happen, especially not this quickly. My overall health is great, so, even though I've lost a lot very quickly, he isn't too concerned but does want me to eat and drink more so that my weight loss slows down a little. Next Tuesday the 20th (my 10-month anniversary) I will enter the hospital here in Hickory and have a complete knee replacement for my right knee. It is my hope that I will be able to go on some short hikes this spring for the first time in 5,000 years!!! Anyway, just wanted to check in with ya'll and say I enjoy reading ya'll's stories. Blessings, Cyndi Burns