Comfort Zones v growing confidence

I have been totally inspired by Kat's Event and then Deanna's reply - both very artistic women. Kat has stepped out of her comfort zone in her new found confidence as a smaller woman. So...have you stepped out of your comfort zone since WLS and now have more confidence? Or maybe there's something you really want to do and are just beginning to get the courage or can see it in the future?

Yes, I want to take ball room dancing lessons and learn how to rock climb. I want to go ice skating again & play softball. I want to run a half marathon on April 1st. Dar

i love your posts ruth. you always make me think about where i am spiritually, mentally, emotionally, & physically! i've stepped out in smaller ways. i go to many more meetings outside my office now (i used to avoid them!!) i feel so comfortable now asking for things that i need and want from the people in my life. i feel mostly comfortable now having sex with my husband of 24 years. i don't even think i realized how uncomfortable i really was. how unsure of myself i really was. i chase my little 16 month old grandson in front of people without being worried that people are thinking, 'look at the fat woman run'. i let my primary care physicians office weigh me and joke that they need to give me a little credit for the clothes!! i would not let them weigh me for years! i would avoid going to the dr so i wouldn't have to be weighed. gosh, there are so many things that i do now. i'm getting older now (44), so the idea of snowboarding doesn't really thrill me, but i would like to ski and i'd probably be willing to try now, without thinking how awful and foolish and HUGE i must look. my life has changed in good ways since my wls. but i am still me and don't feel like i have to be someone different though. my faith, family, friends, home, dog, work... all those things are still most important to me. i still love to veg on the couch and read a book or watch tv. my house is cleaner, because i feel like cleaning more. my legs and feet don't hurt anymore after walking. i had a good life before wls, but i think now i enjoy it more. make sense?? thanks for this post ruth! i appreciate the opportunity to share. peace, deb

I understand about running around with your grandson - I now dance around with my daughter Millie and run after her in the park when I wouldn't have done that before, even if I did have thre energy, as I was too self conscious of people watching me. Yes, you are right. We are still the same people. I agree too - I had a goodlife before WLS, and now it's just getting better. Thanks for your comments - you've managed to put into words some of what I'm feeling. Part of me feels like I've gained more of life and I want to make the most of it instead of sitting on the sidelines.

I have no desire to try new 'things' like belly dancing or rock climbing, I thought I would when I was fat and that was what was holding me back, but now I know that I have social issues to work on. my thrill this week is talking to people that are 'horse / cow' farm people about lifestyle portraits. so many people in my industry go for the ULTRA rich BMW'ers with Mansions thinking that they will get the big 30x40 gallery wall portrait. I think that those are so few and far inbetween, that it is a waste of time to market towards them. I am staying true to my 'niche' of the toddlers, 6 weeks to 4 years. HOWEVER, I am scimming off that market and picking up the parents of that rural lifestyle. I think that it is an untapped market, they value their lifestyle as much as the BMW'ers enough to immortalize it. what led me down this path is that my own 'lifestyle' has been completely reshaped this year. when I go to the restaurant, I am still self conscience about ordering from the kids menu or the al a carte menu, I am getting better, and more comfortable with my lifestyle. and my lifestyle choice is just as valid as the lady next door that drives through McD's and tosses 1500 calorie bags of food disguised as a happy meal back to each chubby child on the way to soccer practice. it is insane how much food 'normal people' consume because they THINK that they need that much. I have even converted my daughter over to a saucer rather than a PLATE (did you know that american plates are much larger than european ones? (I have my dh's norwegian plates and my plates from the same vendor, and there is a 1/2 inch difference in diameter.) so with new found respect for my lifestyle, I find value in other's lifestyle and want them to see it in a wonderful new light! comfort zone? actually believing in myself enough to try this new concept, and convincing them to let me try. YIKES!

I do not know if the following ramble is a comfort zone topic or if it is a personal relationship change after surgery topic, but WTH FYI I AM HAPPY TODAY. it doesnt happen very often, god got my periods mixed up, I am happy once a month, it usually lasts a weekend. today is the day. enjoy! LOL I am in the middle of a two day 100 toddler daycare shoot with a limited edition holiday theme and I can suffice to say. WOW. I also picked up the orders from the two day 50 toddler daycare shoot right before halloween, and so I will be busy all night placing the orders. Donna Quarles was right, preorder gets more smaller sales, proof order gets less larger sales. I just cashed $1500.00 in checks today. and am still processing $500 in credit card receipts, not bad for 10 hours of work and all I have is a little prosumer nikon camera and a couple cheapo Alien Bees. hahahaha I am such a little prosumer. snicker. now I am getting worried. really really worried. I wanted to move to montana in June. I was going to do so without a second thought. now I have no idea. I am starting down a garden path with a couple of land mines in it. some of the toddlers that I have been shooting, have farm / cow / horse lifestyles as they are working ranch kids. and we are booking working ranch photoshoots, so far two weekends, back to back, and they are inviting 4 other families for a working ranch portrait party, OUTDOORS, as in horses, cows, lasso's and leather. whoohoo. the part that is freaking me out, is the not shoot, but the fact that I think that this could be a subculture niche market that I would really flourish in and that would increase my HAPPY QUOTENT to the point that I may not LEAVE TEXAS. (talking to myself) what in the world have I gotten myself into? am I putting the cart before the horse, (pun totally embraced) talked it over with dh, and he is totally understanding, if I want to stay, we stay, if I want to go, we go, if I want to stay until we go, he he he, if i am happy at work, he is happy to stay at his job that he hates just so long as I am HAPPY. come to think of it, what the flip is up with that? my head is spinning. too much protein today, not enough fluids. the world is SPINNING!

I want to go skiing again. I stopped because the boots wouldn't fit my fat calves. I'm trying to convince Ron to go this winter.