Saturday, March 13, 2010

Goodbye Yesterday

I've been pondering this blog post for a while now--wondering how best to approach this subject. I had a great conversation with a dear friend this weekend...she knows who she is...and this conversation helped me finish formulating my thoughts and get them down on the blog.

Yesterday is gone. Gone.

The choices you made yesterday have no influence on the choices you will make TODAY. I know what you are thinking..."Shamae you crazy fool! The choices I made yesterday most definitely impact the choices I will make today." But only to a degree. The choices you made yesterday (whether that is literal or a year ago or 10 years ago) might influence your choices today but they don't dictate them.

Yesterday is gone.

You have the power to choose. Deep thought for a moment. What do you think is the strongest word in the English language? Love? Hate? Family? I would say those are good ideas but not the strongest, they all depend on something else. I would argue, the strongest word we have is "choice." Simple, yes. Powerful, extremely.

Now maybe you are thinking, "Shamae, shamae, shamae not so. I've felt the sting of unreciprocated love before. That wasn't my choice." Yes...but we still have the power to choose our own path. Our own way. Our attitude--to help keep a positive spin on the things we can't change.

Examples:

Weightloss--It doesn't matter if you are 5, 20, 30, 50 or more lbs overweight. That was yesterday. Today you have power. Today you can choose. It doesn't matter what you ate yesterday. Or that you didn't make it to the gym. It doesn't matter if you've failed countless weightloss attempts before. Today is new. Today you have the power to CHOOSE.

Bad Decisions--It doesn't matter if 10, 5, 2 years or 2 days ago you made some decisions that were not the best. Today is new. You can't change your past mistakes--and we all have them--so move forward w/out the pain of guilt. Make your choices TODAY count. Because yesterday is gone. Write them down as some life experience and move on. You can't change the past. Don't try. Change today and let your choices NOW dictate your attitude toward YOUR future.

Diabetes--We can't get it perfect all the time. If it were perfect all the time, our kids wouldn't have Type 1 Diabetes. Yesterdays numbers are gone. We can't change them. We can only do our best with what we've been given. We can't beat ourselves up because numbers in the past were not good. It happens, it is IMPOSSIBLE to have great numbers ALL the time. BUT if you are doing your best, you can choose what kind of mindset you will have. Do your best. With a disease where so much is out of our hands, just do YOUR personal best. Savor the good days and have a good friend to lean on during the bad times.

All that matters are the choices you make today. Your previous choices and experiences have no affect on how today starts and ends. You might be discouraged and look back at previous weight loss attempts, poor decisions, and terrible blood sugar days and think, “I've messed up before, why would anything change now?” But what can change is you. Your choices. Your attitude. And I promise, it will make a difference. YOU matter. Your choices are important. Yesterday is gone. Today is a brand new day. Don't worry about the things in your past that you can't change....just focus on what you CAN change and then do it.

20 comments:

Meri said...

Just do it!!

What an inspiring post Shamae! I feel empowered. I have woken up before and said to myself, "Self, today you will be happy...no matter what the day throws at you!" And I succeeded. Why I can't do it everyday, I don't know. But you are completely right...My life, my choice. My happiness...my choice!


And right now friend, I choose to adore you!

wendys said...

Thanks for the pep talk!

Amy said...

Truer words have never been spoken! Loved this Shamae!

sarefamily said...

Very insightful Shamae-mae. I especially love that you are answering yourself back after the questions.... very 'shamae'!! luv ya!!

Kelly said...

Amen Sista!

phonelady said...

What a powerful and wonderful post . Yes amen choice is a most powerful word and I agree . thanks for an awesome post .

periwinkle4 said...

I really love your writing. Thanks so much for that. You are so right! Can't help but be sad that more people aren't going to read this. You are amazing.

Audrey said...

That's why I'm thankful everyday for a new day and new hope.

Ronda said...

Strong words...Thank you!! I think I can, I think I can,....I know I can! Thanks for the pep talk...I sure needed it!

Unknown said...

WOOT WOOT! LOVE it Shamae... true, so true. I never thought of the word "choice" to be so powerful, but you are right. I even use that word all the time with my kids ie "your behavior choices have consequences...etc".

Thanks for posting. I hope you are having a great weekend.

Mike LeBlanc said...

I could not agree more Shamae !

Thanks for reminding us.

Heidi / Jack's Pack said...

Move over Dr.Phil, Shamae is in the house! :) Great, encouraging post!

Wendy said...

This was just what I needed today! How did you know?! ;)

Valerie said...

Thankyou for this post. You are such a talented and thoughtful writer. Have you ever thought about writing something professional, perhaps even a parents self help book for type 1? I'm sure it would be a hit! :) This post made my Sunday, i can't wait to share it with lee. Thanks again!

Joanne said...

Yes! What a great post, and a great lesson to model for our kids, too. Thanks Shamae!

Jessie Phillips said...

Ahh I hate it when you're right! Very insightful. You really would be a good author. You should put a book of all your post together. It could be cool. I'd buy it! I mean if it was affordable and all. ;)
I love ya, and your choices in your life, make me stronger when I have to make choices too! just fyi!

Jessie

Wendy said...

I HEART YOU ♥ You make me smile :)

I'm so happy I made the choice to follow your blog...love you...

Priscilla said...

Ditto. My sentiments exactly. :)

Stacey said...

loved reading this one sista! i couldn't agree more. and i can echo everyone before me. you rock...and i wish every SINGLE day that you lived down here...

tiburon said...

Excellent post. Love the thoughts :)

Off to tackle TODAY!