Inspiration Friday 4/1/11

Happy Inspiration Friday! 

 We've been waiting all week for this, so let's jump right into it! 

You inspire me...

  My little brother Ben has successfully quit drinking coffee, thanks to Wheatgrass shots. He reports feeling "really happy" and "just all around good". Glad to know I'm not the only one who has experienced an increased mood since drinking wheatgrass! I was beginning to wonder if it was in my imagination.

  Melissa H has been striving to eat better, even though it's hard because she has to cook separate meals for different people in her family. She is determined to cook healthier meals for herself and her children, along with working out. It's hard to be a working mom with two babies! Melissa, I remember years ago you wanted to eat better and work out. This has been so long in the making for you, I know you can do it! 

Melissa W.S. cut meat out of her diet for an entire day last Friday! The next day, she continued to do so. She completely blew me away by not stopping at day three, day four, or day five... She's still going! What a star! Keep up the good work Melissa! You are such a role model for your three children! It may get a little more challenging with going back to clinicals and being in nursing school, but not impossible in any way! If anyone can do it, you can! 


 My sister Nikki has enrolled her retirement fund in a "socially responsible fund".  This means she only contributes to funds that: support environmentally-friendly companies, do not pollute, do not test on animals, and do not use child labor. They also treat employees better and don't utilize sweat shops. An example of a socially responsible fund is Apple, who recycles. An example of a non-responsible fund would be Kraft, because they are one of the largest dairy and meat industries. Choosing to do this with her funds meant a reduction in her retirement money, but sometimes money comes second to ethics and morals. 


Mandy has completely stopped eating meat (can you believe it??) and will start to slowly cut dairy out of her diet on Monday of next week. Mandy, I remember the first time we ever went to spinning class together, and the first time you read the book Skinny Bitch. Looking back, I realize you have come so far and I am so proud of you! 


 Melissa T is on her way to a half-marathon in South Carolina. Melissa, I apologize for not being able to run with you this weekend! Hopefully, we will have many, many races to run together in the future! Good luck and God speed! :) 


 Terri just hit the 48 pound mark with her weight loss! What a huge accomplishment! She says she contributes her weight loss "to eating alone". Not even working out?! So you can get skinny by being vegan! :) 


 A co-worker of mine Joe has started to use a personal trainer at the gym to get in shape. It was nice running into you last night! Keep up the good work! 


  Jill has tried one of my recipes, the burrito bowls. She reports that they are "delicious" and I even received two phone pictures of her baby eating them! He is so cute! 


My Dad  attended a conference in San Diego, California about making hospital buildings more "green". Not the color green, but the idea that we need to become less wasteful and more economically-conscious. This is a new, exciting endeavor in his career and hopefully it is an idea that will spread to all parts of the country. 


 Kemry has decided to buckle down and lose weight for her wedding, and she has asked yours truly to be her fitness and diet coach! I am so honored! We are going to hit the gym hard, maybe run a few 5K races, and focus on her eating habits. Kemmy, you are going to look so beautiful on your big day! 


 What an amazing list of accomplishments, in just one week! I am so proud and humbled to be surrounded and in touch with such motivated, inspiring individuals! 
 If you or anyone you know is doing something great, please let me know! As you can see, it can be anything, from a change in diet to a waste-reducing car, to starting to recycle or attending a speech or conference somewhere! It feels good to recognized, and I really believe we need to look for the motivational, inspiring, forward-movement things that we are doing.  Our positive, infectious attitudes and behaviors might rub off on other people. We might be able to somehow graft love and compassion into the lives of others. Keep leading by example. Keep loving others and receiving love from others. Every person is a human being, deserving of love and capable of change. If we can't see that in others how can we expect them to see it in themselves?