Excuse my English accent…

I don’t know if you watch “Call the Midwife” or not. My sister got me addicted to this show and I really resent her for that. Now I cannot face my day without talking in an English accent and pretending that everything is “tip top tickety-boo!” To say the very least, my children and husband are very upset my sister got me addicted to this show as well.

The other night, one of the show’s characters said: “I have come to the conclusion that there are only two reasons for doing anything. One is love, the other is fear”. That really hit home with me. I thought about my weight loss and my journey to become healthy.  Was it fear or love that pushed me into starting?

I honestly have to say both. It was my love for my family and my life that caused me to realize that something needed to be done with my health. But it was also my fear of leaving that family and love too soon that really gave me a kick in the arse. This made me wonder if fear was a stronger emotion than love?

Love makes the world go around and love reconnects lost family members and love has made many a pop star several million dollars. But fear can make a mother lift a car off her child or make a teacher risk his life to protect a room full of students. So, can fear really be stronger than love. And in my case, was it fear that convinced me to begin moving my body and eating healthy?

Fear may be strong, but it is also very cowardly. Fear can make you stay in a relationship that you know is bad for you. Fear can keep you immobile, scared to stand up for yourself or others. And fear of the unknown and the different can cause one to carry hate and distrust in their heart.

Fear can also make you believe you are comfortable with a way of life that is slowly killing you.

So, no, it wasn’t fear that gave me the courage to turn away from a destructive life and it wasn’t love of my family either. It was love for myself. Love for the person that I knew I could be: the person hiding inside out of fear. Fear of going back to school probably added 50 pounds, fear of making mistakes as a parent added at least 50. And fear of failing my family through actions or words…let’s just add another 100 pounds with that one.

Fear will not make us change, fear will keep us in one position unable to move ahead. But love? Love is understanding when you fail, love is patient when you make mistakes and love is overwhelming when you feel that you cannot make it another moment.

What do I so when I have a bad day? Or when I don’t want to exercise, or I want to eat everything I have put on the “HELL NO” list? I call my sisters or brother, I text my husband, or I go see my parents. Because love is not just a warm feeling…love is nonjudgmental.

So, pip pip ole chap! Take a look at what fear is keeping you from doing. Make some changes and look for the love!!