gamergirl

Hmmm interesting. Cause when I saw that on FB the only thing I thought was "she looks so happy". No thoughts of your ass entered my mind

Okay my lunch. Is an attempt to show you how to make the best of a bad situation. Restaurant in tiny airport. Choices are salad, fried fish and burgers and a seafood bisque. I can't do raw veggies yet and can't eat a burger patty. It goes down too hard So I ordered the seafood bisque and I'm basically fishing out (har har) the fish and leaving the potatoes and cream behind. Sometimes we just have to adjust right?

I loved this article from Forbes for two reasons. One, it should help us realize that as WLS patients,we had the mental strength to make some tough choices. Certainly we took calculated risks,and did not shy away from change. Two, it shows us what parts of us we could strengthen daily. Which strengths do you think you have? Which ones are you working on? For all the time executives spend concerned about physical strength and health, when it comes down to it, mental strength can mean even more. Particularly for entrepreneurs, numerous articles talk about critical characteristics of mental strength—tenacity, “grit,” optimism, and an unfailing ability as Forbes contributor David Williams says, to “fail up.” However, we can also define mental strength by identifying the things mentally strong individuals don’t do. Over the weekend, I was impressed by this list compiled by Amy Morin, a psychotherapist and licensed clinical social worker, that she shared in LifeHack. It impressed me enough I’d also like to share her list here along with my thoughts on how each of these items is particularly applicable to entrepreneurs. 1. Waste Time Feeling Sorry for Themselves. You don’t see mentally strong people feeling sorry for their circumstances or dwelling on the way they’ve been mistreated. They have learned to take responsibility for their actions and outcomes, and they have an inherent understanding of the fact that frequently life is not fair. They are able to emerge from trying circumstances with self-awareness and gratitude for the lessons learned. When a situation turns out badly, they respond with phrases such as “Oh, well.” Or perhaps simply, “Next!” 2. Give Away Their Power. Mentally strong people avoid giving others the power to make them feel inferior or bad. They understand they are in control of their actions and emotions. They know their strength is in their ability to manage the way they respond. 3. Shy Away from Change. Mentally strong people embrace change and they welcome challenge. Their biggest “fear,” if they have one, is not of the unknown, but of becoming complacent and stagnant. An environment of change and even uncertainty can energize a mentally strong person and bring out their best. 4. Waste Energy on Things They Can’t Control. Mentally strong people don’t complain (much) about bad traffic, lost luggage, or especially about other people, as they recognize that all of these factors are generally beyond their control. In a bad situation, they recognize that the one thing they can always control is their own response and attitude, and they use these attributes well. 5. Worry About Pleasing Others. Know any people pleasers? Or, conversely, people who go out of their way to dis-please others as a way of reinforcing an image of strength? Neither position is a good one. A mentally strong person strives to be kind and fair and to please others where appropriate, but is unafraid to speak up. They are able to withstand the possibility that someone will get upset and will navigate the situation, wherever possible, with grace. 6. Fear Taking Calculated Risks. A mentally strong person is willing to take calculated risks. This is a different thing entirely than jumping headlong into foolish risks. But with mental strength, an individual can weigh the risks and benefits thoroughly, and will fully assess the potential downsides and even the worst-case scenarios before they take action. 7. Dwell on the Past. There is strength in acknowledging the past and especially in acknowledging the things learned from past experiences—but a mentally strong person is able to avoid miring their mental energy in past disappointments or in fantasies of the “glory days” gone by. They invest the majority of their energy in creating an optimal present and future. 8. Make the Same Mistakes Over and Over. We all know the definition of insanity, right? It’s when we take the same actions again and again while hoping for a different and better outcome than we’ve gotten before. A mentally strong person accepts full responsibility for past behavior and is willing to learn from mistakes. Research shows that the ability to be self-reflective in an accurate and productive way is one of the greatest strengths of spectacularly successful executives and entrepreneurs. 9. Resent Other People’s Success. It takes strength of character to feel genuine joy and excitement for other people’s success. Mentally strong people have this ability. They don’t become jealous or resentful when others succeed (although they may take close notes on what the individual did well). They are willing to work hard for their own chances at success, without relying on shortcuts. 10. Give Up After Failure. Every failure is a chance to improve. Even the greatest entrepreneurs are willing to admit that their early efforts invariably brought many failures. Mentally strong people are willing to fail again and again, if necessary, as long as the learning experience from every “failure” can bring them closer to their ultimate goals. 11. Fear Alone Time. Mentally strong people enjoy and even treasure the time they spend alone. They use their downtime to reflect, to plan, and to be productive. Most importantly, they don’t depend on others to shore up their happiness and moods. They can be happy with others, and they can also be happy alone. 12. Feel the World Owes Them Anything. Particularly in the current economy, executives and employees at every level are gaining the realization that the world does not owe them a salary, a benefits package and a comfortable life, regardless of their preparation and schooling. Mentally strong people enter the world prepared to work and succeed on their merits, at every stage of the game. 13. Expect Immediate Results. Whether it’s a workout plan, a nutritional regimen, or starting a business, mentally strong people are “in it for the long haul”. They know better than to expect immediate results. They apply their energy and time in measured doses and they Celebrate each milestone and increment of success on the way. They have “staying power.” And they understand that genuine changes take time. Do you have mental strength? Are there elements on this list you need more of? With thanks to Amy Morin, I would like to reinforce my own abilities further in each of these areas today. How about you?

You've lost 62% of the excess weight you need to lose though. That sounds pretty good to me. What do you think?

Hahahahaha! Girl you made me laugh and I so needed that. ((Hugs))

Well the beauty if this article to me was it shows you what to work on, to get mentally stronger. It's like the planking challenge. Choose one and work on it this month

You're telling me I can't just roll over in bed and try it on the soft soft mattress? Dang!

that sounds like a wonderful thing to do. Our lab is not yet 2 years kid and I'm told labs stay puppies for two years. Because she is VERY friendly, but she is so friendly that she is not really calm On the plus side, she does like to kiss everyone straight on the mouth

An the old photo "reality". What I've learned is that photos don't represent reality. Think of how many photos a professional takes before he has ONE he feels like he can use? Hundreds. Hundreds a and THEN they photoshop the crap out of it. if you've ever taken pictures at a party, you know it's really hard to get good pics of even thin people. For every bad pix you show me of yourself, a professional can show you one that makes you look fabulous. Look in the mirror, look into the eyes if your husband and your friends who look at you with love, and know that you're doing a great job my friend.

Here's the link to the original article http://www.forbes.com/sites/cherylsnappconner/2013/11/18/mentally-strong-people-the-13-things-they-avoid/

How do you train a dog to be a therapy dog? Is there a program you put them through or some such?

You might find yourself enjoying it more in the days post op. We find chicken and meat cooked in the crockpot to be so much softer than stove cooked, that it sits better in the sleeve.

terry, you're killing it!

You are going to be one strong woman after all this.

Make sure someone takes pictures! They'll be worth something on eBay

Just coz I live in Tx you assume I have cowboy boots? Good advice will try with shoes. Didn't bring anything but foo foo shoes on this road trip unfortunately.

I thought it was a very interesting article. Increase/reduction of 76%? That's huge. Say it was artificially inflated and it's only half that. Still, a third of a difference is enough to convince me not to take it. I don't know that all post exercise pain is indicative of overdoing it. Some amount of pain is narural/necessary after weights. The pain is likely simply symptomatic of tear down/build up and one could argue that without it, no muscle growth is occurring. Edited artists tusk(?) to artificially inflated and nautical to natural

omg! side planks! I cannot do those. You are my hero if you're doing all this.

Hi nancy it's www.sleevefs.wordpress.com. Check out the recipe tab there.

Yeah not a bad idea at all. I mean we give up caffeine, calories, sugar, carbs, wheat and pretty much all chewing...there's a lot of adjusting. It's okay to slow down a bit

Aww. Poor baby

All right smarty pants, when someone pays you a compliment? Just say thank you

And how many did the little man get in today?

Fiddle

All right FINALLY got a teeny bit if walking in. 2 miles walking 52s plank 30 crunches