Go.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life.

Except I've exercised before. So what makes this time different?

I suppose that was the question that was lodged inside of my head all day today. What's different? What makes this time different from the bazillion other times when I promised myself that I was going to change, only to wind up desperately stuffing an entire package of Chips Ahoy three days later? And then WHAM! it hit me.

I'm different.

I'm not the girl I once was. Slowly, ever so slowly, I'm becoming a woman. And maybe it scares me just a little to actually not need anyone. I can say it all I like, but I've always been needy. This is for me... and me alone. No one but me gets hurt if I break down and don't follow through.

No one but me.

So yeah, was I a tad embarassed as I went to the gym today and the trainer put me on a treadmill next to an Ethiopian sprint runner who was blazing at about eighty miles an hour and burning a hole in the bottom of the treadmill? Yep. But I saw something in myself today.

I'm stronger than I ever thought I was.

Laugh at yourself. Get the job done. Love life. And I do love my life.