Ok, so, some of you may know, some of you may not, but I signed up this week to get certified to be a Zumba instructor. I absolutely love Zumba. It is a lot of fun and a great workout for me. When I started my healthy journey, Zumba was the first workout I had done that really seemed to work for me. The more I stuck with it, the easier it was for me to keep doing. Then, the longer I stuck with it, a few people started encouraging me to think about becoming an instructor and I thought, pshh, NO WAY!! I thought, there is NO WAY anyone wants to see a FAT GIRL up there LEADING an exercise class. Now that I am signed up, I am so excited. But, those same thoughts keep sneaking in there every once in a while. I mean, I know I have done some great work and I am proud of the work I have done. I mean, 88 pounds is not a little amount of weight to lose. But, it is less than half of what my long term goal is. Some of you are thinking, hmmmm, this doesn't sound positive! Well, give me a second, I'm getting there, Lol! When I get those sneaky thoughts in there trying to discourage me, I think, not everyone wants to see a stick thin instructor either. I am in good shape and I will be a great instructor and I think I could probably be very motivational for people. I like to have fun and I like to be encouraging to other people and this is a great way to do that. I will admit, I am nervous I will get to training and people will look at me and laugh and think, there is no way this chick is going to make it. But, this Melissa says to them, BRING IT ON!! I think I can and I will! Zumba can be as easy as you need it to be or as difficult as you want to make it. You have to challenge yourself to better yourself and that is what I intend to do the rest of my life. I intend to be an example to my daughter that if you believe you can do anything, you really can. I intend for her to see that I made mistakes with my health and my body, but now I am working really hard to get it back under control and live the best possible life I can. I am being intentional with my health -- physical, mental and emotional. So, people may want to think these negative things about me, and that is ok with me because I KNOW that I can do this and I WILL! And if you don't want to see a heavy girl leading Zumba, well, there are other people who instruct, Lol! Remember friends, life is what we make of it. I could dwell on the fact that not everyone is going to want to come to my classes because of how I look but I will choose to focus on those who want my encouragement and pour into them every ounce of love and positive energy I have received. Live each day happy, my friends : )