When does life begin?

Wait - no one panic!  This is NOT a debate about abortion - I'm not jumping into that here!

Nope, I'm talking about people waiting for their lives to start.  Yesterday my friend/co-worker and I were talking about things, including retirement - which is many years away for both of us.  We both said that we are so looking forward to having more time and not having to work, BUT we don't want to wish our lives away, either.

It got me thinking about another co-worker who has gained a LOT of weight in the last few years.  She has always been a yo-yo dieter and can lose weight fairly easily and rapidly when she is extremely focused on it, but also puts the weight back on quickly.  Of course she does very unhealthy things to get the weight off and also goes back to terrible eating habits once she falls off the wagon.

Anyway, she was telling me that she wants to lose weight, but was also justifying why she just does not have the time to exercise, and it is "IMPOSSIBLE" for her to plan meals which is why she (and the rest of her family) HAVE to eat out at restaurants or eat fast food 4-5 days per week.  She made the comment that she plans to start eating right, exercising and being a healthy weight when her daughter goes off to college.  Her daughter is 10.  Yes, 10.  So that means she plans to start her new life IN 8 YEARS!!!!!

Wow.  That just blew me away.  I am so frustrated with myself for not starting this journey until I was in my late 30's.  Everything would have been so much easier in my 20's.  And all the years I WASTED being fat - I think of everything I missed out on.  I feel like this life I have now - it ain't perfect but it's a whole new life.  And I so, so, so wish I could go back in time and start it years and years ago.  I try not to dwell there but....

Which is why I don't want to hear people say that they'll start changing their lives next year, or next month or next week.  Or on their birthday or whenever.  This is not just for weight loss but any unhealthy habit.

I think of a smoker lying in Hospice with a 3 month prognosis wishing she had quit smoking years ago.  Or the man who weighs 350 pounds lying in his bed with one leg amputated from out of control diabetes who can barely move.  I'll bet he wishes he could go back in time and start eating right and exercising.

So what are you waiting for?  Your life has BEGUN.  Stop waiting for circumstances to be perfect, because they NEVER EVER WILL.  You will never have enough time.  It's never going to be NOT HARD.  Start now, start today.  Your future self will thank you.