It’s so easy to get all wrapped up in your weight loss struggles and stop focusing on all of the positives that you currently have in your life, isn’t it? I know what it’s like because I’ve done that myself before.
Well, tonight while I was working out I had on 20/20. They did a piece on Kevin Connolly, a man who was born without legs. He said that he’s never known anything different so it doesn’t matter to him, however I think that there’s more to that. What I mean is that I can think of some individuals who are mad at the world because they were born different. Kevin though, has an awesome attitude and just takes life as it is, while also not being oblivious to how other people react to him.
You see, he has a talent for photography, and he’s turned the fact that he doesn’t have legs into an opportunity. His usual mode of transportation is his skateboard (when he’s not alpine skiing! 🙂 ), and he snaps photos of people staring at him. He captures them without them realizing it and he’s really quite good.
While I watched this piece tonight I didn’t feel sorry for Kevin but instead was reminded of all of the little things that we can find to be grateful for. It would be really easy to be down on yourself if you didn’t have any legs, and if you are overweight and or have ever struggled with being overweight, I bet you also know the feeling of being down on yourself for that. However, when you compare the struggles of overweight with that of losing a limb, your eyesight, or even a finger, can you see how much you truly have to be grateful for today?
I know it’s easy to think that you’ll be so much happier once you lose weight, but honestly your happiness begins right now. You can focus on all of the good in your life today while you’re working on getting healthy and fit. Don’t let your weight hold you back from anything that you want to do today, either. This is your life, right now; you can’t live in the future, you can only live now, and I bet that you can come up with at least 10 things to be grateful for that have nothing to do with weight loss. If you think you can’t just count your fingers, and if you don’t have 10, then start counting your toes. 🙂
You can check out Kevin’s photo gallery on his site The Rolling Exhibition.
Interesting post!
I stumbled it and Kevin’s site. Maybe you’ll get a few more visits.
A good reminder to pause and take note of all the blessings we have! Kevin is an example of not playing the “victim,” but living life to the fullest!
@Mike, hi, thanks! Kevin is quite inspiring isn’t he? And he’s just being himself. 🙂
Thanks very much for the Stumble, too. I added you as a friend.
@Susan, hi! You’re so right, I think that we often forget about the “little things” in life that we have to be grateful for, and they really aren’t little things!
Good point on the victim mentality too, which Kevin definitely is not in. It doesn’t hurt either that he’s an alpine skier…..downhill skiing is my greatest love in life. 😀
I saw the show as well and you are absolutely right. He was very inspiring and has such a healthy attitude!! He has also done so many things that I would never have the courage to do!! (rock climbing, traveling to many different countries, etc.)
I couldn’t agree more! Have a great New Year! 🙂
I got to you from BlogRush. Great post.
Gratitude is something I’ve had to learn in the past year. Before that, I was never grateful for anything in my life and I could never get anything that I wanted. Now that I’m grateful, so many more opportunities are open to me. It’s been amazing.
@wm, the show was awesome, wasn’t it?
Now why not have the courage to do all of those things yourself? If you really want to do them, I believe that you can….as long as you believe that you can. 🙂
@FB, thanks, Happy New Year to you, too! 🙂
@Brandon, that’s neat, I’ve been thinking about removing Blog Rush so thanks for letting me know!
That’s wonderful that you’re experiencing positive growth from practicing gratitude, that’s how it’s supposed to work.
There truly are so many things to be grateful for…I’m grateful for the keyboard that I’m typing on right now, for being inside where it’s warm, for having clothes to wear, for electricity…..you can go on and on with all of the “little” things there are to be thankful for. 😀
Thanks for your comment, and thanks to each of you for your comments!
We have an adaptive ski program up here in the southern California mountains and I’ve had the opportunity to watch an amazing amount of people come to ski with a variety of handicaps–or missing limbs.
In the winter they ski and in the summer they water ski. Each has a buddy trained to assist them.
Often times I find it is good to get a different perspective on situations by getting out of the normal routine.
I am grateful for a lot of things myself–which is why I take a few hours everyday to hike in the wilderness.
Excellent post! It reminded me of something I heard once before – If you wait forever to be happy – till you have a bigger house, a better car, – you’ll never be happy. There’s so much to be grateful for.
Thanks for reminding us.
@GG, hi, that’s really cool that you’re around so many people who are out there skiing no matter if they handicaps, how inspiring is that for the rest of us?!
That sounds wonderful that you get to go out and hike a couple of hours every day, what a great way to stay in shape.
@Mama, thanks! You’re so right, we can choose to be happy now instead of waiting for some future time that may never arrive…..there are so many things to be grateful for now, why let overweight hold us back?! 😉