I grew up all over America. My dad was in the Navy and we moved at least every two years. I was used to being the new kid. When I finally reached junior high school, he managed to get tour after tour in the same area. It helped that the Hampton Rhodes area is home to multiple Navy bases. We actually lived there, in the same house for 6 years. I was able to complete school with the same group of kids for that whole time.

BUT

I wasn't one of the popular kids. I was used to missing out. Don't get me wrong, I had soo many friends... in the band, in the choir, in the drama club, in the honor society. My husband tells me I was a geek. He might have a point.

Here's my point. I'm used to missing out. I know what it's like to be on the outside looking in. I just never thought I could be on the inside and still be missing out. I joined sparkpeople.com last year. I've worked my way through a number of points and awards. I've made some friends. But I still wasn't getting it. I had about 8 months of positive movement, then discouragement took over and I not only lost my momentum, but I lost my forward progress as well. I actually gained back all the weight I had lost in the 8 months.

WHAT HAPPENED?!

I'll tell you what happened. I got impatient, read a diet book, focused on the scale and got depressed over the lack of improvement. The book didn't call itself a diet book, but it was. I still claimed to be working toward a "healthier lifestyle" but I wasn't. I'm just gonna be honest here. I even . . . crash dieted, to get down a dress size for a wedding. I know! I know! I knew that wouldn't work, but I did it anyway. Yes, I've read the articles. Yes, I've read the testimonies. I did it anyway. I was clearly missing out!

I just had a birthday, the beginning of February and my sister gave me The Spark. I took a few days for me to start reading it but I did start this week. I read about Chris' start with fascination. I read about his philosophy and objectives and really started thinking. Next I read about the first cornerstone of his program and I realized what I had been missing! Since this is just the first cornerstone, I'm pretty sure that I'll realized that I was missing much more than just focus but this is huge.

FOCUS! A GOAL! Who'd-a-thunk?

Thanks so much Chris Downie and the SparkPeople.com team!! I'm enjoying reading this book AND it's opening my eyes like never before. I have focus! I have a goal, a clear, concise, measurable, tangible, written goal for my life! I included my physical, mental (educational & occupational), and spiritual priorities in my goal. Now I get the fun of prioritizing my life around my goals, instead of worrying about my vague idea of what I want to do with my life as I am swept along by the tide of the urgent event going on around me.