Inspiration...

During this past week of the 12wbt we were given the challenge to look at inspiration and to make an inspiration board.  At the risk of coming over all Oprah, I found that it was a really uplifting exercise and it was about much more than losing weight or aiming for a particularly gorgeous bod. (I am realistic after all.)

I had the best fun doing it because it really made me look at what makes my heart sing, what challenges me, what warms me, what I'm aiming for, what gives me joy, what motivates me and what my vision of a beautiful life looks like...

I made my inspiration board on pinterest.  Here's the link if you want to have a bit of a look: http://pinterest.com/jljm/inspiration/

Here are a couple of the things that inspire me.


Obviously, I'm trying to lose weight and get fit.  So pictures of people doing one legged wall sits, for example, inspire me.  Or this one.... which combines my ambition of being able to run far enough to employ fartlek training, with my enjoyment of juvenile sniggering.

from Pinterest

But I also had a bit of a perspective check doing the board.  One of the people I am truly inspired by is Aung San Suu Kyi who is the leader of the democracy movement in Burma.  Since 1988, she has been under house arrest in Rangoon on and off for 18 years.  She has seen her sons only a couple of times during that time and she was unable to be with her husband as he died of cancer in the UK.  She has sacrificed a lot for a cause and a country she believes in. 

Source

I just have to eat less and exercise more.  It's not hard. 
Living imprisoned in a different country from your family, with the expectations of everyone who wants freedom for Burma riding on your shoulders is hard.

It's been fantastic looking at the inspiration boards of other 12wbt'ers....  Here is a particular favourite from the beautiful Golden Girl.

http://travelshome.weebly.com/1/post/2012/06/my-inspiration-board.html

{And a little inspirational message to leave you with and don't let anybody tell you any different.  Sorry it's a bit small!}