A strong woman works out every day
to keep her body in shape
but a woman of strength looks deep inside
to keep her soul in shape

A strong woman isn’t afraid
of anything
but a woman of strength shows courage
in the midst of her fear

A strong woman won’t let anyone
get the best of her
but a woman of strength gives the best
of her to everyone

A strong woman makes mistakes
and avoids the same in the future
but a woman of strength realizes life’s mistakes
can also be blessings and capitalizes on them

A strong woman walks
sure footedly
but a woman of strength knows
when to ask for help

A strong woman wears the look
of confidence on her face
but a woman of strength
wears grace

A strong woman has faith
that she is strong enough for the journey
but a woman of strength has faith
that it is in the journey that she will become strong

~unknown author

Recently, I had the honor to be interviewed for the Examiner.com by author Sandy Alcide.  Sandy is the owner of Motion Medica, a wonderful provider of skincare products for active, athletic men and women.  The goal for this interview was to give motivation, especially to mothers struggling with where to start.  My favorite question was how to ask your family for support.

This is by far one of the toughest concepts my clients have to grasp along their journey.  The feeling of guilt is great…when you “all of a sudden” decide to dedicate your time and energy toward YOUR nutrition, YOUR workouts and YOUR cardio.  I often see women who can’t quite make that jump, feeling better served to do more for others, than for themselves.  My response to this question was “don’t ask…just do it”.  That might seem cold…but I honestly believe that if I were to wait for the approval from my family, friends and co-workers before starting my program, I would have failed.  My advice is to make it a personal journey, not one you are doing for approval, but one you are doing for yourself. Be strong and steadfast and do not pass judgement on others that may not be joining you.  Be an example, and know that you will receive some of the oddest comments from people watching you struggle…forge on!!