Time to Stop Being a Victim

All of us have been through something in our lives that has hurt or made us feel like a victim. A parent died young, you were tormented at school - maybe even something more serious like abuse or battling mental depression. Or things may have gone well for you early on, but now as an adult you find yourself alone and without the kind of love you are looking for.

We're living in a time when all we want is to take a pill or find a quick fix to our problems. I'm just wondering if that approach doesn't in fact make things worse.

I have to look in the mirror when I'm talking about this stuff. My father died in a plane crash when I was 5, and from ages 3 to 7, I was raised by a wonderful couple who grew up with my mom. I felt like my mom left me, but I have to ask myself at 37: Isn't it time to just get over it? What positive things came out of the challenges?

Was there not some greater good that has come out of all of my experiences? Yes. I carry on like a pretty strong and healthy person, but I catch the little victim inside rearing its ugly head now and again.

Could feeling like a victim hold us back from finding our way to being as healthy as we could be? One hundred percent. When we hold on to our inner victim, we neglect doing things to make that victim stronger. No, we have to keep the victim weak so we can continue the "poor me" cycle.

Kick that victim while they're down on the ground. Eat some crappy food and don't exercise. Yeah, let's add a few excuses to the mix while we're at it: "Oh, I just don't have time to exercise, and I can't possibly give up my burger and fries. I really don't know how to start losing the weight."

It's time to take charge. We are all in the here and now and this is what we can control. I'm not saying bad things didn't happen; I'm just saying let's all stop being victims. And let's stop punishing ourselves through our bodies. Our health is a true gift to us, and it's time we take care of that gift.

Today look at yourself and at your life and list all of your gifts. What are you thankful for each day? Great. Now what can you work at to improve? Decide to take care of yourself, be kinder to your loved ones, forgive someone, take up a new hobby, give up a bad habit, or just decide to wake up each day by saying thanks first.

Do it for yourself. Find a way to eat better and move more often. Today, I don't care why you don't or can't. Today, I just want you to start doing it. I keep trying to remind myself to not take for granted the gift of life and stop letting all the silly details get in the way. Today is the day.

from yahoo health