We probably all have people who have been inspirational to us.  But have you ever knowingly been the inspiration?

I have.  And, please believe me, I post that not in a bragging or fishing for compliments type of way.  But, rather, I post that because it’s not something I read or hear about much.  How it feels when someone lets you know that you are their inspiration.

Whether you know me personally or have read more than a few of my blogs.  Then you probably know that all of my life I have been overweight.  I tried losing weight before, only to gain it plus some back.  A few years ago I weighed over 220 pounds.  I focused my efforts on losing weight, and lost about 30 pounds.  I ran my first 5k.  I was feeling good.  But then I started gaining again and went back over 200 pounds (a number I swore I would never see again!).  Then I met a normal weight woman.  She was training for her first marathon.  As I got to know her I was surprised to find out that she used to weigh what I did.  She lost it through hard work.  And one day I thought, “If she can do it, why can’t I?”  And she became one of my inspirations in losing weight and becoming more serious about running.

I am not yet at my goal.  I’m not really sure what my goal is, but I still jiggle in places and according to charts am considered overweight, so I believe I have more to lose.  But I’ve come a long way!  I’m in the 150’s.  I can now run a 10 minute mile.  I’ve run 5ks, 8ks, and have even run 10 miles a few times.   I get lots of compliments and “how did you do it”s.  Most people say, “That’s great!” and then go on with their lives.

But one woman, like I did, not only said, “That’s great!” but she also said, “If she can do it, why can’t I?”  And she began logging her food in My Fitness Pal.  She let me know I was her inspiration.  The weight has been coming off.  She’s beaming and looks fantastic!  She decided to attempt the Couch to 5k program too.  She found a race that she wanted to run.  Signed up for it.  And disciplined herself to do it.

It is an awesome, humbling feeling to know that your actions inspired someone so much that she was able to make a huge change in her life.  But that’s not why I write about it today.  There is so much more that comes with knowingly being someone’s inspiration.

There is an accountability like no other.  She let me know that I inspired her and that she was watching me.  Watching for motivation.  So when I would stop logging on My Fitness Pal, she would  yell at me encourage me to get back to business.  She told me that if I let up, she was afraid that she would too.  Then when I fell off the wagon this summer, thinking about her working so hard, pushing herself to run her first 1/2 mile, mile, 2 miles, and so on, I was motivated to get myself going again.  It was easier to deal with letting myself down then it was to think about letting her down.  I know I’m not responsible for her, but it gives me an extra accountability that I wasn’t expecting.  And now being focused again, I realize how thankful I am to have her watching me.

On Saturday, she ran her first 5k.  I got to be there with her.  I’m tearing up thinking about it.  It was an incredibly hard course, but she did it!

It made the day so special for me. I remember how I felt at my first 5k, and I think this was more exciting for me.  I’m trying to put my feelings about it into words, but struggling.  All I know is I felt on top of the world hugging her at the finish line!

So, I write this not to puff myself up, but to thank her.  My watcher.  Thank you for allowing me to join you in your journey.  Thank you for telling me you were watching.  Thank you for encouraging me to not fail, to never give up, to work harder, and to press on every day.  It means more than you will ever know … unless someone has let you know that they are watching you 😉

And you dear reader, remember in the beginning I asked if you had people in your life that have been inspirational to you?  Perhaps, if you haven’t, you should tell them and let them know you are watching.  It might be just what they need to press on in their journey!

Pressing on together,

♥Becki