Little Engine That Could.....

Have you ever read the book The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper? It is the story of a train that gets stranded and needs an engine to pull it up over the mountain and into the valley so the kids on the other side can have good foods to eat and toys to play with. The train is passed by a few engines who slow down but will not stop and help because they are too important or busy or old, until at last one little blue engine stops. And this little blue engine chugs up the hill "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can" until she reaches the top and starts to come over the other side "I thought I could! I thought I could! I thought I could!" and brings the train safely into the valley delivering the good food and toys for the children.

I am that stranded train and my attitude is the engine. My journey in life only does as well as the engine I am using and I must admit that my weight loss journey hasn't always used the best "engine." I have used the "grouchy engine"; too tired and frustrated to try with eyes that can only see how difficult it will be and all my failures laid out in my way making it apparent I shouldn't bother trying. I've used the "too busy engine"; so overwhelmed by the demands of motherhood and life I just "can't" make time. I've also tried the "too tired engine," the "I have other important things to do engine" and the "who cares" engine. Big surprise not a one of these attitude engines has been able to get me anywhere on my journey.

That little blue engine saw some thing the other engines that wouldn't help missed. She saw the value of those things on the train, she saw how important it was for the train to make it into the valley and because she saw that she KNEW she had to TRY! I can only imagine that the little blue engine was a bit nervous, maybe even scared. It was a BIG hill, a mountain, and it was a big train and she was just a little engine, but she found a belief in herself and trusted that- "I think I can." And she did try and she did succeed.

With my life journey I need a little blue engine- I need my attitude to be positive with a willingness to try because what is inside me is worth the effort. Yes this journey is scary and hard at times, not just trying to get healthy and lose weight, but life in general. I am facing quite the hill, my mountain, it is my time to go up and over and other side is the valley of being healthy. And there is only one attitude engine that will work- my little blue one that knows not only that I CAN do it but that I am worth trying for until I SUCCEED!

"I think I can! I think I can! I think I can......."