I'm much more confident about nearly everything.
I think of myself again (and it had been a long time) as an athlete.
Between cycling, spinning and yoga, I spend very little time at home and, if I am at home, I spend very little time on my couch watching tv. Even when I'm home, I'm more likely to be doing something, e.g., washing all my workout clothes.
I have new friends.
I think of food, first and foremost, as fuel so my diet has improved.
My thighs--outer and inner--don't jiggle and my butt doesn't sag.
I went down a dress size.
I'm much more toned and (thanks to both yoga, lifting and some fat loss), my arms look cut for the first time in my life.
I hate shopping for anything but cycling clothes.
I've seen way more of home state on my bike than I ever have in my car.
I'm stronger than I realized, physically and emotionally, which has led me to redefine what I can and cannot do.
I know what a hub, derailleur, seat stay, headset, crank arm, bladed spoke, cog, etc., is.
Despite having gotten over my love for stuffed animals as a kid, I've discovered that I can still unselfconciously talk to and love dearly an inanimate object (my bike) as if it were alive.
Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Continue to learn. Appreciate your friends. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.
--Mary Anne Radmacher