A Little Inspiration for the Day

Real Inspiration

Yesterday while driving home from the gym I heard and ad on the radio that frustrated me. It was targeting women and trying to sell some kind of weight loss pill. It announced that scientists have said that women over 40 need to workout one hour a day just to maintain their weight, not even lose weight, so obviously everyone should start popping their pills to get skinnier.

It annoyed me that it was targeting women. It annoyed me that it was targeting women over 40. It annoyed me that is was claiming to have an easy fix to weight loss. It annoyed me that it was using what we know about the body against us.

I wished that there were ads that highlighted and inspired people via real life stories of individuals—men and women of all ages—who used diet and exercise to change their weight if needed. I thought of a very close family friend who in her mid fifties lost 50 pounds using weight watchers as a tool. She looks fabulous. I’d argue that she actually looks 30. It’s amazing. Another family friend lost weight by adding a morning exercise routine. Both of these women have […]

Real InspirationMaggie Downie2017-10-25T14:30:13-04:00

Anne Frank

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a singe moment before starting to improve the world.” –Anne Frank

Anne FrankMaggie Downie2017-10-25T16:17:13-04:00

Stay Positive

My mom forwarded me this link from youtube of a number of different hospital staff members from all over the country dancing with pink gloves to let women with breast cancer know they are not alone. I almost didn’t watch it because I’m not a fan of forwards.

I was glad I watched. It made me feel good. It made me feel empowered.

Whenever someone is going through a difficult time it is important for them to know they aren’t alone. This video helps to do that.

Stay PositiveMaggie Downie2017-10-25T16:22:08-04:00

Inspired

The weekend of September 11th my family and I hosted my Grandfather’s WWII ship’s reunion. These men and their wives have been meeting since the fifties once a year. It’s become a small group, but an inspirational group. Almost everyone of them is in their late eighties or early nineties and they are active and living life.

Alice, who helped start the reunions, told me you have to plan on being here next year. Then she said, “Look at me. I just had my hip replaced and I’m here. Sometimes working through a little pain is good for you.”

While I don’t want to advocate anyone working through pain, it is her attitude that makes her life so rich. And every year when I see these people, I’m reminded why they are referred to as The Greatest Generation. I admire them all and I love listening to their stories.

InspiredMaggie Downie2017-10-25T14:30:14-04:00

Inspirational Quotes

Very often when I’m having a bad day or just don’t feel like getting moving it is the thought of a person or a quote that inspires me to get motivated. So this week I’d like to leave you with thoughts of some people I respect that inspire me and some quotes that are just plain good. Check in everyday to be inspired.

“Be of good cheer. Do not think of today’s failures, but of success that may come to-morrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will have a joy in overcoming obstacles—a delight in climbing rugged paths which you would perhaps never know if you did not sometimes slip backward, if the road were always smooth and pleasant. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost.” ~ Helen Keller.

Inspirational QuotesMaggie Downie2017-10-25T14:30:13-04:00