10 pounds of butter!

First of all, I've lost 10.6 pounds on my pre-op diet so far.  That is crazy!  I keep thinking to myself... "that's 10 pounds of butter!"

So basically, I've lost this from (my boyfriend says) around my middle:

Yay me!

I was thinking today that a lot of our success in life comes from how we frame things.  Essentially, it's a glass half-full or half-empty thing, but I think there's more to it than that.  We can acknowledge the negative, but use positive framing as we move forward.  If we act as complete optimists, and never recognize that negative things can and do happen, I don't think we end up as being as strong in the positive.

Does that make sense?

I'm not an eternal optimist... in fact I've tended to be more of a pessimist, though I like to call myself a realist. I'm learning though, that life is easier if I accept the negative stuff, but find a shiny star to put on top of the thorn bushes.

"Damn, I have 120 more pounds to lose."
vs.
"Wow, I really did get fat... but I've already lost 10 pounds and I'm making strides to make sure the weight stays off."

"I feel like a loser starting my teaching career for the 4th time, and I'm in my 30s already??!?!"
vs.
"My age brings added experience, I know now this is what I want to do, and I still have a good 25 years to put in before retirement."

It makes life a lot easier, don't you think?