"I Think I Can, I Think I Can"

I'm sure that most of us have heard the story "The Little Engine That Could." It's a life lesson about a train that didn't think it could get up a steep hill, but with using reinforcing mantra like "I Think I Can, I Think I Can" the train made it up the steep hill. I think this life lesson is very true and I often use it in real life. You can apply it to so many situations.

Take for example over 4 years ago I decided a month before my 50th birthday I was going to quit smoking. I started with just limiting myself to 10 cigarettes a day. (I had been a pack a day smoker.) Gradually I was down to 10 cigarettes or less a day. Then I finally quit!! Even being around smokers, I haven' t smoked since. I used the life lesson of "I Think I Can, I Think I Can."

Now, I'm facing a new challenge. A week ago I wasn't feeling so good and my husband recommended I check my blood sugar. It had been some time since I had checked my blood sugar, so I got the meter and strips out to check my blood sugar. It was well over 200!! I read on the container that this container of strips had expired!! When I was faced with the possibility that my blood sugar could be that high, I had to make the decision that I needed to lose weight (I knew before this I really should lose weight.) I got new strips and my blood sugar wasn't in the 200's but it was still a little high. So, I began using my Vitamaster exerciser. Then I decided that even though my blood sugar was getting close to normal I wasn't going to stop there. I was bound and determined with the "I Think I Can, I Think I Can" attitude that I'm going to go on a diet and lose some weight.

I've been on diets before and usually the first week one only loses about 2-3 pounds. But so, far (in a weeks time) I've lost 10 pounds!! Yes, I'm very proud of myself and will continue to lose weight because I Know I Can, I Know I Can!!

Do you have a mantra (saying) to help you accomplish challenges?