Getting Discouraged

This topic is another that is very near and dear to me because I struggle with this quite regularly. I don't have everything as together as it might seem. I have my times that I get discouraged and think that I want to give up. I look at how far I have left to go and it just seems so far away, yet I don't take the time to look back on how far I've come. I sometimes have to take the times that I get discouraged and refocus myself and realize, "Yes, I still have to lose another 15lbs to reach my next goal, but I've already come so far in losing 75lbs." While this truth can be motivational for me, sometimes it isn't enough and I need something tangible, a visible symbol for how far I've come on this journey. At those times I look to my two children(ages 4 and 3) and realize that I've lost about as much weight as my children weigh. That is when I have to slow down and think about the fact that over a year ago I was carrying around the equivalent of my two toddlers on my body, all of the time. When I think of this it really is mind boggling because now, I couldn't imagine having to carry just one of my kids around all day long, let alone both of them. When I take a time out from all the crazy emotions going on in my head and put my weight loss in this type of perspective it really does help me to get back on track. Especially too, to think not only have I lost the combined weight of my children, but that I only have the  combined weight of my two dumbbells left to lose.
     I also catch myself going through the cycle of highs(staying on track and consistently losing) and my lows(getting discouraged and going off course). I go through about 8-10 weeks of losing, then drift off course for a week(sometimes longer) before I get myself refocused on my goals and accomplishments. This cycle that I continuously go through is part of the reason it has taken me over a year to lose 75lbs. However, this does not discourage me. We all have to work through our inner struggles and figure out the triggers that send us down to discouragement valley. We also have to figure out ways to avoid going there or at the very least make our stay as short as possible. Another extremely helpful "tool" for discouragement is a friend that you can talk to. My friend Stormy is extremely helpful with this. I know I can call her up when I get down and out and she will listen to me and gives me the encouragement I need to keep going. Just to have someone to talk to and know that they support your efforts is one of the most helpful things to pull me out of that valley of discourage.
     If you find yourself getting discouraged and need someone, please, please feel free to reach out to me for support and encouragement. I feel strongly in "paying it forward", so with my success thus far I feel compelled to help anyone who wants it and will reach out to me, either in comments here or on my facebook.