Today is Mr. PaleoMarine’s (my husband E.J.’s) 50th birthday. I feel incredibly lucky to be married to this guy, not just because he’s my best friend and my favorite person in the whole world, but because it’s been so inspiring to watch him take stock of his life over the last several years and fix the things about himself he felt were broken.
With the pace that the world moves around us, it’s easy to say that we’ll be better tomorrow, or to give excuses why circumstances or luck keep us from being the best version of ourselves that we can be – but it takes a lot of courage (and maybe a little healthy fear) to take an honest look in the mirror and summon the determination to change the things we don’t like. Those of you who have been following our journey here or on his blog at PaleoMarine.com no doubt have been impressed at his weight loss (over 150 lbs to date), but the actually that’s only one small part of his transformation. In addition to getting his weight under control, he has also been working out to improve his fitness, adjusted his sleep habits to ensure he’s getting enough rest, made a conscious effort to look at the world in a more positive light, improved his money management and personal savings, and makes a conscious daily effort to be the best husband, father, and friend he can be.
The result has been awe inspiring, not just for me, but for many of the people that he talks to about his journey over the last couple of years. We personally know more than 20 individuals and couples who have made similar improvements in their lives as a direct result of E.J.’s story. Yes, it requires effort for both of us in equal measure to keep a good thing going, but it is so worth it. It’s amazing how one positive change affects the next and the next, and how you can look back after a while and wonder how and why you didn’t make the changes sooner.
I challenge everyone, regardless of age or situation, to find the courage to take a hard look in the mirror and ask yourself, “What is one thing about yourself that you really want to change?”, and then form a plan to change it. Know that it may take years to make it completely, but every journey begins with a single step and a determination to reach the destination. Try to take someone with you if you can – the support of a friend or spouse definitely makes the journey easier, but if you have to go alone, be sure to keep a journal and or find an online community with similar goals to help support you in the moments when you want to give up. And when you fail (and you will), remember to love yourself enough to get back up, dust yourself off, and keep going.
Happy 50th Birthday, E.J.! I’m so incredibly proud of you, and like a fine wine, you’re definitely getting better with age!!
Reblogged this on Paleo Marine and commented:
My sweet wife wrote this post for my birthday. I am incredibly fortunate to have her as my wife, best friend, and partner in life. She has been instrumental to my success, not merely because she meal preps, but she truly makes me want to be a better person every day.