Don’t Listen To The Little Voice
Posted: August 28, 2011 at 10:19 amHappy Sunday morning!! Take the time today to think about how awesome you are…because it’s true. Allow Brittany from Itty Bits of Balance to share her story in believing in herself. She has come a long way and you can too! Catch you all later!
Hello fellow FFF readers! My name is Brittany & I blog over at Itty Bits of Balance.
It is an honor and a privilege to be contributing to Tina's Positive Sunday installment with my story of how I achieved the strength & confidence that I carry around with me today.
I'm the first to admit, I can be a complete wack-job at times:
I'm not afraid to make a fool of myself,
and I love to take the occasional crazy face photo.
I try my best to exuberate strength, confidence, and a sense of balance on a daily basis, however, things haven't always been this easy for me.
Throughout my youth, I was battling a constant struggle with weight & body image issues. For as long as I can remember, I was continuously tormented and teased for being roughly 20-30 pounds overweight, and like a lot of young girls I took it very personally. I went through 18 years of fad diets and binges– yet the results were never consistent and as soon as I started to eat normally again the excess weight found its way back.
Finally in 2010, I told myself that enough was enough.
At the age of 19 I decided that I was sick of sulking and feeling sorry for myself-- It was time for me to prove what I was capable of. I woke up one morning, read about The Disney Princess Half Marathon on Gina's blog and decided that I was going to train for it.
Just. like. that.
And boy, did I run my little white booty off.
Now, any normal person would go on vacation after four months of torture, or maybe even take a little trip to the day spa. Me? I decided to go big or go home.
I then proceeded to sign up to run the 26.2 mile Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco, California on October 17, 2010 with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training (Read about my flashback here.) In the process, I simultaneously raised $2,954.20 for the cause. Crossing that finish line was undeniable proof that nothing was going to stop me.
So how does my story pertain to you? Why should you care that I ran a marathon and found my "inner strength"?
Because nobody should EVER live the way that I was living before. All of us are filled with strength just waiting to burst out of our beings and overwhelm us with confidence. The problem is that many of us have that little voice inside telling us that we're "too big", "too small", "too fat", "too slow" or my personal favorite, "too weak." Whether your goal is to run a marathon, be more successful at your job, or even to be a better friend or mother.
Don't listen to that voice. Get up, get out, and go show me your strength!
I'll just be waiting over here making some faces 🙂
- How have you found your “inner strength”? What “little voice” do you need to tell to shut up sometimes?
Tags: guest post, self-love reflections
That was a really great story! I’ve always wanted to do a Disney race and hope that one day I can… you look great out there running and it’s awesome that you made such a big (healthy) change in your life, instead of fat diets =).
Love this post!! It’s just proof that a lifestyle change is what works! You are such an inspiration to so many, Brittany!
Great guest post!! I love both of these blogs 🙂
Just came across your blog. Love that your honest and down to earth. You’re fitness journey is inspirational!
xo-Nicole
You’re so awesome Brittany 😀
You are so wise and this is a wonderful story!! I also love your blog and look forward to reading more.
I think you are a great role model for young women and girls who struggle with the same things.
You inspire me too, and I’m 46.. I just think it’s especially important for young women to have a contemporary to relate to.
I’m so glad you share your story and journey.
I love this story and I can’t believe that you hadn’t been running and just decided one day to train and run a half marathon. That’s so inspiring. Anyone can do anything, as long as they put their mind to it.
I am battling the voice in my head that tells me I am going to be a terrible student teacher. I start tomorrow and all the new life changes are really getting me down. Fear and insecurity are warring against my self-confidence. Thanks for the inspiration!
Anna Marie– Don’t listen to the little voice! It will get the best of you if you let it.
I’m sure you will be a great teacher for your students 🙂 Just the fact that you’re worrying means that you already care.
Definitely needed to hear this! Thank you so much, Brittany 🙂
Fantastic Post! The little voice that I need to quiet is the voice telling me I am never enough, or worthy enough! I am worthy enough! =]
You are definitely worthy enough, Jess 🙂 Don’t ever forget that!
[…] Have you checked out my guest post on Tina’s blog this morning? While you’re there, be sure to take a look around her page […]
<3 you Brittany!!
Love this post and your story! Thanks for the motivation today!!
This is awesome, love your story!!!
I’ve been having a bad running week lately and this has helped motivated me to get back into it tom morning!
I’ve been working on finding my “inner athlete” for several years now. I have struggled with my weight since I was a child, and in the last year have had the most success I have ever had- I’m at the lowest weight I’ve ever been in my life, with still having about 30 lbs to lose. It’s been a combination of a lot of things, but finding the “blog world” has helped, along with joining 24-Hour Fitness and getting 3 sessions with a trainer too. It’s hard not to beat myself up over not feeling quite up to “par” with the other women I see that I’d like to look like. I’ve had success in losing weight, and I’m eating healthy, so I have to be proud of that, and not dwell on the negatives.
What a great message! Listening to those voices can be debilitating so turning them off and turning up the ones that provide you with confidence is the only way to start feeling your worth. Congrats on the marathon!
such a great message! i definitely have realized i have inner strength. and i’m starting to realize that each day i can use that strength for good, rather than against myself. i’d love to run a marathon, but i think i want to do it just to say i did, not because i like running. so i’m still trying to figure out how to put my strength to work!
Great post, Brittany!! You’re awesome. Love your blog, as you already know! 🙂
This was a great post and it shows your zest for life. I too was hiding for years between fad diets and a severe eating disorders. I remember hitting the point enough of being victim, and taking charge of my life. So much is about telling the thoughts and stories that no longer serve me to f&*^ off, to take fearless actions and trust that I’m strong enough that I can do whatever I set myself for myself.
Thank you, Laura! I’m so glad that you enjoyed my story.
I know how much fad diets and eating disorders can take out of a person’s life– we are very lucky to have come this far! 🙂
[…] bits arrive!Powered by WP Greet Box WordPress PluginThank you all for the astounding feedback on my guest post on Tina’s blog yesterday! I’m glad that my story could be an inspiration to so many and […]
I know what that little voice inside of us is. I also know that greater is he that is in me then he that is in this world 🙂 I wouldn’t have the strength today if it wasn’t for Jesus. God bless you!
Love your story Brittany and love that it was a blog that motivated and inspired you to get healthy!!
Thank you, Lisa 🙂 You’re awesome!