Appreciating, celebrating and honoring the gift of life that has been given to you is a gift to all those who helped you “receive” including the medical team, your loved ones, your donor and donors family and most importantly-yourself.

When we live our lives proud and full knowing we are doing all we can to “celebrate and unwrap” our gifts daily it gives us strength from within to do and be all we can.  We ALL have the power to do this and we first have to “decide” we will do everything we can no matter how much it takes, for it to be done.  I can guarantee you the pain or fear of doing something difficult or challenging disappears when the JOY of accomplishing is felt and the enJOYment of living your life fully is being done.

So how is this done?  It is done by being honest with yourself and claiming what it is you want to do and be, -how you want to live your life.  Not what you are willing to “settle” for, we all can do that easily.  But what it is you are willing to fight for, to work for-to make happen.  It is in you, you just have to dig down deep- like what you had to do to ‘survive” for your transplant-that kind of determination and need.  The need inside you to “thrive”, to live your life fully, with your transplant.

Don’t settle.  Demand for yourself the greatest life you can live-therefore demand it from your body, your mind, your spirit.

Are you cherishing this organ, your health the way you should be?  Is your body your temple and do you worship it with good quality nutrition and exercise that pushes it to respond daily?

We all enjoy eating and all enjoy “treats”.  Me, give me a piece of fudge or the frosting off a cake and for a moment, that first bite, is magical and I savor it.  However, those magic moments are in great moderation and saved for a special occasion for myself.  I work hard at eating healthy foods that will strengthen me and my body, not processed foods that takeaway the energy I want to use to function at a high level whether it is sprinting down a track or running around the park with my son to have to be used to break down and process junk that my body doesn’t need or want.

Exercise, moving…you have this body that works now-are you using it to the best of your ability?  Come on, be honest with yourself, that’s the first step.  If you are not than today is a GREAT day to start and if you think you are, how about taking it to the next level-because there always is room for improvement.  If you create a demand for your body to function it will so “create it”.  Do something for 20-30 minutes a day that will cause your heart to beat fast, your lungs to breathe deep, your muscles and bones move in a way that reminds them they have a “purpose”.  They will all do their job if you do yours-decide to make yourself, your gift, your body and health important.

If you are not into a sport than find a hobby you like that you can be active with.  Bring JOY into the movement, the time and your body, and your spirit, will respond.

“You have to show your body it is important for it to believe it is”   I know you can do it and I hope you want it for yourself.  If at first wanting it for yourself isn’t a good enough reason think of the person who loves you most and do it for them.  Good reason right?

(to be continued…)

Live Life Fully

Dottie