I've found it!

I've found that summer time as an adult doesn't hold quite the same allure as it did in my youth. I grew up on the beaches of San Diego and summers were...okay, go ahead, let your imagination run wild and...yep, there ya have it.

Four kids and a lifetime later I still live near a beach, but today I live in the South and the beach is the Gulf of Mexico which means, no surfing here.

School begins in one week which is very early in August. Summer is about done for all intents and purposes, at least the fun in the sun intents and purposes.

I've learned a lot this summer about myself.

I did not lose all the weight I wanted to lose, I did not track all the things I wanted to track, I did not get in all the exercise I thought I would, but I've grown very comfortable in my own skin. I've learned to love and appreciate me, right now, right here, just as I am.

I'm not really sure exactly how or when that happened. Maybe it's part of getting a tad bit older.

I've given myself permission to just be....me.

I'm still working out, eating healthy (mostly), and I still have goals of course. Two of my goals are to be more consistent in every area of my life and to get the extra pounds off.

I now feel like a complete person who needs to lose weight and not a complete mess because I need to lose weight.

I hear a saying a lot on Sparkpeople about "progress not perfection" and I love that. I found something here at Sparkpeople. I found I'm free to be me.

I love all of the support and encouragement of my Spark friends.

Though I have not been active here for a few weeks I've kept all of you who've kept track of me on my mind. I know you all are making progress also. So, I'm raising my freshly squeezed juice glass up to all of us and celebrating our inner beauty and strength and our outward achievements as well. Here's to our continued successes and great overall health!! And of course, To Freedom!