"Fall seven times, get up eight." - Japanese Proverb

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." - John Quincy Adams

"The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials." - Chinese Proverb

"Never give in. Never. Never. Never. Never." - Winston Churchill

"Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance." - Samuel Johnson

These quotes all say the same thing. No matter how many obstacles you run into, what matters is that you’re able to overcome each of them, one at a time.

"Two steps forward, one step back" is usually a negative term to describe someone who is having trouble making progress. But switched around, "1 Step Back, 2 Steps Forward" means that instead of grousing or feeling guilty about a misstep, you can still come out ahead if you put your head down and push forward.

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- This insert was borrowed from another site; however, I really liked the thought process. If you would like to know where, please PM me and I'll send the site address to you.

I am currently struggling in the "1 step back" phase - but I'm learning. I've lost a lot of weight, and I mean lots of it. Now, I'm taking a step back to understand why I gained it in the first place. Digging out the cobwebs from my alter-ego. Yes, I'm gaining. During this time of self-discovery, I'm at maintenance. Maintenance for me equals gaining. However, I need the nutrition, I need full mental capacity, so I can focus on who, what and why I am. I need to focus on something more important than calories in - calories out right now. I need to take a step back, look around and discover where I am and why I came here, and what the future holds for me. When I'm done, I'll take 2 steps forward.