Don't feel sorry for yourself

I receive a daily email about a 90 day renewal that I am on. After reading today's I had to post it. It spoke volumes to me. Have a read and tell me what you think

Never Feel Sorry For Yourself
copyright@2006 by Donna Partow


One of the greatest hindrances I've faced in my journey toward becoming the woman I want to be is self-pity. Self-pity is far more destructive than we realize, not only spiritually and emotionally, but physically, as well. Self-pity isolates and research on longevity conducted at Harvard University found that isolation is a strong predictor of poor mental and physical health, and premature death.

One thing that struck me as I interviewed The Chief (my husband's 104 yr-old great grandfather) is that self-pity had no place in his thinking. I thought you might enjoy a few more excerpts from the book I am currently writing, 104 Tips from the Chief, based on his wisdom and extensive research on longevity.

"When I was 3 years old, living in a small village in Northern Italy, my father became very ill, even though he was only in his 40s. I vividly remember the doctor being called to our home. I remember creeping up the stairs and spying on him as he performed surgery on the goiter on my father's neck--without anesthesia. Mostly, though, I remember the blood...and how my father died that day.

After my father died, our life became very difficult. When we had absolutely nothing left, my mother decided to take us to America. We traveled by horse-and-buggy for two days and nights until we reached Naples. I was around eight years old at the time and I can recall how we prayed and prayed before going through the health inspection line to gain passage on the ship. If any one of us failed, we would all have to turn back. Thankfully, we passed. We sailed for16 days through turbulent waters, under deck and surrounded by animals. We never saw the light of day nor had a breath of fresh air. Everyone was throwing up and the stench was unbelievable.
But we were together and we made it to America. Three years later, my mother died of pneumonia at the age of 44. Shortly before her death, she told my two older sisters to divide the boys (myself and my brother) between them and, no matter what else happened, to remain a family.

It never occurred to me that I should feel sorry for myself or that I might be entitled to sympathy or preferential treatment because of the difficulties I had faced. This was simply my life story. I could not change any of it, so there was no point dwelling on it. Besides, I was too busy living each day, preparing for the future, to keep looking backwards. That's why I am always surprised--and saddened--when I hear people (especially on television) turning their life experience into an excuse for bad behavior.

No possible benefit can come from feeling sorry for yourself. Trust me as someone who has a whole lot of past in my past: what's past is best left in the past. Don't use it as a crutch. Don't use it as a weapon against a cruel world. Don't use it to get what you want from people. You can't move forward when you're looking backward. Saint Paul put it this way: "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on." If you want to live a long, happy, healthy life, let it go and move on.

Your simple step for today: Refuse to feel sorry for yourself

Here's to Your Transformation

Monday-Run 45 min Elliptical 15 min and swim 1 hour
Tuesday- rest
Wednesday-Run 35 min Elliptical 15 min
Thursday-Bike 1 hour
Friday- Run
Saturday-Race for the Cure
Sunday-Long Bike


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