No Accidents in the Universe

[justtrish]

I don't think it's accidental that I found this group.  Yes, I am quite knowledgeable in the areas of marketing and not gullible enough to think that every social media marketing ad I come across is "meant to be".  However there are times when the Universe uses marketing to help us along.

 

At first, I must admit, I was a bit intimidated, as it appears that most everyone here is pretty young, and here I am at 53, with 4 sons who are beginning to hit their 30s, which is what I figure the target market is for this program.  But hey, I play video games, I read graphic novels, I'm a total gadget hound, and am one of the techie-go-to persons (i.e. nerds) where I work, including to people who are 10+ years younger than me, and not just with how to use technology, but what is hot, and what is about to hit.

 

I'm a business analyst (sales, inventory, production, supply chain) for a publicly traded corporation, and also a professional astrologer of 30+ years.  I live on the beaches of sunny South Florida and have a very wide range of interests (if you can't tell by my two vocations). I'm also a certified life coach and NLP practitioner, among other things... (this year I plan to become certified in hynosis) because I love to study the brain and psychology.

 

Oh, and I nearly forgot to mentions: I'm autistic.  What they formally called an "Aspie" before Asperger's disappeared, swallowed into what is now called "autistic spectrum".  I always felt autistic was the accurate term, and that "aspies" just wanted to distance themselves from the autism diagnosis, in a form of what I perceive to be self-loathing of their condition.  We are what we are.  No point bemoaning it, best to leverage it and use it to our advantage.  Autism, btw, is a genetic disorder which I believe to be evolutionary in origin, not due to any outside influence (such as toxins).

 

My year fitness goals are pretty simple - lose 52lbs or at least 1lb per week.  I could probably lose more, but I am a cancer survivor, 16 years in remission, which is virtually unheard of with kidney cancer. In the past 16 years I've gained a lot of weight due to what I have recently discovered is a subconscious link in my brain that losing weight = dying.  A good friend went on a diet recently and lost 50 lbs and all the while, I was panicking for her. When I asked myself why, I figured out why every time I lose 50lbs, "something happens" and I go off the diet and exercise program I was being successful at.  My second fitness goal for the year: to reassure myself and reprogram my subconscious that losing weight = becoming healthy, not a sign of illness.

[sylph]

Hi Trish and welcome!

 

While a bunch of us are in our mid thirties or younger, we have a fair number of rebels that are around your age as well (there was even a thread on it awhile back). Not that it matters a whole lot--we're all united in nerdiness anyway, but I know it's nice to have folks you can relate to.

 

You have an amazing story and I'm impressed that you've figured out the weight loss panic=sick or dying connection. That must've taken some really focused introspection.

 

Poke around the forum and no need to be intimidated! We're a pretty friendly bunch, really.

[Ambisagrus]

Welcome, Trish! I'm 43 -- you are not alone! I look forward to reading your progress. Any idea which guild you'll go for yet?

[justtrish]

Hi Munin & Silph!  At this point I'm pretty sure I'll end up joining the Druids, because I'm quite introspective and given to meditation and alternate states of consciousness.  I was a two-time tae kwon do national champion "back in the day", so who knows where I'll end up when I resuscitate my inner warrior, but seeing as how that part of me is buried under 100 lbs, it may take me a while to find her.