Woohoo! I am a #Greatist Ambassador!!

It's funny - when I started this blog it was done during a period of time when my lupus was flaring significantly and I was stuck at home and unable to walk for two weeks. I had been on a health journey for the last several months, but the blog was a way for me to share my journey with folks who didn't know me.  The anonymity was really appealing, because I didn't want to admit the obvious - that I was fat and out of shape and that I was doing something about it.  While it wasn't entirely my fault - prednisone is a mothereffer- I felt like people would judge me and had been judging me for being overweight.  This blog became an amazing outlet, as did my twitter account. I found a community of like-minded individuals who were coming from different places in life and sharing their struggles, challenges, successes and triumphs. I found my people :)

When Greatist.com put out a request for Ambassador applications, I decided to give it a shot. While I'm sort of plateauing right now, I have made some huge strides in the last year, and I have found a commitment to movement, health, and a better life that I wanted to share.

For those of you who don't know Greatist, their philosophy is simple:
Everyone has a choice to be more fit, healthy, and happy. And though our goals and ambitions are often similar, each person is unique, every story different. A greatist is someone who chooses better to improve their fitness, health, and happiness.

Well, I found out tonight I was selected to be a Greatist Ambassador.  I am stunned, honored and excited.  Me, someone who wasn't walking two weeks ago, a healthy life Ambassador!!

Here's an excerpt from my application essay: I want to be an ambassador specifically to speak to people like me, people who are facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, and give them hope. I want them to know that while I may never run a sub 4-hour marathon or win any records for lifting weights, I lead a healthy lifestyle in my own way and I can live a good life. It's not always easy, but it's worth it to me. I want to be an ambassador of any healthy living techniques, suggestions, recommendations and ideas because people with chronic illnesses NEED to hear them. They need to know that fitness and healthy eating habits are not for those who are already healthy or look a certain way. I want to show them that progress - any progress - is better than the status quo.

I am a Greatist.