When on a health and weight loss journey, it can be easy to be blind to our own results because they happen so gradually. That, of course can then breed discouragement even if you don’t deserve it.

That’s why sometimes you just have to force yourself to see it.

Like this… I noticed this difference today when I came home from work.

Here’s my ID card with a photo taken last August:

Here’s me bumming around in my PJs with a messy up-do this very second:

I don’t know about you, but I think something’s missing. Like JOWELS.

When I showed my ID badge to the Hubster, he grabbed my face and said, “Wow. So those 20 lbs came from your face?”

He does know how to say the sweetest things, that husband of mine.

But nope, it’s not just in my face. In fact, just this week I was able to enjoy a new tangible result.

At the beginning of the year, I had to buy some bridesmaid dresses and I bought a special dress for myself. I usually don’t splurge on a dress, but I had been in love with a certain work dress for months already. So naturally when it went on sale at like 50% off straight from the designer, I had to get it. I originally joked I’d only buy the dress once I got a book tour or something crazy awesome (you know, to justify the cost), but when it went on sale— I couldn’t bear to never see it again.

So I bought it in my size only to be DEVASTATED when the zipper would go up past the lower part of my shoulder blades. Seriously devastated. I didn’t even buy it to be a goal dress and yet, here it was…not fitting.

Then the bridesmaid dress for my brother’s wedding came in and that too didn’t fit.

But that was months ago. A few weeks ago I tried on the bridesmaid dress again and was THRILLED to see it fit PERFECTLY.  So, I thought my dream dress would fit as well.

To my complete joy, it zipped up the back. To my disappointment, I looked like a stuffed sausage. The dress still didn’t fit right.

Well, until yesterday, that is. Yesterday was the first day I felt confident enough to wear that dress around and boy…what a day it was. People I didn’t even know kept coming up to me complimenting me on my dress. Sure, it’s a great business dress on its own, but the fact that it took me months to fit in it…well that just made the day a whole lot more special.

I was so excited to wear this dress. Sure, I have a ways to go. But right now, I choose to be proud of myself and the progress I’ve made no matter how fast or slow it may be– no matter what numbers may or may not appear on the scale.

I’m making changes in my life that are making me happier and healthier. And that’s all that matters.