Do the Apples Fall Far From the Tree in Your Family?
Jodi Davis
| 3 min read
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” I think I’ve used that statement more often than I truly realize. When you have three children who follow the same behavior and actions as their health-focused mom, it’s difficult to not feel as though they are a chip off the old block! Parents lead by example, as we all know, and I’ve done my best to lead my family towards a healthy lifestyle. Actually, it’s something I try to accomplish with everyone I meet, no matter where I go!
In fact, tomorrow I will be going to Lansing to conclude an eight-week Blues’ Community Challenge, a component of the Community Partners in Health’s Winter Warm-Up program. This year’s participants include more than 2,300 residents from nine Lansing communities. It will be a truly AWESOME event! Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan will be giving awards to the nine participating community teams, with larger rewards going to those having the most people logging the most miles walked. These grants will be focused on public health and wellness projects in each community. You are invited to join us for the grand celebration inside the Lansing Mall from 9-10 a.m. Saturday, March 10… and please: wear your walking attire!
My youngest daughter, Rachael, recently wrote a paper and it reminded me — once again — about how much each one of us influence our children. Our little “apples” listen, they watch and they follow our example. I like that now. Years ago I did not, as I was not living a very healthy lifestyle.
Rachael asked me to share a portion of her paper with you as she too hopes to lead others toward a healthy lifestyle. (Yes, this mother truly loves that!) I also love that she mentions that anything is achievable through time and taking gradual steps. Oh, how right you are my girl, how right you are…
This I Believe
Up until the age of 5, I watched as my mother struggled with her weight on a daily basis. I remember thinking to myself how painful it was to watch her as she continued to take part in daily activities. Even at a young age, I knew how greatly she disliked the fact of her health condition, and I hated seeing her in both physical and emotional pain. She attempted many diets; however, the outcomes were never anything of significance. This endless cycle of failure continued until the motivation she needed was struck upon her. Long story short, she became successful in her attempts and is to this day 162 pounds lighter. For this, my mother has taught me one of the greatest beliefs in my life today. This belief of mine includes that anything is achievable through time and taking gradual steps.
I believe anything that a mind can envision is accomplishable. Dreams or goals are achievable if the effort truly needed is put forth in order to obtain them. No matter how big or small the dream may seem, when it is looked upon using smaller steps, the outcome will appear to be more realistic. Often, I feel people easily forget about this step, which, ultimately can lead to their failure. There is nothing that is impossible to those who believe in themselves. When people fail to reach their goal, this is a result of improper use of dedication. Weight-loss is a prime example of this because many people are aware of healthy dieting and exercise but lack the drive to put forth their full effort. As it can be seen, effort is a necessity when it comes to getting closer to a desired achievement…
~Rachael Davis
Does the apple fall far from the tree in your family? In what way?
