Liberation

 

The smallest banana in the world! 

I have to say it feels a little weird writing my blog without the weight element. It's quite liberating. My friend reminded me that she suggested I drop the weight loss bit months and months ago but I guess I just wasn't ready then. When I started my blog (4½ years ago) I honestly thought by posting a picture of all my wobbly body parts in my knickers that I'd be accountable to all my readers and the weight would fall off! Obviously that didn't happen and I soon realised my knicker shot looked exactly the same every week! It became apparent that my blog was more about how difficult it is, for me and many others, to actually lose weight and keep it off. I felt like I was speaking what everyone else was thinking - diets stink. More recently I think my blog became a hindrance to my weight loss but I was desperate not to let my readers down! I wanted to prove it could be possible to lose 5 stones and keep it off. Finally I've let it go (not the desire to get thinner - and I will keep you posted. But it needs to be for me not you. Sorry).

Now I can legitimately chat to you about anything I fancy. I feel free! And it made me think about the freedom of speech, which is a right we have in this country. Or so we're told. Say the wrong thing and the online social media beasts will file their claws. So what's acceptable? Some provocative thoughts (which may or may not be mine) to get you stirred..

- I think Brussel sprouts are horrible and should be banned. I imagine this statement is ok as it's shared by many and is pretty harmless. I suppose the only responses will be recipes from those that want to encourage me to eat them.

- I think Donald Trump is fabulous and is a great leader. Again I don't expect any death threats from this one, but maybe a lot of laughing because you think I'm crackers. Though some might even agree.

- I want the death penalty back. Again this is a good debate but doesn't warrant any troll like messages.

- I think all public toilets should be genderless. Now we come on to dangerous ground. Or how about, all public toilets should not allow transgender people. If I really thought this (I don't btw) I imagine folks could get really riled!

But when it comes to free speech I should be able to say either I don't like sprouts or I don't like dogs and both should be exiled. But I bet the sprouts would get ignored and the dogs would have an enormous reaction. So is free speech really free? Only when you say something popular!

I can't promise I'll always say popular things but I certainly don't plan to upset anyone. So please come back again next week xx

Doing your best in this moment puts you in the best position for the next moment.