Robin's Chicks

Nudge The Nest & Pray They Fly

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Best. Day. EVER.

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This morning I dropped the girls off at school, came home and went for a run. (I KNOW.) I started kicking my own butt back in May, working really hard to lose weight and exercise which led to a downward spiral in my mastery of Netflix, but an accompanying decline in the number on my scales.

So today, I ran. I ran faster and longer than I have in over five years. When the little voice in my iPhone said, “THREE MILES,” I was on the busiest street in Greenwood, Mississippi and I ran a good fifty feet with my arms over my head a la Rocky Balboa. I cried the last quarter of a mile home because I kept thinking, “I can’t believe I did this! I can’t believe I’ve made it this far!”

I felt SO good that when I got home, I made this vlog. I look like crap but I love you this much:

 

Right after I made the vlog, I got a phone call from my agent, Jenny Bent. She told me to sit down, and since I would literally jump off a bridge if she told me to, I did.

“You are #3 on the New York Times’ Bestseller list!!”

Ketchup is a NYTs Bestseller!

Ketchup is a NYTs Bestseller!

 

Y’ALL!!!!! I lost my everloving chit! I screamed and sobbed while she talked and said things like, “I just ran 3.7 miles and I’ve lost 30 pounds this summer and I EFFING RULE AT LIFE TODAY, JENNY!!!!”

I called my family first and they are all as amazed and overwhelmed as I am. But do you want to know what I keep thinking?

What if I never started?

What if I never sat down to write? What if I never made up my mind to get off the couch? What if I had been too embarrassed to submit my little manuscript to the agent of my dreams? What if I’d been so humiliated by the number on the scales that I hadn’t gone to see a nutritionist and asked for help?

What if?

I am so excited about this day. About my run. About my weight loss. About my life. But the day I started wasn’t exciting. It was ordinary.

The day I decided it was time to take my body back, I couldn’t have run to the end of my driveway and I weighed more than I had my entire life.

The day I started writing, the New York Times’ list was a dream, and an impossible one at that.

Today may not be the day your dream comes true, but it could definitely be the day you start. So, do it– kick life’s ass.

Now I gotta go buy some posterboard and clean my kitchen. I love all you Chicks to pieces, thank YOU for making so many of my dreams come true. It wouldn’t have happened without you! I’ll post links to the list when it goes live tomorrow!

xo
Robin



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  2. I’ve been ready your book the last week and a half (ya know, because I have like 5 minutes to read every other day.) My husband has actually asked me if I’m ok during my bouts of crying-laughter. Your book is amazing and I kind of dread finishing it because then what?! Thank goodness you’re on Facebook and blog! I’ve been doing boot camp, eating a “healthy” diet and learning to run the past 2 months. Girl, I needed that video today like nobody’s business. So thank you from the bottom of my heart. YOU ROCK!!!
    Love,
    Lydia (A friend of a friend and fellow Dothan gal!)

  4. OMG I love you for this– I NEEDED this today. I just did a little morning TV thing about blogging and instead of being excited and proud that I’m getting noticed, all I can think about is how fat and pasty I looked. THANK YOU! I’m proud of my accomplishments and I will keep going. I’m proud of you, too. NYT-BEST SELLING-THREE-MILER! WHAT WHAT!!
    RachRiot recently posted..BeefHer ’13: Farts, Friendship, Kidnapping and Karate

  6. Having a hard day. THANK YOU for this. So amazing to watch your dreams come true. I’m just in awe of you. YOU are amazing.

  14. Girl I don’t even know you and I am proud of you. You have accomplished so much because you started, didn’t give up and kept plugging away until you reached your goal. Fantastic… on another note, you are the second person I know who is a Greenwood, Mississippi resident. Which proves that it doesn’t matter where you are you can do anything you set your mind to. Congratulations. Keep it up!

  24. Robin congratulations! You so deserve this! Not only are you a great, funny writer, you also are generous with your time. At the BLoggy Bootcamp in Charlotte you took time to discuss book marketing with me and even graciously took a copy of my book. I sing your praises everywhere!
    Carla recently posted..How Will You Be Brave Today?

  25. I LOVE your video…. you are awesome! Thank you for sharing…

    I got your book a few days ago… can’t wait to start reading it!!! I had NO idea you lived in Greenwood! We lived in Greenwood (actually Cruger) for awhile! Miss the downtown there. I also miss all the yummy food!

    Congratulations on all your success! Keep running and keep writing!

  30. I haven’t read your book(s) (yet). But so many of my friends have, and love it. Someone posted this in facebook, and I was just wiping my pouring tears from a very, very hard and discouraging day. And, this post made me cry again. This went so far in giving me hope, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU.

    By the way, I know exactly where Greenwood, MS is. I used to live in Winona. :-)

  35. Robin–You rock! What an inspiration you are and thanks for the much-needed kick in the pants. Congratulations on all your successes! You brought tears to my eyes.

  37. Found this via Therese Walsh of the Writer Unboxed FB group. So awesome for you, Robin! AWESOME! Congratulations, first and foremost, and thanks for the beautiful words you chose to share in celebration. Indeed–this might not be the day that a dream comes true, but it can certainly be the day we start making it happen. You’re an inspiration, and I’m glad to “meet” you :)
    Guilie recently posted..Because I’m not busy enough as it is…

  41. Congrats on the book! And the run! I’m a former Delta girl living in New Orleans and I’m in love with the painting behind you on your vlog. I miss cotton fields. Mind telling me who did it? Thanks!

  42. Yay, you! Congratulations on your many successes with more to come. Taking care of yourself certainly has had a great impact on your writing. Continue running toward all of your new dreams.

    And, yes, I will buy your book. May it shoot to #1 on the list!

  43. Girl, GET IT! Love your writing, love hearing about your parenting trials and triumphs, but mostly I love your honesty. Have given “Ketchup…” to several mamas and everybody loves it. Thanks!

    PS, your Moultrie News column about spending the day with Emma made me cry. In a good way. :)

  45. You don’t know me and I don’t know you…I found this post via Nicole Leah Shaw and Let Me Start By Saying, but I feel overwhelmingly compelled to state the following:

    1. You. Are. Amazing. Not only to get your rear in gear and take care of your bod, but to also write that book and take care of your soul. I am incredibly impressed. Like, if I was sitting across from you right now, I would poke you just so I can say, “I touched her!” That’s how impressed I am.

    2. Your story has so inspired me that I, too, am going to take the plunge and start my little dream job. I will never just have it handed to me, I need to do it myself. Your story gave me the kick in my pants that I needed to actually JUST DO IT. You are WAY more motivating than any Nike ad. Ever.

    Congratulations again on such amazing achievements. And THANK YOU for helping me see that I just need to DO IT. Now, I am off to buy that dot com I have been fantasizing about!

  46. As hard as your other post made me laugh, this one, the video especially, made me tear up. You have a gift for drawing emotion right into what you’re doing. Keep up the good work! And thank you!

  47. You are awesome! First visit to your blog and won’t be the last!! Congrats NYT’s BESTSELLER!!! Wow!

  48. This was such an awesome post, I printed it out like a poster for my wall. You are amazing. I’ll be back. All the best on your goals and congratulations on your new life!!

  49. Hi Robin–congratulations on your book’s success! I lived in Greenwood for two years and have fond memories of reading your column in the paper each week. I live in Oakland, CA now, but think of and miss Mississippi all the time, so it’s so lovely to find your blog–it brings it all back! Best wishes.

  50. I absolutely am thrilled for you! I had a huge lump in my throat reading this–truly inspiring. You GO Girl!

  51. That’s one heck of a day! I so needed to hear this. I’ve been putting off writing for years because I wasn’t confident enough to go for it. Last week I started my own blog in the hopes of building a story like yours. I’m still hovering in the terrified and overly critical zone but I happened upon your post today (totally by accident) and it’s been a super awesome kick of encouragement.Thank you so much for sharing! And congrats on your awesome achievements. You’re an inspiration. 😀

  52. found you today… not even sure how it happened! So glad I did. Congratulations on your successes, and Thank you! Thank you for motivating me and making me laugh today :)

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