# @lifesadiscoball on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/BYbwTKqg3M7
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/8940814-lifesadiscoball-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/21f3adb224.jpg
- **Posted:** 2017-08-30T21:51:15.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Heather Petri (@heatherpetri) — https://gondola.cc/heatherpetri

## Caption

One year ago I wrote a post about the second picture. I said, "This isn't a weight loss story. It is a strength story. A courage and belief and grit story. And a love story."
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It's all still true. A story about learning to love myself. I'm stronger than I was a year ago, in every aspect of my life. Physically. Emotionally. Mentally. But I'm not invincible. I am proud of where I am today. But it takes hard and intentional work.
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Talk therapy and iron therapy are part of the process. Sitting in the darkness and light of healing and not rushing it. Learning to focus on myself and my needs. And understanding that being strong doesn't mean you never feel lost, weak or without hope. It just means you never give up. It means that you keep going even when you do feel lost, weak and without hope.
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Keep going my lovelies. Do the hard work. Find yourself. And love yourself. Over and over again.
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The post from a year ago:
The irony is this. The girl on the left felt small and insignificant. Unheard, hurt and invisible. Damaged.
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The one on the right feels big and bold. Her spirit bright. Strong. Confident. Also broken, as we all are as living, breathing humans...but she is no longer damaged. She is broken AND whole. That is the beauty of it all.
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Light is drawn from the darkness. New life from ashes. Flowering from concrete. Shedding old, tiresome stories of not measuring up.
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Both of them are fighters. Warriors. Both have grit and perseverance. But one felt alone. Unloved. Like she didn't matter. And the other has realized that love starts within her. She knows she is worthy of love. She knows that she is lovable. She knows that SHE IS LOVE.
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And that has made all the difference.
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#LoveYourself #SheIsLove #LeadWithLove #Strength #GirlsWhoLift #gracefulwarrior #BigHeartsBigMuscles #rise #fall #riseagain irontherapy #talktherapy #beingyouisbeingbeautiful

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 48
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 13

## Tags

strength, sheislove, leadwithlove, bigheartsbigmuscles, rise, fall, beingyouisbeingbeautiful, riseagain, gracefulwarrior, talktherapy, loveyourself, girlswholift

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