Persistence and Appreciation

I am a slightly strange kind of creature. I have been on a very serious weight loss regimen for over a year now and have never weighed myself in this time span. But that's what other people find strange. What I find strange is, I never knew that I had enough motivation and persistence within me to start a strict diet and exercise plan and stick with it for so long without any external pressure or urgent need. I always thought I needed a danda on my head in order to do something like this. But well, guess what? Nothing compares with the feeling that I get every time I am able to fit into a pair of jeans one size smaller than the last one. With the compliments I get from people who see me after a significant period of time. And, I suspect, as do some other people, that all this has given my self confidence a significant boost. I always thought, at some level, I was dependent on chocolate for making me feel good when all else in life seemed to be moving downhill. It's been great knowing that I am better off without cocoa. But the icing on the cake came only when my mom finally acknowledged that I had actually managed to shed quite some weight. I guess everyone has their own need to feel appreciated, and this need is satisfied differently for different people. But all of us do have a strong need to be appreciated. It is as basic a need as food or water. That feel good factor is absolutely essential for a healthy, happy life.