Over the weekend, a friend of mine was reading through my blog on his iPad. I was nervous and fidgety, as I am when anyone is reading my writing. I recognize that my writing is personal and thoughtful, and I also knew that this touchy-feely success stuff is really not his style. I was setting myself up for some harsh criticism, or worse, to be the butt of an ongoing joke in our circle of friends. Nevertheless, I took a risk and held my breath. After many long moments, he finally laughed and nodded.

“I like that you have a plan and stick to it. You’re focused and you’re not going to let anything stop you.” He was of course referring to the lazer-like focus we have with adopting the Paleo diet and how it has become an obvious lifestyle choice for us. He read the Come Hell or High Water message loud and clear.

His comment stuck with me as I circled my way through my favorite Paleo blogs this week. I looked at all of the information, questions, and success stories through a new lens and really noticed themes of support, committment, and dedication to this way of life. Each story is so familiar to ours–loss, hopelessness, and despair giving way to progress, success, and hope. Inspiring stories of the fearless and focused overcoming Diabetes, PCOS, depression, anxiety, and weight-loss.

I identified with the many individuals who experienced secondary growth in harder-to-measure but easier-to-see achievements–emerging confidence, strength, and a sense of purpose that may have never surfaced due to the bullies on the playground, flawed Conventional Wisdom and profit-seeking Big Pharma.

It’s easy to see why so many of us feel this success. The leaders of this ancestral health movement empower their armies with information and answers that were there all along but are now are so easy to see. Science that stay-at-home moms like me can understand. Messages that denounce Complacency, but Encourage your best effort. Responsibility and Accountability with Consistency and Respect.

Each of us Paleo soldiers are leaning to read the messages of our bodies like a road map to better health. We reach our personal measures of success and become so empowered that when we find the strength and courage to share our stories with the world, we know that we will be welcomed with open arms into this powerful community.

While the Paleo diet has given Charlotte her health and future, the Paleo community has given me the confidence to help others. So I will say it loud and proud, without getting fidgety and apprehensive, and I believe that our story will be accepted and respected by even the toughest of critics.