AMBER COTTON 
"Fitness has allowed me to positively influence my children, the people around me and it has definitely allowed me to KICK THE CRAP OUT OF LUPUS! Before I got into fitness I was on so many prescription medications, felt lethargic all the time and joints was constantly in pain. When I discovered FOOD was the REAL medicine and exercising was the BONUS to living healthy, I jumped right in. Fitness for me and my family is about saving our lives, making a lifestyle change. When I decided to take back my life from lupus I thought it would be easy, like a walk in the park. I mean how hard can it be to stay fit I thought... 😂 Boy was I wrong. Staying healthy, fit, isn't just about doing a series of exercises and eating healthy foods, your mind has to be in it too because what I have learned through my journey is that you're not motivated 100% of the time to work out. Well I know Im not because all in all, sh*t happens and sometimes life takes us through lessons where our motivation may not be at an all-time high. So thats when we have to really dig deep and push through.. because we can't stop those rolling obstacles from coming.
However we can decide to NEVER GIVE UP and to keep going despite what has been thrown in our paths. During these past 7 years, I had to dig a tunnel, you hear me, DEEP tunnel, in order to find my motivation again after having 2 of my babies being struck with Sle Lupus and both being hospitalized numerous of times.
To be real raw and honest with y'all, when I saw my babies sick and bed ridden, it tore me up; I LOST all motivation then. I know some of you may say I should have used that pain for motivation. Yep you're right but at that time I couldn't find it nor use it. (Im human..not perfect) And thats why I needed to remind myself just how far I have come in my OWN journey with my OWN story. My story is not like yours or the next but its mine and you know what, this milestone has shown me that no matter what obstacles may cross your path, the 🔑 is to KEEP GOING, KEEP GROWING and NEVER STOP because of the unmotivated detours that may come along our path. I am proud of how far Ive come with what I had to endure along the way and the journey never stops!! Let me tell you a little bit about my own testimony with lupus and depression:
Back then I had VERY low self-esteem, no confidence whatsoever, I was overweight, unhappy, depressed, felt worthless and damn near gave up on life, myself. Until one day I said "Amber what the hell are you doing; this is not you. Get your butt up and stop feeling sorry for yourself." I told myself I was going to use all that pain, hurt, disappointments & frustration to IMPROVE myself, better myself for my 4 blessings. And that's exactly what I did and still are doing.
Has it been hard? HARD ISN'T EVEN THE WORD
Has it been worth it??? HECK YES.
NOW, I have gained self-confidence, I have learned to love myself first, I have been off of prescription meds for 7 years now, I have used my testimony to begin my career in helping others and most importantly I have begun a new positive chapter for myself & my children.
What can I say I've come a long way as a lupus warrior and mother of 4. Being able to look back and see the sweat, tears, doubts and frustration that was put into this transformation I thank God for getting me through. Not once ever did He let me give up on myself. Not once did lupus come & defeat me; I instead came out swinging at lupus. So to see the hard work I have put in makes me happy. And I do this bc I want to be the voice for others who may be suffering from an invisible disease such as lupus. I have 2 daughters who also fight this illness and I definitely do it for them because I have to be that example, that testimony that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE and that LUPUS DOESN'T HAVE US !!!
My motivation is my 4 blessings. I have to model to them how to live successfully with lupus and how to do it realistically. I want them to know that yes you will fall many times in life, be un-motivated more than you would like but no matter what GET UP!! GET UP and live with no apologies✌💪
Stay motivated people"
