Episode 134: Deborah M Morales, How Relationships Affect Our Health

Her father used to tell her, “Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are”. Deborah’s story proves that the people we choose to be with influence our life more than we know. The relationships we build with people greatly shape who we become as we embody the collective personality of these people. For Deborah, her decision to be with a certain person lead her to develop an unhealthy lifestyle which then lead to bigger issues such as low self esteem and weight gain. Weighing 320 Lbs at her heaviest, Deborah recalls how insecurities took over her relationship and how depression took over her life. “You wake up and you feel like you don’t have purpose, you don’t want to face the world, you don’t want to face people, your family members, your loved ones, you just wish you could hide behind the curtains. You kind of stop living. You stop being who you are and that’s who I became.” Deborah shares how her life changed the moment she decided it was time to change, when simple tasks like washing the dishes or walking became painful experiences. She also tells us how she understood that sometimes, the people we love could hold us back from becoming the best we could be. Now, fitter and 130 Lbs lighter, she has learned to cherish small joys and achievements like waking up without joint pain, running and experiencing life’s beauty. “I feel like I can inspire others and feel inspired by others” - Deborah M Morales