It's Shonda Rhimes' Year of Yes and she's not letting anything hold her back.
The 46-year-old wildly successful television producer opened up to Ellen DeGeneres and Good Morning America's Juju Chang about how her newfound approach to her personal fears—saying yes to everything that scares her—has influenced her outlook on weight loss.
With the debut of her first book, Year of Yes, Rhimes, who previously suffered from debilitating anxiety in public situations, acknowledged the moment she realized her weight was affecting her life.
"I got on an airplane. I was going to New York from L.A. and it was like a first class seat," she described. "I took off my shoes, I got out my book, I went to buckle the seat belt and it wouldn't buckle. I thought to myself, 'Well, something's wrong with the seat belt. It's broken.' It wasn't the seat belt; it was me. And I thought, 'Well, I can get a seat belt extender...or I could die and not have a seat belt extender and maybe the plane will crash or I fly outta my seat when we take off. And I decided that I would risk it and just flying outta my seat because I wasn't going to say anything."
The self-described feminist added that her 127-pound weight loss was not prompted by any narcissistic desires.
"It really was about the fact that I have a 3-year-old and a 2-year-old and a 13-year-old and I kind of wanted to be around for them," the mom of three admitted as she reflected on her past health. "I'm going to fall over because I don't feel good."
The Hollywood mogul channeled her "yes" philosophy into her new dieting efforts, drawing upon the work ethic she displayed in other professional arenas to achieve her personal goal.
"I work really hard in every other area of my life," she told Chang. "Why wouldn't I throw myself into being healthy and losing weight?"
The motto has clearly paid off. Not only is she now a healthier version of her former self, she's also relished in moments that she would not have ever considered a year ago, such as delivering the commencement speech at her alma mater, Dartmouth University, or appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
We're saying "yes" to these these fantastic accomplishments, Shonda. Kudos!