Author: Christine

Define “Succeeding”

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I just have to post this today!  So often I hear people get down on themselves in the area of weight loss because they aren’t seeing the results they were expecting.   Yes, I’ve been there, and still go there from time to time BUT one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that you have to redefine what you class as “Succeeding”.

What if succeeding is defined as challenging yourself and taking positive steps towards a healthier you?  What if you felt like you were succeeding just by lacing up your running shoes and going for a walk or by choosing a healthier choice for lunch?

The problem with viewing being successful in relation to a goal as getting to the finish line (whatever that is for you) is that there is long journey to get there.  No wonder people feel like throwing in the towel before they start.  It’s too much!

Choosing to live a healthier lifestyle means living!  Be proud of yourself daily when you make positive choices.  The idea of  feeling pride only when you reach the end is depriving yourself of so many celebrations along the way.

Here’s what I know.

If you continue to make positive choices…you will see positive results.  Positive In, Positive Out.  It’s a fact. They may not happen in the time frame your mind wants them too, but they WILL happen.

If you want results a little faster, than move more..eat less.  It’s that simple.  Find out what works for you.  Pursue it with passion and drive.

Sometimes we just have to redefine success in our minds.  There is no “end”.  It’s a lifetime of taking better care of yourself  but guess what?! That’s exciting!  The moment you wrap your mind around that, is the moment you have succeeded.  Isn’t that powerful?!  I’m excited for you!

You will feel successful every day you treat yourself a little better…and that can come in all forms through: The mind, the body, and the soul.  Find those things that bring happiness and meaning into your life and enjoy them!

I will leave you with some music I love!  Mumford and Sons are so different and the lyrics within their music are so powerful!  Also give a listen to “Little Lion Man” by Mumford and Sons.  Love, love, love them 🙂

From my heart to yours,

Christine

5 Year Anniversary!

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Today marks 5 years of being at my goal weight!  I am so thankful and happy that I’m still there!

It seems fitting today, that I recount some important life lessons I have learned over these past 5 years.

I have learned…

I COULD do it!  What a revelation after years of being stuck at a place I didn’t want to be.

I was waaaaay stronger than I realized.  I had no idea I could exercise with results and actually learn to love it.  I finally found the courage to challenge myself, and soak up the benefits.

I am not defined by being the fat girl.  What I portrayed on the outside did not match what I felt on the inside.  It’s not about what I weigh now or then, it’s about taking control, loving who I am/was, and taking the steps to being the person I wanted to be.

The biggest obstacle I had to overcome was my negativity and the way I used to cast blame on others.   It’s all on me.  There will always be a reason not to do something that is difficult.  Life is busy.  So what. I had to put my big girl panties on and just deal with it.  Ha ha! There will never be a “right” time.  The right time is now.

I am weak, and I am strong….It’s OK to be weak because on the flip side of the coin, I am strong.  Yin/Yang.

Judging others based on how they look, what they wear, how they chose to live their lives is just plain ridiculous and takes away from the only thing I should worry about…and that’s my own choices.

This is me now….a girl that still sports tummy rolls and stretch marks.  They are a story of where I have come from.  I earned them.

There will always be some people who don’t support your goals and dreams…but there are many people who do.  Value the ones who do, and don’t worry about the ones who don’t.  You have no idea where they are coming from and what they have been through in their lives. Most of the time it isn’t even personal.

Positive OUT…Positive IN.  The best things in life have come when I put the positive out first.

It’s not about losing weight.  Losing the weight is a result of taking control back.   I prefer to think of it as a bonus.

I am thankful for the place I’ve come from….

And for the place I’m at now…a place where I get to support others in their goals and dreams while I continue to pursue my own.

Thank you to everyone that had a part in supporting me.  I appreciate you and your giving hearts.

From my heart to yours,

Christine

Beauty from Within

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Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful mothers who are so selfless with their time and generous with their love & devotion.  I had an amazing day with my family today.  I am one lucky Mom!

This past week, my heart was touched by an experience I want to share with you!  It seems appropriate to share it on Mother’s day.  During my childhood/teen years I struggled with self-esteem issues, as many teenage girls do.  It wasn’t until I was close to 30 years old that I really figured out who I was and owned it!

I have a daughter and I realize more than ever how important it is to lift her up, to tell her she’s beautiful, and support her as she grows and realizes who she is.  Who is she to me?  She’s a smart, beautiful, funny, inquisitive, lively yet introspective, loving little girl.  I can’t wait to see who she will become as a tweenie, as a teen, as a young woman.

The job of trying to raise a daughter who values who she is, weighs heavily on my shoulders.  It’s so important.  Everyday as I drop my kids off at the doors of their school I tell them to “Just be the best YOU you can be”.  That’s all I can hope for.

My sister Roxy has this amazing friend Michelle whom I met a few times during my teen years.   I hadn’t heard from her for years until a couple of months ago my phone rang and her cheerful voice greeted me on the other end.

She works with youth in Edmonton.  She was inspired by a program ran in Alberta called “Beauty from the Inside Out”.  She has tailored her own program here in Edmonton, where over a period of a few weeks, she works with a group of  preteen girls to boost their self-esteem.  She works with the girls to explore the art of self-expression through play, communication, and positive thought.  She empowers them to be exactly who they are and embrace their beauty inside and out.  What a wonderful program, the world needs more wonderful people like Michelle!

She asked me if I would volunteer my photography services for the girl’s graduation day.  They had several other services donated for their graduation: Clothing, hair, and makeup.  I jumped at the opportunity!

As I drove to the shoot, I prayed that I would be able to capture each girl’s unique beauty both on the inside and on the outside.   I met 11 beautiful, lively, giggly girls!  They were incredible!  I brought a dry-erase board with me and asked each girl to write something empowering about themselves….they wrote statements such as

“I am Beautiful”

“I am an Artist”

“I am Smart”

I took pictures of each girl proudly holding up their statement.  They had a lot of fun posing for me, and I was so drawn into their sparkly eyes that carried within them so much wisdom and strength for their young years.

I left the shoot feeling so empowered!  I watched their confidence grow with each click of the shutter.  These young girls will grow up to be amazing, confident, strong women.   I am reminded once again, to empower my children to be the best version of themselves they can be.

From my own experiences, I have learned there is power in words…both uplifting and demeaning.  There are damaging messages all around in magazine and T.V. ads that support the idea that women/girls need to change who they are to meet a certain standard of beauty…yet the pictures we stare at are airbrushed and manipulated.  They aren’t real!

So, I just want to thank and encourage all you Moms that take the time to uplift your children daily.

To all those Moms…

Who kiss their kids on the forehead when they fall, and encourage them to get back up.

Who impart the wisdom they have learned over the years, and support and nurture their children to figure out their unique path in life.

Who encourage their children to go after their passions and dreams and to make no apologies for being themselves.

Who show their children what compassion, love, and kindness looks like.

Who teach their children that a true measure of beauty comes from what’s in their heart, not what’s on the outside.

What a gift children are to all of us and what a blessing it is to make a difference in their lives.  Happy Mother’s Day!

From my heart to yours,

Christine

Bottling Happy

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I just returned from our trip to Couples Negril, in Jamaica.  I need to attempt to put into words what I learned (or will attempt to learn) with you.

Click HERE to check out the post from my photography blog to view pictures.

Because we traveled to our resort under the veil of humid darkness, we couldn’t see the country side of Jamaica.  But when we arrived at the resort, I was hit by beauty.  Gorgeous scenery, happy people, chill attitudes.

I enjoy people watching, people are fascinating aren’t they? Being that we were at a Couples resort that is devoted to all things love, I was surrounded by lovey-dovey traveling couples; HOWEVER I was most drawn to the Jamaican people…the staff, the vendors that would come with their handmade treasures to sell along the beach, and the musicians that would come and sing softly to lounging holiday-ers. “One Love! One Heart! Let’s Get Together and Feel Alright.”

I found this YouTube video of the gentleman pictured above.  He has a great voice.

The people I met from Jamaica are Happy.  I watched them.  They are truly happy.  They laughed and smiled a lot while they worked.  Some even sang and whistled while they did their daily tasks, and they work their butts off let me tell you.

At one point I looked over from my beach chair perch and noticed a scene that hit me with another one of those life lessons that seem to come to me at the oddest times.  There was this American man who was really really tanned. Like tanned beyond belief.  I called him Cigar Pacer and I’ll tell you why.  He must have woke up pretty early to get the same loungey chair by the pool every day (or he was King of the loungey chairs, and no one dared to take his).  I watched his extra tanned self with unlit cigar in one hand and a cell phone in the other, pace around his loungey chair like a lion in a cage.  Pacing back and forth, back and forth, around and around while he conducted his cell phone business with the pent-up energy one would hope to lose while on a holiday.   While his tense pacing was going on, I looked to my right and saw one of the servers collecting empty cups that stacked to the sky and she had a huge smile on her face.  She hummed a little tune under her breath and let out a little giggle when she saw a co-worker pass by that had a bigger towering stack of empty glasses.  A towering stack of glasses much like this one…

Now people have energy that comes off of them.  You can feel it as soon as you are around them…or at least I feel it.  There I was looking at two people obviously conducting their daily business and the energy from Cigar Pacer almost gave me hives and made me contort my face in stress, and the energy from the lovely Jamaican women made me want to play a flute (not that I can) and dance around the beach grinning from ear to happy ear.  lol

How is it that every Jamaican I encountered carried with them this amazing energy?  I talked to several of the staff members and many of them work 6 days a week and some travel by bus over two hours to get to work…yet they carry with them this unbelievable happy, chill, calm energy.   I wanted to collect their beautiful energy in a bottle and take it home with me.

As we left the resort to fly home, I was able to see the country side in the daylight, passing by villages that I recalled hearing about as places many of the staff members lived. Along the 120 km stretch of road back to the airport,  I saw many homes that were shanties really.  The stores in the villages donned hand-painted signs summarizing what they had to sell.  Goats ran freely and grazed around abandoned buildings.  Many little tarp-covered shade shelters offering fresh fruit for sale, dotted the country side.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

I am selfish.

I am spoiled.

I worry about silly things.

I am blessed.

I need to relax.

I need to realize what’s truly important in life…and that is the amazing people who stand by me everyday.

I don’t need more things to make me happy.

I need to soak up the love and more importantly give love.

Don’t worry about a thing. Cause every little thing gonna be alright.

I think that’s how you bottle happy.

PEACE…

and LOVE to you my friends…

From my Happy Heart to yours,

Christine

Confessions of a Busy Mom Part Duh

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Hello again busy Moms.  I’m here to make another confession.

Read part 1 here. I especially enjoy all the amazing comments left by other Moms on that post.  Makes my heart happy!

I really am very thankful that I fail a lot!  Every time I fail and every time I struggle: I judge a little less and I become a little more humble.   I have realized the older I get, the more I appreciate surrounding myself with friends that refuse to judge me and take me just as I am, and in return I do the same for them.

Really, if you look at kids, they are programmed that way.  They love quickly, they forgive easily, and they accept others with only the slightest bit of common ground.

So, I am trying to adopt a child’s mindset and just do the best I can.  My kids love me unconditionally, and I love them more than my heart ever thought possible.

Onto my confessions….

My name is Christine. I am a Mom to three high-spirited kids.  I fail a lot as a Mom.

  1. I can’t seem to stay on top of my kid’s homework!  All three kids should be reading extra everyday and practicing their spelling.  However, there are 3 of them to keep up with and extra curricular activities to work in as well!!!  Some days I rock it out. I have their homework lined up, lunches made for the next day, and bags packed and ready by the door.  But some days (more often than not) I am running around in the morning looking for socks that match, refereeing fights that have broken out about who gets to read the cereal box while they eat, and finding lost library books.
  2. I curse!  I try to rein it in, but sometimes the only word that seems appropriate for the situation starts with a “Mother” and ends in an “Ucker”.  I have programmed myself not to curse in front of children, so don’t be scared to come over.  I may say it secretly inside my head though, especially if I stub my toe or break something.
  3. I do not enjoy dropper-inners because my house is rarely orderly.  I try my best not to obsess over what should be picked up, but as the dropper-inner talks to me, I’m scanning the room for all the things that could have been shoved away quickly had I had even a couple minutes of notice.  Sorry, that’s just how I roll.
  4. I love and cherish time alone.  I just do.  I think that’s why I enjoy working out at times all by myself.  I plug-in the earphones, and block out all the daily worries and just zone out. I’m able to focus on things I do have control over.  It’s a good thing.
  5. I don’t know what to do with papers.  All types of papers. Paid bills, kids drawings from school, newsletters, cards from loved ones…anything that resembles a paper. I just freeze up and put it in a pile to file. Only I never file.  It’s a problem.
  6. I think a woman’s hand can tell you a lot about them.  I often look at women’s hands to find out more about them when I first meet them.  If they have chewed nails, they may be a bit of a worrier.  If they have a nice set of gel nails, they have the patience to go in over and over to get them filled.  I have always wanted gel nails.  But I know myself well enough to realize that I will walk around obsessing about breaking a nail.  It’s ok, I admire every nice manicured hand I see (this has nothing to do with failing as a Mom…it’s just an observation.)
  7. I HATE putting away laundry.  I fold it, but don’t put it away.  My kids often pick the day’s clothes from the clean laundry basket.
  8. I often get lazy about making healthy suppers.  Sometimes it’s just easier to throw in nuggets, or pick up the phone to the nice people at Panda Hut.  The delivery dude knows my name and remembers that my daughter likes the free calendars they give out once a year.
  9. Sometimes I can’t wait until 5 pm to have a glass of wine.  I’ve deemed 5 o’clock as the social acceptable hour to have a cocktail.
  10. I love my family so much, but sometimes I pull away when I miss them to make it easier that I miss them and they are far away.
  11. I enjoy humour perhaps a little too much.  I often make inappropriate jokes at inappropriate times.  I’m sorry, it’s a defense mechanism.  It’s like I have a touch of tourrettes.  See, inappropriate joke.  Case in point.

Roll call to all busy moms, share a confession with a friend today or share one here!  We all have weaknesses, and we all fail in the Mom department.   Mom guilt really doesn’t serve a purpose, life is just a little easier when you can laugh about it with a friend.  We are all just Moms who love our kids unmeasurably and we try our best. Let’s give each other a break! 🙂

Love, Peace, and a Little Understanding

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As I was running yesterday, this phrase popped into my head.

Love, Peace, and a Little Understanding goes a long way!

I’m not really sure why it popped into my head, but lately I have realized how good it is for the soul to drop the judgments and replace it with a little understanding.  There will be times in life when those around you will not agree with your choices/thoughts/perceptions and you may not agree with theirs as well.  I have realized that their choices and opinions are theirs alone and have nothing to do with my own choices.   I can only control my thoughts, vision, plans, behaviour…etc so I’m wasting time and energy trying to change something I have no power over!

I have the power to change my perceptions, to accept others just as they are, to show love/peace/understanding because I haven’t walked in their shoes and they haven’t walked in mine!  We are all just people. 🙂

It takes very little to turn a bad attitude into a good one and I know that’s why the running bug has bit me.  Now don’t be fooled into thinking that I’m a graceful runner nor am I a fast runner…I was passed by a toddler followed up by a gentleman toting a wheeled oxygen tank on the running track yesterday.

I know I talk A LOT about how amazing exercise is for the body, mind, and soul but when you find something that brings you so much joy, it’s hard to keep it in!  If I’m having a bad day and my heart hurts, I can’t wait to push myself at the gym to the point that the physical pain takes over the heart ache.  I know that sounds odd, but for me exercise turns heart ache, into physical pain (if I push myself), into pride and joy…all in the course of an hour.  I may go in defeated, but I always leave uplifted.  I actually wish there was a camera that captured the expressions of people walking into a gym and then the expressions walking out.  There would be great proof in the healing power of exercise and the pride that accompanies it!

Exercise heightens a good day as well.  It turns a good day into a great day.  I often have to repeat in my head:  “Don’t break out into spontaneous dance in the middle of the running track, someone could trip over you.” and “Don’t start singing loud while on the treadmill.”

Here’s the song that made me want to dance it out yesterday during my run.  Instead I opted for a slow jog/fast walk…heavy on the hip sway accompanied with a head bob and a finger snap.  Yes, I am a dork.

Anywhoooo….just thought I would sing the praises of exercise once again!  It brings moments of clarity to my heart.   If you believe exercise is not something you could enjoy, I encourage you to try it out consistently (even a couple times a week) for a month, and see what it does for you!

Here’s to Love, Peace, and a Little Understanding to all we encounter in life. 🙂

Christine

Tough Time Finding Words

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The story you tell about yourself becomes the life you live! If u want a different life begin telling a new story! #The Daily Love

I’m finally at a loss for words!!! ha ha   I never thought that would happen!

I recently attended the PPOC Exposure Photography Symposium.  It was an incredible week-end.  Each of the 4 days were filled with learning, connecting, and reflection.  There were 4 amazing speakers…check out their work if you are interested in photography (or even if you’re not!)  Chris Keating, Tyler Meade, Scott Robert Lim,  and Dane Sanders.

So why am I posting what I have learned at a photography symposium on my Reclaiming Life blog?

Because…

it

touched

my

heart

The mood in the room changed with each day we shared together and we became more of a community.  Dane Sanders was the speaker on the final day.  The tag line on his website reads “Discover what’s inside” and I now have a clear understanding that that is exactly what he does for the people he connects with .  From the start of the day he encouraged us to “go all in”, to commit (because opportunities pass!) and to participate in the discussion.   With each moment that passed, and with each person that had the courage to share their story, I could feel people letting their guard down.   I listened to others share why they got into photography.  Everyone has a story, and it touched my heart to hear each story that was shared.  Throughout the day, he also encouraged us to share a declaration if we had any sort of revelation after taking in all the info.

I did have a revelation, but sadly I did not have any plans to share it!   Wouldn’t you know it, my hand shot up before my mind caught up to it.  You see, I don’t speak in public…unless I have to (I’m taken right back to the 4H speaking days) so I guess my heart felt I HAD to share.

So here is what I realized that day.  While I can’t remember exactly what I shared because I was so emotional, it was something like this…

My name is Christine and I spent many years weighing 250 pounds.  For years I felt invisible and was scared to face my weight issue.  I woke up one day and decided to change my life.  I quit my job and spent a year working on myself.  There was a moment when I still weighed in the 200’s that I realized I was going to get to my goal weight.  There was no doubt in my mind.  I was going to do it.  I have realized that I still feel 250 pounds when it comes to my photography.

Along with these words came a steady flow of tears.  I shared that insight with 100+ other photographers in the room…most of whom I didn’t know, but who’s work I admire so much.  It was tough being vulnerable, but I felt completely safe sharing in that room and I was not alone in my tears.  There is something that happens when people let their guard down…you enter into a Real and Authentic relationship.

What came next after sharing my ‘lil revelation, was something I wasn’t prepared for.   I had a hard time taking it in.  Dane asked me to close my eyes while he shared uplifting words he saw within me.  I cried all the way through them.  Words like Strong and Inspirational.

You see, even though I no longer weigh 250ish pounds, I am stuck back there in my mind from time to time.  I KNOW what the scale says, and I can see that my clothes are no longer a size 20.  I can obviously see that, but my mind is often stuck back at 250.  It is the story that I’ve been telling my mind that is holding me back.

How does it feel to be stuck in that place?  It feels defeating.  It’s a place that lacks drive because fear comes first. It’s a place of self-doubt, “I can’t do it”, and maybe tomorrow.  Opportunities pass that should be pursued but I convince myself that taking risks isn’t worth the feeling of defeat if I fail.   Saying it out loud makes me realize how ridiculous it is to waste any amount of time in that negative place.

I  realized that the story I’ve been telling my mind is a lie and this lie has translated into choices in my life or rather lack of positive choices!   I am no longer holding back on living my life because of fear.  I have realized that by sharing both my struggles and successes that it gives others permission to share their story with me as well.  It brings forward relationships that are built on authenticity, honesty, and acceptance.

My story isn’t built on the foundation of fear because what starts in fear, ends in joy.

No more excuses.

No more waiting for positive things to come to me, I am going to just be positive.  I have learned that when you put positive out, positive will come in!

I have learned that it does make a difference when you take the time to lift someone’s spirit.

Some food for thought for your Friday:

What is the story you are telling your mind about yourself?

What would happen if we changed that story to one that is all about power, positivity, strength, and the unyielding drive to truly live the life we want!

What if we actually BELIEVED it to be true, and focused all our energies on all the things we are truly gifted at rather than the areas we struggle with?

Why waste any amount of time holding ourselves back from the dreams that are right there for the taking if we commit, go all in, and go after them?

From my heart to yours,

Christine

p.s. Thank you Dane! You have given me a gift that I plan on sharing with others.  Life is good.  🙂

Ode to Joy

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Sometimes I have a hard time finding happiness through out my day, and sometimes I’m drunk on happy! lol  But happy is always right there if I chose to find it.  It’s all about choices!

I went to the gym last night with a good friend and we were having such a great time working out.  We both had our iPods blaring in our ears when the music overtook us.  We looked at each other and broke out into spontaneous dance in the middle of the gym.   It’s completely refreshing when you just forget that anyone’s watching and enjoy the happy!

Enjoy the happy people!  Isn’t that what life is about…to be savored and enjoyed?!

Find that special something that just brings happiness to your heart and go with it!

Exercise does that for me!  There is a rush of happy that just takes over at some point of the workout.  I try to contain it, but sometimes I dance on my treadmill and have almost fell off the bloody thing a time or two.  I’m that weirdo that smiles or snaps my fingers when I run.  It didn’t always feel that way, but with every little ounce of sweat, dedication, and hard work it gets easier.  It’s amazing how quickly your body adapts when you challenge it BUT you have to challenge it.  When your body is screaming for you to stop, keep going just to prove to yourself that you can.

Here’s a little Ode to Joy for you!

May happiness find it’s way into your heart today! I’d love to hear about it…what brings happiness to your heart? 🙂

From my happy heart to yours,

Christine

Inspired

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Recently, I’ve managed to tap into an area where I want to push myself harder than I ever have before.  I was wondering where the change has come from, and then I realized it was because I am inspired by many people around me.  I am reminded once again how important it is to surround yourself with people who motivate and inspire you!  Inspire you to move forward, to push yourself beyond your limits, and just make you want to be a better person.

I’m inspired by a woman who I met at a gym. She is taking control of her life, and has spent the last couple years battling breast cancer (now in remission!)  She works out so hard, and does so with a smile on her face, and a heart that radiates such strength.

I’m inspired by women who have suffered such loss in life, but who still manage to move forward in life with the spirit of resilience and unyielding determination.  They fight for their children and keep the spirit of their loved one alive daily.

I’m inspired by my workout friends who push themselves a little farther each day and make working out fun.  They share a zest for life that is infectious and it just makes my heart happy to be in their company.

I’m inspired by all the people who have the courage to share their struggles, insecurities, and challenges with others.  There are so many times in my life I have lost my way, but it is comforting to know that there are others that struggle too!  We are not alone in our life struggles.

I’m inspired by women that help other women.

I also believe that you draw into your life exactly what you put out there.  If you are searching for inspiration, start with you…be inspiring! Always give more than you take.  With every life experience remember there is much to learn even if it’s painful or difficult.  What you are learning from each painful life experience will help someone else who crosses your path later in life.  There is no better joy in your heart than when you can give back something that was once taken from you.

I’ll leave you with a quote!

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. ” Nelson Mandela

I hope you find something that inspires you everyday, but what would be even better is to inspire others every beautiful day.  Now that is something to be inspired about!

From my heart to yours,

Christine

Running with a Smile

Published on by Christine4 Comments

Again, life has presented many great lessons to me these past couple of weeks.

I am thankful that I have been able to see some of my own faults and insecurities and want to move forward.  Sometimes the characteristics we don’t care for in others are the very things we need to change within ourselves.  We do not have the power to change anyone around us…only ourselves.  So the responsibility again is squarely on our own shoulders.

Pride has two sides.  Reclaiming my life has meant that I finally feel pride in myself, and I feel even greater pride when I see friends around me meet their goals and move forward as well.  It’s one of the greatest blessings that has come from this journey. Pride can also hold us back however.   There are many goals that I haven’t met because of my pride.  Because fear can attach itself to pride….fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of making choices that are out of my comfort zone.

You can’t move forward in life without taking risks and confronting your fears and insecurities.   That means moving out of your comfort zone, which can be scary but so worth it.  It really is simple, change can’t come about unless you make different choices, and react differently to circumstances.  This is also true when working out.  Your body adapts so quickly, and to continue to see growth and changes, you have to mix it up and introduce new exercises.

I have also recognized the areas in life that bring me both joy and empowerment, but also the areas that are holding me back.   So I say cling like hell to the positive, and let go of the negative.

Running does not come easily to me.  The other day I was running on the treadmill and had set a goal that I would run 30 minutes straight, especially because I didn’t want to…at all.  I was very conscious of the many times my legs were screaming to stop and it was very uncomfortable.  BUT I also realized after 30 minutes, that I had run the entire time with a huge smile on my face.  I must have freaked out the people beside me, but I couldn’t help it!  My cheeks were actually sore from smiling.  It was so empowering to set out a goal, and give myself absolutely no permission to stop.

So here’s some thoughts for your Wednesday!

While there may be circumstances in your life that put road blocks in the way of your dreams, its a choice on your part how to react to those circumstances.  Don’t blame your circumstances, you are more powerful than you know!

Give no power to the negative, always seek out the positive and that starts with YOU…your mind and heart.

Put your pride aside if it’s holding you back from moving forward and feel the good pride when you move forward.  It takes great strength, courage, and character to look within and take action to go after your goals and dreams.  Being vulnerable isn’t a weakness, it shows great courage and a willingness to grow.

Dream big and go after it!  Continue to challenge yourself.  Give your mind zero permission to quit when it gets too hard. The best rewards in life come from dedication and hard work.  It’s not supposed to be easy!

Challenge both the mind and body, and great results will happen!  Let your spirit shine, and soak it up.  Loving the life you are living is so good!  🙂

Here’s a quote for you that I love!

There comes a time when you have to stand up and shout:
“This is me damn it! I look the way I look, think the way I think, feel the way I feel, love the way I love! I am a whole complex package. Take me… or leave me. Accept me – or walk away! Do not try to make me feel like less of a person, just because I don’t fit your idea of who I should be and don’t try to change me to fit your mold. If I need to change, I alone will make that decision.
When you are strong enough to love yourself 100%, good and bad – you will be amazed at the opportunities that life presents you.”  Stacey Charter