buttercup

I know… I know… most people have already seen or read this, but I thought it was worth blogging for those that have never read the words.

Besides, it is the best New Year’s pressy I could ever give all you wonderful peeps in BuddySlim land.

Have a great one yall.  See you guys Friday!

Huggggggggggs,
Shan

Awakening

A time comes in your life when you finally get it… when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes. This is your awakening. You realize it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change… or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that neither of you is Prince Charming or Cinderella and that in the real world there aren’t always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you… and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance. You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are… and that’s OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions. And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself… and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval. You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn’t do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it’s not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself… and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance. You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties… and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness. You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the junk you’ve been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh, what you should wear, what you should do for a living, how much money you should make, what you should drive, how and where you should live, whom you should marry, the importance of having and raising children, and what you owe your parents, family, and friends. You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with … and in the process you learn to go with your instincts. You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for your next fix. You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a by gone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life. You learn that you don’t know everything, it’s not your job to save the world and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake. Then you learn about love. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. And you learn that alone does not mean lonely. You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK…and that it is your right to want things and to ask for the things you want and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands. You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won’t settle for less. And you learn that your body really is your temple. And you begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drink more water, and take more time to exercise. You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play. You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you believe you deserve… and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You also learn that no one can do it all alone… and that it’s OK to risk asking for help. You learn the only thing you must truly fear is the greatest robber baron of all: FEAR itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms. And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions you learn not to personalize things. You learn that God isn’t punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It’s just life happening. And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state - the ego. You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls. You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than your heart’s desire. And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.Finally, with courage in your heart and God by your side you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best you can.

That’s my only resolution for 2009… that my soul become brighter and more loving and giving and accepting and that my faith grows stronger with each passing day.

I have goals too…. 

1.  130 pounds by June 20th.
2.  Finish reading/studying my Bible from back to front.  It’s taken me 2 years so far at this goal.  I’ve made it to the book of Acts, so I still have this on my list.  It’s not something I want to just read and none of it sink in.  I want to read, study, ponder, pray, and grow in truth and knowledge.  After all, it’s THE best history book ever written.
3.  Learn horticulture.  I was looking forward to taking the Master Gardner certification course this year, but after speaking to the Director of the County Co-Op extension, he said he may not have another course for a few years. *pout*  The local college only offers courses during the day when I work.  *pout*  BUT… my wonderful husband who drives me insane a lot but is THE most bestest husband on the planet, gave me a college book “Introduction to Horticulture” for Christmas.   Comes complete with a test at the end of every chapter.  I aced the first test. But it was an easy chapter.  Chapter two is going to take a little more time and studying.  So, as with my Bible, I plan to study, learn, and grow in knowledge about that which I am passionate about.
4.  Keep seeing the joy in life, spreading the love, and hugging a lot.  This is an ongoing goal that never stops.  It’s for the rest of my days.
5.  Take that vacation to the ocean.  I made the deposit yesterday.  My new swimsuit is on the way.  I’M SO EXCIIIIIIIIIIIIIITED!!!! *jumps up and down*
6.  Maybe… MAYBE… learn to dive.  This is a big fear of mine.  My husband is a certified diver.  My son wants to learn and loves the water.  I am skeeeered to death of even the thought of it.  But you know what they say about fears… they get in your way of life.  Time to face it and maybe just come out of it all alive and loving it.

K, that’s about it… right now.  Here’s some pics of the beach house we have reserved and my new swimsuit that I plan on looking FABULOUS in this summer.  Click on the link, click on the picture, scroll down and you will see more pics of where we are going.

http://www.destinbeachhouse.net/bjs.htm

HUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGS EVERY BUDDY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Shan

I just couldn’t lay there any longer.  Woke up at 2:30 and tried to go back to sleep, but stuff on my mind.  Mainly, this weight loss challenge and getting back to a competitive level on it.  Oh no… here we go.  Obsessing!  Exactly what I said I do not want to do.  Worried about the next fews days.  Husband’s brother is flying in from New Mexico, so my Tom… BLESS him… (ever notice how southern women do that? say “bless him/her” before bashing them?)  is doing exactly what his little engineering mind always does… planning everything down to the minute, taking control of the cooking and by that I mean, he is going wayyyyyyy overboard.  Case in point.  New Year’s Eve he is cooking Jamalaya.  There will be a total of 6 people in our house and he’s making a jamalaya that serves 32.  *shakes head*.  Not only is it going to be too much, but it’s definately NOT on my eating plan.  All that sausage!  How am I going to get through this without hurting his feelings?  Laying there in bed this morning at 2:30 with this crap running through my head.  I finally just got up and started journaling about it all… the need to keep a healthy balance, to not obsess over every little thing I put in my mouth, to learn to get through these kind of times with some sense of grace about me.  I felt better after I wrote it all out.  He’s also planning maple glazed country style pork ribs New Years Day, and then Saturday it’s gonna be a deep fried whole chicken.  I can feel my arteries clogging up now.  I will get through this somehow… On the bright side (there’s always a bright side) I get to see my brother-in-law and spend time with him.  I had pulenty time this morning to get my Bible study in, to work out for 45 minutes, to prepare a great breakfast and lunch, and make my grocery list.  And I plan to add a BUNCH of healthy foods in there to fill up on BEFORE I eat my husband’s meals. LOL  The grocery bill is going to be through the roof, but OH WELL, I’m blessed that I can afford it this week. 

Now that I have that all out of my system (thank you for listening), I also have a great read that I got by e-mail this morning.  Thought I would share:

 Dear Shanna,

When I was in high school, I loved playing football. It was, and still is, my favorite sport.

But there was one part I hated…those first two weeks of practice in August, when the temperature often hit 100 degrees.

Coach Kilzer, however, knew the importance of those two weeks and he “took no prisoners”…the agility drills, the grueling windsprints, and finally the dreaded laps.

I still have nightmares about those five laps around the field in full pads following a three-hour workout.

My body after those first few days was so sore I could hardly get out of bed each morning. But as each day passed, the pain would lessen, and after three or four weeks, the transformation of being in “football shape” would happen.

Breaking bad habits is no different. The physical and mental pain can be grueling, whether you’re trying to exercise more, smoke less, drink less, eat healthier, or work less…it’s never easy.

But the benefits to your health and to your attitude can be priceless. Breaking a habit starts with courage, ends with discipline, and is fueled by desire.

I saw this recently, and would like to share it with you.

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest asset or heaviest burden.
I will push you up to success or down to disappointment.
I am at your command.
Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me,
For I can do them quickly, correctly, and profitably.
I am easily managed, just be firm with me.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine, though I work with the precision of a
machine and the intelligence of a person.
You can run me for profit, or you can run me for ruin.
Show me how you want it done. Educate me. Train me.
Lead me. Reward me.
And I will then…do it automatically.
I am your servant.
Who am I?
I am a habit.

The author of the above is unknown, but the words are right on target. If you make good habits, they in turn will make you. But like the weeds in the garden, bad habits can take over your life. Make a decision today to pull those weeds.

Live with Passion,

Mac Anderson
Founder, Simple Truths

HUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGS EVERYBUDDY!
Shan

Thanks to everyone who gave their opinions on my blog yesterday.  I appreciate them all and there were some great responses.  Gave me a lot to think about.  Only at BuddySlim can I ask for opinions and get great advice without the fear of anyone trying to be a know-it-all toward me.  I can’t even get that with my husband, BLESS his little pea pickin engineer heart. HA!

AJ had a very good point.  With only 10-15 pounds to drop, I more than likely won’t win the competition.  BUT, in past competitions here in my office, it’s only taken 10 pounds to win, so I may still have a chance.

Speaking of competition… I’m not scared of competition at all.  In fact, I grew up with it, some good and some bad.  By that I mean I was always compared to my sister and pushed to be like her by my father, so I was constantly competing with her, both in school and for my father’s affection… bad on the self-worth, but that’s another blog for a rainy day.  Good competition in that I played basketball in high school and college, and I ran track in high school.  This taught me a lot that I have carried through my life… determination, good sportsmanship, diligence, structure, and working as a team.  This was good for my self-worth.  I think competition is a healthy thing and I’m all for it, as long as it’s for the long term good of self and others. 

Now in the past, here on this site, I have obsessed with the number on the scale, denied my age and my body’s ability to do what it can no longer do, i.e. bad knee and shoulder, and it became the center of my world, which shook the balance in my life.  I was giving my physical life more attention than I was giving my spiritual life and my mental life, and this threw me out of balance.  Now that I’ve found a happy balance and some peace of mind, I would like to keep it.  But on another note, if I don’t have something to strive for, then where’s the fun of life and the momentum to move forward, always learning and growing in knowledge, both in mind and heart?  I’ve learned to accept my age, the hormonal changes my body is going through, the limitations I have physically.  I’ve learned to strive for healthy eating and physical activity without it becoming my every waking thought.  I’m SCARED of losing that.  I’ve worked damned hard to find it!

With that being said, I’ve also learned that if I don’t FACE my fears, then I lose out on life.  SO, I’ve decided to take on this competition, and to make it my GOAL not to win necessarily, but to maintain that precious balance in my life and to reach goal weight, which is 130 pounds, without it becoming the center of my world.  That means I have 15 pounds to lose.  It will be my GOAL to NOT push myself beyond what my knee and my shoulder can handle.  It will be my GOAL to lose the weight HEALTHY, not starve myself by some get-it-off-quicker-than-dirt “diet”.  

I’ve also decided to join Jo in her forum and stayed tuned in there as much as possible, i.e., access to internet, to give and receive support. 

The Biggest Loser contest starts January 1st.  The forum support starts today.  I went ahead and weighed in today for Biggest Loser to mark my starting weight, which is 145.5

Don’t wish me luck, cause it’s not about luck.

Don’t wish me a win, because it’s not about winning.

Wish me balance and the strength to face my fears and grow wiser and healthier.  I succeed at THAT, I will be the winner in the end.

And Nancy, that yellow polka dot bikini?  FORGET IT GIRLFRIEND.  At a half century old, you will NEVER see me in another bikini.  Things just start to fall at my age, no matter how hard you work out. LOL  You did inspire me, however, to pick out a brand new swimsuit in the size I want to be in by vacation.  I’m going to order it today, hang in on my cheval mirror in my bedroom and use it for daily motivation and focus.  Thank you for the idea.

READY!  SET!  GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Huggggggggggggggggs,
Shan
 

Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn.

(Robert Kiyosaki)

So you guys know from my past blogs that I’m in a good place right now.  Although I’m not at goal weight, I am comfortable where I am.  Here’s my dilemma…  We are planning a two week vacation in June, renting a private house on the beach in Destin, Florida!  Now this will be my dream vacation.  I’ve never gotten to see the ocean in my whole life, and neither has my son, so this is something we are thrilled to be able to do this next year.  We always use our income tax return money to do any house repairs/maintenance and maybe keep a little for a small vacation of some sort.  We don’t travel much at all, and when we have gone somewhere, it has usually been to New Mexico to visit my husband’s family.  So this year we decided to spend it ALL on luxury and fun.  Selfish I know.  Too bad. HAHAHAHA!  This house is a 2 story with a loft, private swimming pool, deck, boardwalk straight down to the white sandy beach, all the house amenities, outside shower.  All we would have to do is buy our food to cook in it. 

So here’s the deal.  Although I’m comfortable where I am, I would love to get back to goal weight by the time June rolls around.  That’s 10-15 pounds in 6 months.  Doable.  Hard (the last 10 pounds always are *sighs*), but doable.

So I get to work today, and I get an interoffice e-mail.  They are once again starting up a Biggest Loser contest.  3 months.  Weigh every 2 weeks and it will cost $5 at each weigh-in to stay in the game.  The person with the biggest PERCENTAGE of weight loss by March 31st will win it all.  To top it off, my BOSS replied to all that to make it more interesting, the company will throw in a $100 US Savings Bond to the winner, and a $50 US Savings Bond to the runner up.  Also, a $50 US Savings Bond to the one that loses the most pounds (not percentage).  

I’m seriously thinking about doing this.  It would be a great way for me to stay motivated to get to goal weight for vacation.  But at the same time, it’s going to put me right back to obsessing over my weight 24/7.  Do I really want that?  It’s all about balance with me.  I have that balance, I’m at peace.  I don’t have that balance, and my world just seems to go haywire.

So what you guys think?  I need opinions please.  Lots and lots of opinions….

GET OPINIONATED!!! lol

Christmas HUGGGGGGGGGGGGS,
Shan 

and I felt a joy and a warmth come over me, to know that I was a part of making this little girl’s wish come true.  Anj, thanks so much for telling us about this.  See?  Internet … lives touching lives… people being helped.  And to think, all it took was 42 cents and 5 minutes of my time.  Now I’m bouncing around looking and saying “what ELSE can I do?”  What a crazy fantastic feeling!

I’m in a great mood today… bordering on silly out of control.  I love it when I get like this.  Nothing or no one can penetrate my joy when I’m this way.   You guys better watch out today, cause I’m going to linger around BuddySlim as much as I can and there’s no telling what is going to come outta my mouth. HA!

If you all want a good start to your day, log onto family.org and listen to today’s radio broadcast.  It promises to lift your spirits and make you laugh.  I know I laughed out loud all the way to work. 

Sending out good vibes to everyone today ~~~~~~ (those are vibes) and giving butterfly kisses (eyelashes fluttering against eyelashes) and of course the Buttercup (((((HUGGGGS))))). 

For those of you who are down and a little sick today, my heart is with you sweeties.  Get plenty of rest, drink warm chicken broth, and use only the tissues that have lotion in them.

For those struggling and losing momentum with their weightloss efforts cause it’s too hard or it’s too much trouble or there’s no time or poor pitiful me, welp, all I can say is….

SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP! (Did you guys know I actually have a t-shirt that says that on the front?  lol

Okay, skipping off to read blogs and spread the love…… (skipping is good exercise)

Let’s the right ’TUDE going today peeps.  Tomorrow may be too late…

Huggggggggggggggs,
Shan
 

You cannot consistently perform in a manner which is inconsistent with the way you see yourself. (Zig Ziglar)

If you want to get out of the pit, stop digging.

(Ernesto Santos De Jesus)

Christmas celebration feasts that is.  Last Saturday it was Uncle Mike and Aunt Brenda’s house. Great to have Uncle Mike with us this year.  We almost lost him to cancer last year on the operating table.  My sweet cousin Julia from New Orleans was in.  She looked absolutely amazing.  Has lost a ton of weight.  Went from blonde bombshell to redhead and her hair is now straight and halfway down her back.  I could see a light in her eyes for the first time in years.  A few years ago, her husband walked in one day and said he didn’t love her and wanted a divorce. Left her for another woman (God how I can relate to that!)  Of course she was devastated.  With a 2 year old girl and a 10 year old boy to care for, she felt like her world had fallen apart.  Little did she know that this was probably the best thing that ever happened to her.  She is now remarried to a wonderful man who is loaded with money, has a heart of gold, and dotes on her 24/7.  He has 3 girls (teenage years) of his own.  He travels a lot in his work, and always flies her and the kids to see him, so they get to travel a lot too.  I asked Julia how she lost her weight.  She said she didn’t know.  It just started coming off.  She said she didn’t feel the need to stuff food in her mouth any longer to find any comfort.  How well most of us can relate with this.  I’ve learned this and knew this, but when she said that it just really struck me.  Our eating disorders and unhealthy habits go so much deeper than just eating more than we should.  It’s when we look deep inside at the root cause of it all that we finally begin the process of healing… making changes (however painful at the time) so that we can learn to love who we are, know that we are special, and that we deserve the same care and attention that we so willingly seem to give to others.  No matter what our past is, what our problems have been, who treated us badly, how others view us, or what trials we may be going through, we HAVE to learn that we ARE special … each and every one of us… and that we ARE worth every effort to treat ourselves with the same respect as we treat others.

So… we had a Christmas feast.  Out came the boiled shrimp platter appetizer and I honed it on it.  As a shrimp lover, I ate my fill.  Not only is it healthy, but it’s low in calories and fat.  This helped me tremendously to stay in control of my meal.  I didn’t worry about what I ate, but I did concentrate on portions.  With so much spread out to be had on that table, even a proper portion of everything would have been way way wayyyyy overboard.  So I got 1 spoonful of everything instead, and enjoyed.  I got full, but not stuffed.  After dinner I joined my son and two other 12 year old boys (Colt’s cousins) in the yard for some football.  OMG, it was soooooo much fun!  My dad standing out there yelling at me “Shan, you better let up, you won’t be able to walk with that knee tomorrow.”  I did not even care.  It felt good to be with those boys and having some fun instead of sitting in the house rubbing an overstuffed tummy.  The boys (I think) even had fun with me out there with them.  I heard Dillon in the house telling someone… “Shanna played football with us and she’s GOOD, even for being so OLD.” *cringe*  LOL  I’m still wearing my knee brace and the swelling is going down, but it was so worth it. Exhilarating and fun and it made me feel YOUNG again!

4 more dinners to go.  Tomorrow is company party… fajita bar.  I can totally do that healthy.  Fill up on the meat and onions and bell peppers.  Friday night my sister comes in to celebrate with us and Dad.  It’s going to be lasagna and salad and garlic toast (keep portions under control is all I can figure here).  Saturday it’s over to Mom’s for hers and my step-dad’s, just snack stuff (eat well and healthy before I go).  Then my Christmas dinner on Christmas day.  Totally giving myself permission to eat whatever I want for that one.  But not overstuff.  Thanksgiving dinner worked out well.  I feel confident I can control myself for Christmas dinner too.  I love it that all my visiting will be over with and I can be home and relaxed on Christmas day with my family.  Going to be great.

Let’s make our battle plans peeps.  Let’s not let these holiday feasts sneak up on us unprepared.  Let’s have fun but stay in control.  Let’s get our exercise in to boot.  Doesn’t have to be structured exercise.  It can be a game of football with your young ones, throw some hoops, take some beautiful walks, or grab that aunt or uncle and waltz around the house to the Christmas music!

WE CAN DO THIS AND WE ARE WORTH IT!

OH!  And if I don’t get another chance to say it before Christmas, let’s all remember to sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Jesus.  After all, it IS the reason we celebrate this holiday.

 Huggggggggggggggggs,
Shan
Knock on the sky and listen to the sound. (Zen Proverb) 

I had a wonderful surprise in the mail when I got home yesterday.  It was a beautiful plush Monarch Butterfly stuffed toy.  I couldn’t imagine who had sent it.  As I opened the card inside, my heart was warmed beyond words I can’t even begin to describe.  A very dear friend of mine had made a donation in my name to the WWF, a multinational organization dedicated to the conservation of nature.  This is an organization I strongly support every year.  As I read the information card about the Monarch, I was intrigued to find out that it migrates every year from far north (Canada) to far south (Mexico).  That’s 2500 miles!  The Monarch depends on the Milkweed for it’s survival.  They are at risk now due to pesticides and deforestation.  Now this friend knows me well.  She knows my love of gardening, and she knew that this gift would prompt me to plant Milkweed come spring.  Where I live, this weed is called Butterfly weed and it is beautiful.  I’ve never tried to grow it as it takes a lot of sun, and living in the woods, I don’t have a lot of sunny spots around my house.  So I thought about this.  Yes, there is one spot that the Butterfly Weed will grow well I think.  It’s a spot at the corner of my deck that gets a lot of sun and most flowers I try to grow there burn up in the scorching mid-summer Texas heat.  So I’m very excited to try this. 

Much like the Monarch Butterfly, our healthy survival depends on good healthy foods that GOD has provided for us… whole foods grown in His creation and taken from the dirt of His earth.  Our health does not depend on McDonalds or Burger King or KFC or Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.  He provides what we need.  It’s up to us to CHOOSE the healthy God given foods of this world.  It’s up to us to protect our earth so that we can continue to enjoy the food and water that He put on this earth for us.  When I think about it in this light, it makes it much easier to take my sustenance from fruits, vegetables and grains.  It makes all the menu planning and grocery shopping and reading labels a bit more enjoyable task.  It makes it easier for me to choose a healthy walk in fresh air, breathing the air that He provides me, instead of laying around and complaining about the air being too cold.

Let us all remember that we have been given this wonderful earth that provides us with the healthy things we need for survival, and we have been given this wonderful miraculous body that God created.  And it IS miraculous.  It can bend and run and sit and carry.  It is able to work and harvest.  It is able to travel and swim and run and jump.  It has arms to hold up those who need help.  It has hands to reach out to others in need.  It has a mind so that we can think and plan and engineer and create.  But most of all, it has a heart with a soul, so we can help and forgive and love and nurture.

Now isn’t it amazing how one simple gift of nature has caused me to stop and reflect and become just a little bit wiser in my path through this life?

Yes, the Monarch Butterfly is perhaps the best gift I have ever received…

Huggggggggggggggggggggs,
Shan

~God provides food for the bird, but He doesn’t throw it in it’s nest.~

A recent study determined that there are 3 primary reasons people can’t cope in life:

1.  They have a low self-esteem.
2.  They live in the past.
3.  They don’t laugh enough.

In fact, the same study concluded that we need a minimum of 12 laughs a day just to stay healthy!

Well, I’m all about health, in every area of my life, so I’m taking this study to heart and I’m going to look for humor and laugh my way through my day… no matter what. 

My challenge to everyone here today is to do the same.  Find your JOY in life, in whatever you’re doing.  Somebody irritates you?  Picture em nekkid.  Dread the drive to work?  Put on some good music and sing your way there.  Dread work?  You might as well find some joy in it, cause that’s what you’re GOING to be doing!    Don’t wanna go to the gym?  Go anyway looking forward to it, and see if it doesn’t make a huge difference in your workout! 

I’m talking about perspective and attitude today.  Looking and seeing things in a different way.  Working to FIND your own happiness, cause I can promise you, nobody else is going to hand it to you on a platter.  Laughter is one of the simple joys of life.  It is to the soul what soap is to the body. 

Today I have approximately 1,546,215 deadlines to meet at work.  I woke up dreading it this morning.  Then I thought “well… that’s just STUPID Shanna.  It’s what I’ve got to do, so I might as well do it with some joy in my heart.”  Besides that, the bonus is that I get paid money for doing it.  What a concept! HA! 

I’m talking about some ‘TUDE peeps!  Let’s make this day count… in EVERY way!

Big sloppy squeeze the breath outta ya HUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGS,
Shan

Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts. (Charles Dickens)

They start today.  Thought Friday goal setting for the week would be a nice change.  I mean, I usually write out my goals, either here on in my journal on Mondays.  Everything always starts on Mondays, right?  Then by Saturday I’m usually thinking “I did good all week, I can slack a bit” and that’s not good, because I’m off work and have more time to lounge and eat and sluff off whatever.  So, today I list my goals for the week. 

Since coming to BuddySlim, I’ve gone from 165 pounds to my goal weight of 135 pounds. Then over the past year I’ve put back on 10 pounds, and I’ve steadily stayed at 145 pounds now for several several months.  I’m pretty comfortable where I’m at.  I’ve thought hard about this lately.  Am I just making an excuse not to try harder? Or am I really comfortable with this weight?  I sure don’t dive into the exercise and count every single calorie that passes my lips like I used to, and I “think” about my eating and exercising ALL the time anymore either, so it must not be a real strong desire in me to be 135 pounds any longer.  Yes, it would be nice, but how much am I willing to do to get there?  I’ve had issues lately with a bad knee.  I really do need knee replacement surgery, but as long as I can walk comfortably, I probably won’t do it.  I have a shoulder that tends to give me fits from an old injury from lifting a generator into the back of a truck.  I can exercise it, but I found out the hard way that I can’t go up much on my dumbell weights without making the shoulder worse.  No excuses here, just facts.  I’ve had issues lately with perimenopausal hormone fluctuations that have literally driven me quite mad on some days.  I’m coming to terms with all these things, and I’m learning to accept my getting older and my body changes as I age.   I’m coming into a balance with it all now, and I feel pretty good where I’m at.  I’m happy that I’ve stopped the weight gain toward obesity in its tracks over the last couple of years.  VERY HAPPY about that.  I’m happy that I don’t OBSESS with a number on the scale any longer.  There’s other things in my life that warrant my obsession now.  My spiritual growth, peace in my soul, my family… Dang, where am I going with all this.  Lost my train of thought… Anyway, even though healthy eating and exercise is not top on my list, it’s certainly no way near the bottom either, and that’s where I want it.  I want to stay aware and focused and always moving to improvement, without it consuming my every waking moment.  So I will continue to make weekly goals, strive to meet them, and don’t beat myself up if I fall short of the mark.  I want to be a positive force for my son, and the best way for me to do that is with consistent, healthy actions to build a healthy lifestyle for life, i.e., spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical.  There’s room for all of it in my life and one is just as important as any other.  There’s no room for one of those aspects to get more attention from me.  BALANCE!

Goals for this week:

1.  Exercise at least 3-4 days, i.e., circuit training dvd, step dvd, walking, or just playing around with the dogs or dancing to some music, at least 30 minutes each day of exercise.

2.  Eat every 4 hours.  Before each meal, each at least 2 whole fruits or 2 whole vegetables.  Every meal I eat will contain protein.  This should leave little room in my stomach for want of something that is not good for me.  Today I’ve had 1 orange and 1 apple, then low-fat cottage cheese for breakfast.  Lunch will be 1 tomatoe and 1 cup fresh snow peas, then my meal will consist of tuna sprinkled with walnuts.  Not sure about supper yet.  Will buy groceries this afternoon.  Oh, and NO MORE than one cup of milk a day.  My addiction to sugar limits me here with milk.  I could drink a gallon of the stuff in one sitting, so this is a major goal for me.

 3.  Along with my normal vitamin I take, I will take Estrovan (this is working better than the St. Johns Wort for the hormonal issues as I experience no side effects, such as the constipation, thank God).  I will also name an extra calcium due to my aggggggggggge, LOL,  and a magnesium.  

4.   I am replacing my morning coffee with green tea, and I will have green tea in the evening also.  This is going to be a tough one for me as I LOVE my coffee.

5.  Read Bible, study, pray EVERY morning.  Whenever I pass this up because I think I don’t have the time, I SUFFER.  It just never works.  So my goal is to MAKE time for this EVERY day, no exceptions.

6.  Make more time with my kid, whether it be dragging him out of his room to walk with me, challenging him to a card or board game, or just sitting on his bed and talking to him about his music that he’s into, I need to make more time with him.  Whether he likes it or not. HA!

7.  Drink 70 ounces of water per day.  It’s just good for me.  Period.

K, that’s about it.  Let’s stay FOCUSED and POSITIVE… smile a lot and hug a lot…  Life is just too damn short not to.

Hugggggggggggggggggggggs,
Shan

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.  (e.e. cummings)