I'm sitting at the table with 4 little girls who are devouring my coffee cake. I love the conversations that happen when kids get together. It's all random and full of laughter. Each kid is trying to outdo the next so the conversation escalates and pretty soon they laugh even harder.
And I ask myself; why don't we do this more often? Other peoples kids are so funny. And I tend to like my kids more too, because they are actually converse.
Usually, getting ANY conversation out of my kids is like pulling teeth. I have to ask very specific questions and try to figure out what they are NOT saying and ask more questions to see if I can break the code.
I remember being a kid and NOT telling my parents stuff. Oh...wait.... That was because they never asked.
I remember when kids and parents didn't converse. And I remember what the kids weren't telling their parents. It was vast.....
Nowadays parents are in their kids every business. So involved there's almost no breathing room.
It's hard having that delicate balance of giving space and keeping tabs.
I have been talking to some parents who gave their kids freedom out of trust and then realized they should have kept a closer eye.
And I have talked to other parents who are fearful of disciplining their children for fear of pushing them away.
The bottom line is this; we are "parents". It's our job to monitor our kids. It's our job to give them consequences. It's our job to teach them right from wrong and let them know the ramifications of their choices.
It isn't a contest to see who can become their kids best friend and I know a lot of parents feel really guilty when they tell their kids "No" and feel bad about having to make parental decisions.
It's hard to not be 'friends' all the time. But the truth is, when you are 'friends' with your kid, how seriously will they take you when you try to 'parent' them and guide them?
I know a lady who had a haunting look on her face as she explained it to me.
Some of the best things in life happened to me when my parents said "NO". I asked my mom to cosign for a loan on a car a long time ago and she told me she didn't trust me. I was so mad, I went out and got a credit card and started building my own credit and when it came time for me to buy a car ..... I had a PRE-Approved loan from my bank and I bought my first car on my very own!!
Because I was told NO.......
I think kids nowadays are a bit more aware of their parents and their lives because there is a lot more communication going on. And I know when I have friends' kids over, I can tell how connected the parents are with the kids based on how well the kids interact with me.
I like kids of today. They are respectful and full of personality. And if they aren't, I have no problem talking to them about it to let them know what I'm willing to put up with.
So sitting at the table this morning was quite a "Gas" (as they say). Because these kids are totally comfortable in their own skin and easy to be with. And I know for a fact their mother has no problem correcting them if they stay out of line. But I'm sure the kids never do!! :)
Enjoy your kids.
Happy Saturday!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
flying around
Up a little early this morning and not happy about it. I HATE having so much flying through my mind that I can't sleep. It's becoming a common occurrence lately.
It's not even 7 and I've already had breakfast and cleared the dishes from the dishwasher. I mean, what else is there to do, right?
On the upside, as I'm sitting here, I'm actually a bit chilly. That's a contrast to the stagnant air that has settled in my house every nite for the last few weeks. I'm almost ready to grab a light blanket to warm me up!! Who'da thunk???
This weather the last few weeks has been a real bummer. But as I'm aware it can always be worse; we are getting by.
We are spoiled by our weather, aren't we? It gets into the 90s and we cry heatwave. But we are just spoiled by great weather most of the year.
As we go into the weekend, I hear the temps are revving up again. I'm not looking forward to it as I have photo shoots and I don't like to see people melting. Hopefully we can make it quick and everyone will be happy.
It's been busy lately, which is good. The holidays are coming up and people are preparing for their holiday cards.
Can you believe we are 'there' already???
I walked into Pier One Imports last week and was nearly hit in the face with all the Halloween stuff. I haven't even thought about what I want to be yet and they are already for the season. YIKES...
And on the coattails of that is Thanksgiving and then, (Gulp), Christmas.
I'm already NOT looking forward to it all. I'm overwhelmed with day to day life enough without adding extra 'stuff'..... But what can ya do??
Life is just going way too fast. It's hard to absorb the moments without distraction. And with all the gadgets we have I think that has further distracted me from the present.
Have you ever snuck into your kids room at night and just watched them sleep. I do that sometimes. I want to bottle up that moment and keep it with me. But I can't. And as my memory sucks I can pretty much say the moment is gone.
But when I see the kids sleeping, in peace, it makes me so happy and content.
I do try to get that feeling often, but it's becoming more and more elusive and it makes me sad.
I feel my days are so full of busywork that I can't breathe. Over the summer I think I got one day at the beach. ONE DAY!!! Seriously?
It's that getting pulled in a million different directions called life.
I kind of laugh when my kids don't 'want' to pick up around the house, or they don't 'want' to do their homework. If I could live my life based on my 'wants', I would be so happy.
But my theory is this; if you can't always get what you want...you can at least spend your days adding a little contentment, even if it's only sneaking into your kids room to see them at peace.
Now with that said, I need to go upstairs and YELL them out of bed, because they haven't moved yet and they are running late.
Happy Friday!
It's not even 7 and I've already had breakfast and cleared the dishes from the dishwasher. I mean, what else is there to do, right?
On the upside, as I'm sitting here, I'm actually a bit chilly. That's a contrast to the stagnant air that has settled in my house every nite for the last few weeks. I'm almost ready to grab a light blanket to warm me up!! Who'da thunk???
This weather the last few weeks has been a real bummer. But as I'm aware it can always be worse; we are getting by.
We are spoiled by our weather, aren't we? It gets into the 90s and we cry heatwave. But we are just spoiled by great weather most of the year.
As we go into the weekend, I hear the temps are revving up again. I'm not looking forward to it as I have photo shoots and I don't like to see people melting. Hopefully we can make it quick and everyone will be happy.
It's been busy lately, which is good. The holidays are coming up and people are preparing for their holiday cards.
Can you believe we are 'there' already???
I walked into Pier One Imports last week and was nearly hit in the face with all the Halloween stuff. I haven't even thought about what I want to be yet and they are already for the season. YIKES...
And on the coattails of that is Thanksgiving and then, (Gulp), Christmas.
I'm already NOT looking forward to it all. I'm overwhelmed with day to day life enough without adding extra 'stuff'..... But what can ya do??
Life is just going way too fast. It's hard to absorb the moments without distraction. And with all the gadgets we have I think that has further distracted me from the present.
Have you ever snuck into your kids room at night and just watched them sleep. I do that sometimes. I want to bottle up that moment and keep it with me. But I can't. And as my memory sucks I can pretty much say the moment is gone.
But when I see the kids sleeping, in peace, it makes me so happy and content.
I do try to get that feeling often, but it's becoming more and more elusive and it makes me sad.
I feel my days are so full of busywork that I can't breathe. Over the summer I think I got one day at the beach. ONE DAY!!! Seriously?
It's that getting pulled in a million different directions called life.
I kind of laugh when my kids don't 'want' to pick up around the house, or they don't 'want' to do their homework. If I could live my life based on my 'wants', I would be so happy.
But my theory is this; if you can't always get what you want...you can at least spend your days adding a little contentment, even if it's only sneaking into your kids room to see them at peace.
Now with that said, I need to go upstairs and YELL them out of bed, because they haven't moved yet and they are running late.
Happy Friday!
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Purging
What do you do with all the 'stuff' you have no place for? Do you purge it? Donate it? Or store it?
And if you store it, do you give it a timeline or just revisit it every few years and say, 'Ya I'm keeping it just a little longer!"
And if so, then what is your reasoning?
I know for me I feel connected to some of my 'stuff'. But if I'm so connected, wouldn't I find a purpose for my stuff instead of just dumping it in my garage or in the back of a closet???
It's a constant battle.
More often than not for me, is out of sight - out of mind. Once I put it away somewhere it doesn't exist anymore until I am force to revisit it down the road.
I believe this is how Hoarding starts. Ans sometimes I feel like I'm encroaching on the lifestyle. But then I look around and realize a lot of it is not my stuff. And I'm not the only one who doesn't 'deal' with their stuff. But I am the one who makes the executive decision, so that puts a little pressure on me.
Recently when we went through the girls' room, I decided to make sure every single item in their room had a 'home' to go to. Whether is was a piece of paper, or a paperclip or clothing; it had to fit somewhere in their room or it was going out. Keep Toss or Donate!
It took two full days to go through their room, but the results were well worth the time!! Their room is free and clear of unnecessary 'stuff' and they now know where everything goes. But I realized, they had some of my disease in not comprehending where to put everything.
We are such a 'STUFF' society. Sometimes it feels like a contest for who can have the most 'STUFF'.
The problem with our 'stuff' is that many people look at it as though "IT" will make them happy. When in truth, if someone was devoid of emotion, no one thing will make them happy. THEY have to make themselves happy.
But as we all get more clogged with the latest and greatest, we have so many diversions, that to actually take the time to look at ourselves becomes near impossible. So we don't.
Thankfully, in my girls' case; they were happy to get rid of the clutter. It was all so overwhelming that they couldn't focus. I know how that feels!!
After going through their room, I realized how much I have been ignoring my own 'stuff' and it all needs to be addressed. And my goal is if I can't do it all at once, I will do a little at a time until it's all done and gone.
It's a process that starts small. But as you continue with it, you build momentum and it gets easier and easier.
I'm starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel, or at the very least, I have a vision of how things will go. And to be honest, if you know me....then you know that's a big stretch.
Just one piece at a time.
Happy Thursday!
And if you store it, do you give it a timeline or just revisit it every few years and say, 'Ya I'm keeping it just a little longer!"
And if so, then what is your reasoning?
I know for me I feel connected to some of my 'stuff'. But if I'm so connected, wouldn't I find a purpose for my stuff instead of just dumping it in my garage or in the back of a closet???
It's a constant battle.
More often than not for me, is out of sight - out of mind. Once I put it away somewhere it doesn't exist anymore until I am force to revisit it down the road.
I believe this is how Hoarding starts. Ans sometimes I feel like I'm encroaching on the lifestyle. But then I look around and realize a lot of it is not my stuff. And I'm not the only one who doesn't 'deal' with their stuff. But I am the one who makes the executive decision, so that puts a little pressure on me.
Recently when we went through the girls' room, I decided to make sure every single item in their room had a 'home' to go to. Whether is was a piece of paper, or a paperclip or clothing; it had to fit somewhere in their room or it was going out. Keep Toss or Donate!
It took two full days to go through their room, but the results were well worth the time!! Their room is free and clear of unnecessary 'stuff' and they now know where everything goes. But I realized, they had some of my disease in not comprehending where to put everything.
We are such a 'STUFF' society. Sometimes it feels like a contest for who can have the most 'STUFF'.
The problem with our 'stuff' is that many people look at it as though "IT" will make them happy. When in truth, if someone was devoid of emotion, no one thing will make them happy. THEY have to make themselves happy.
But as we all get more clogged with the latest and greatest, we have so many diversions, that to actually take the time to look at ourselves becomes near impossible. So we don't.
Thankfully, in my girls' case; they were happy to get rid of the clutter. It was all so overwhelming that they couldn't focus. I know how that feels!!
After going through their room, I realized how much I have been ignoring my own 'stuff' and it all needs to be addressed. And my goal is if I can't do it all at once, I will do a little at a time until it's all done and gone.
It's a process that starts small. But as you continue with it, you build momentum and it gets easier and easier.
I'm starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel, or at the very least, I have a vision of how things will go. And to be honest, if you know me....then you know that's a big stretch.
Just one piece at a time.
Happy Thursday!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Sense of purpose
Have you ever felt pulled to something over and over again? You try to ignore it, but eventually you are there again???
Last night I was messing around with my dog. She is a bit of a nut. But one thing she absolutely LOVES....is to 'find' you!
If you bury yourself in a blanket and call her name; she will dig and dig until she finds the slightest crevice or crack in the blanket - and she will burrow her way in and lick your face in victory! It's the cutest and most annoying thing ever!! (Only because I don't like being licked by dogs).
Well, last night, as I lay on the floor, I was face down, and burying my face in between my arms. My dog went WILD trying to 'find' me. And when she did - the look of contentment on her face was her victory. Her sense of purpose - complete.
We didn't realize it when we got her, but she is a bird dog. In Japan, they had Shiba Inu "Bush Dogs" to go into bushes and unbury they 'kill', aka birds.
This instinct is so inbred in my dog; that a simple blanket can serve as a bush...and your face - the bird!
We think it is the funniest thing. Chris will grab the girls and hide under the biggest blanket we have and call her out in the house, no matter where she is. If she hears her name being called; and she doesn't see you....she will 'find' you at any expense.
Playing with her last night, kind of got me thinking about my own purpose. As yesterday was 9-11; I watched a show about a man who was unburied from the rubble of the Twin Towers. Somehow in the collapse of the building - he survived a 15 story drop with minor injuries. The situation was miraculous. But his understanding of it wasn't.
He was ridden with survivors guilt. He wondered why HE was chosen to live, while so many perished.
In all our minds, I honestly believe we aren't expected to 'know' the answer. But it is our job to 'find' the answer.
Some are automatically driven in life. They know what they want. Maybe they were born with natural GPS systems.
But for many of us; we aren't sure. So it's more of a journey.
My honest belief in life is we are all here for a reason. I look for reason all the time.
The best I can tell about myself is I want people to know they are not alone. So I write every awful detail of my life so someone - ANYONE can relate and feel a sense of camaraderie. And what I have found is I'm kind of rare. Most people are content concealing bits and pieces of themselves out of preservation or fear. And I'm okay with that. Sometimes I wish I had a closet to hide in. But I don't. I share and over share until it makes people uncomfortable.
But not everyone is built that way.
Everyone has their own special gifts. Their reasons for being.
Just as my dog feels the innate need to 'unbury' me - we all have something that is uniquely ours.
I have always had the desire to write. It comes easy to me - but I never did it, because I didn't feel I had every journalistic detail down. From about the age of 12, I had the feeling I would write a book about my experiences in life. But I was 'lacking' so to speak, and so I never followed through.
Finally, just over a year ago, I decided to throw my thoughts onto a blog and let 'er rip. Throw caution to the wind and say what's on my mind.
Is it the book I always dreamed of? No... not even close. But once I let go of my 'perfect' expectations; I never looked back. I have written over 550 blog entries. And the response has been better than I ever imagined.
I finally let go of the perfect scenario and did what was in my heart.
I'm no Erma Bombeck. But the result has been most beneficial to me as a human being, because my ability to sift things in my mind has become much easier. And the camaraderie has been amazing.
Sometimes things don't turn out like we expect. But if you truly take the time to listen to your soul and respond to its desires.... the benefits outweigh the risks.
Life isn't perfect. It's a journey.
Happy Wednesday!!!
Last night I was messing around with my dog. She is a bit of a nut. But one thing she absolutely LOVES....is to 'find' you!
If you bury yourself in a blanket and call her name; she will dig and dig until she finds the slightest crevice or crack in the blanket - and she will burrow her way in and lick your face in victory! It's the cutest and most annoying thing ever!! (Only because I don't like being licked by dogs).
Well, last night, as I lay on the floor, I was face down, and burying my face in between my arms. My dog went WILD trying to 'find' me. And when she did - the look of contentment on her face was her victory. Her sense of purpose - complete.
We didn't realize it when we got her, but she is a bird dog. In Japan, they had Shiba Inu "Bush Dogs" to go into bushes and unbury they 'kill', aka birds.
This instinct is so inbred in my dog; that a simple blanket can serve as a bush...and your face - the bird!
We think it is the funniest thing. Chris will grab the girls and hide under the biggest blanket we have and call her out in the house, no matter where she is. If she hears her name being called; and she doesn't see you....she will 'find' you at any expense.
Playing with her last night, kind of got me thinking about my own purpose. As yesterday was 9-11; I watched a show about a man who was unburied from the rubble of the Twin Towers. Somehow in the collapse of the building - he survived a 15 story drop with minor injuries. The situation was miraculous. But his understanding of it wasn't.
He was ridden with survivors guilt. He wondered why HE was chosen to live, while so many perished.
In all our minds, I honestly believe we aren't expected to 'know' the answer. But it is our job to 'find' the answer.
Some are automatically driven in life. They know what they want. Maybe they were born with natural GPS systems.
But for many of us; we aren't sure. So it's more of a journey.
My honest belief in life is we are all here for a reason. I look for reason all the time.
The best I can tell about myself is I want people to know they are not alone. So I write every awful detail of my life so someone - ANYONE can relate and feel a sense of camaraderie. And what I have found is I'm kind of rare. Most people are content concealing bits and pieces of themselves out of preservation or fear. And I'm okay with that. Sometimes I wish I had a closet to hide in. But I don't. I share and over share until it makes people uncomfortable.
But not everyone is built that way.
Everyone has their own special gifts. Their reasons for being.
Just as my dog feels the innate need to 'unbury' me - we all have something that is uniquely ours.
I have always had the desire to write. It comes easy to me - but I never did it, because I didn't feel I had every journalistic detail down. From about the age of 12, I had the feeling I would write a book about my experiences in life. But I was 'lacking' so to speak, and so I never followed through.
Finally, just over a year ago, I decided to throw my thoughts onto a blog and let 'er rip. Throw caution to the wind and say what's on my mind.
Is it the book I always dreamed of? No... not even close. But once I let go of my 'perfect' expectations; I never looked back. I have written over 550 blog entries. And the response has been better than I ever imagined.
I finally let go of the perfect scenario and did what was in my heart.
I'm no Erma Bombeck. But the result has been most beneficial to me as a human being, because my ability to sift things in my mind has become much easier. And the camaraderie has been amazing.
Sometimes things don't turn out like we expect. But if you truly take the time to listen to your soul and respond to its desires.... the benefits outweigh the risks.
Life isn't perfect. It's a journey.
Happy Wednesday!!!
Monday, September 10, 2012
Who said what?
Have you ever been knocked down by someone around you? And your belief in yourself was diminished because of it?
Why do we need the approval of another to accomplish what we feel in our souls?
If you have ever stopped and listened to the stories of the down and out; you likely heard that 'someone', 'once upon a time' was told that they would never amount to anything!!!
Sound familiar?
I'm sure we have all heard it at one time or another.
When I was a kid, I was fascinated with the stars. They were so awesome, I could stare at them for years. I told my mom I wanted to be an astronomer. Her response was simply this: "Leave the stars in the sky where they belong".
Then, a few years later, I mentioned to my dad that I wanted to be an actress. (and if you know how dramatic I am, you KNOW this was a perfect fit for me). His response was simple: "You couldn't stand the rejection".
So I ditched both desires in my life.
Now, who honestly knows how serious I was to be an astronomer, or an actress at such a young age. All I know is, I'm still fascinated by the stars, and I'm still as dramatic as ever!!!! My emotional range is OFF THE CHARTS!!!
But I sometimes wonder.... If my mother decided to go out and get me a book on constellations..... would that foster or deteriorate my desire for the stars?
And if my dad stuck me in a few acting classes..... would I be on movie screens, if even only once??? In the background? As an EXTRA???
Truth is; we will never know. Because in my underdeveloped belief system, I was told to 'let it go', and so I did.
And I'm not writing this to throw my parents under the bus; because if truth be told, constellations confuse the heck out of me. And if someone told me "NO" for a part, I may have partaken in illegal drug activity to cope. So I do believe I am where I'm supposed to be. And I'm sure they had no idea how their responses to me would shape my life.
But I do wonder....If I had the conviction for something so strong that I chose to NOT listen to those around me..... where would I be now?
I know I couldn't live without my friends and family. And I do know that I rely on them for mental health checks to make sure I'm not losing my mind.
But I think there is a balance between asking advice; and let it dictate your life.
I think if you feel something in your soul; you should go for it. But most of us don't let our emotions go that deep.
I do believe our lives and souls and desires do go that deep. And if you let yourself go with it, even if only once in a while.... you will find a sense of peace and contentment.
So don't put all your beliefs into the hands of another. All they have is an opinion... and that and a nickel will get you almost nothing......
Happy Tuesday
Why do we need the approval of another to accomplish what we feel in our souls?
If you have ever stopped and listened to the stories of the down and out; you likely heard that 'someone', 'once upon a time' was told that they would never amount to anything!!!
Sound familiar?
I'm sure we have all heard it at one time or another.
When I was a kid, I was fascinated with the stars. They were so awesome, I could stare at them for years. I told my mom I wanted to be an astronomer. Her response was simply this: "Leave the stars in the sky where they belong".
Then, a few years later, I mentioned to my dad that I wanted to be an actress. (and if you know how dramatic I am, you KNOW this was a perfect fit for me). His response was simple: "You couldn't stand the rejection".
So I ditched both desires in my life.
Now, who honestly knows how serious I was to be an astronomer, or an actress at such a young age. All I know is, I'm still fascinated by the stars, and I'm still as dramatic as ever!!!! My emotional range is OFF THE CHARTS!!!
But I sometimes wonder.... If my mother decided to go out and get me a book on constellations..... would that foster or deteriorate my desire for the stars?
And if my dad stuck me in a few acting classes..... would I be on movie screens, if even only once??? In the background? As an EXTRA???
Truth is; we will never know. Because in my underdeveloped belief system, I was told to 'let it go', and so I did.
And I'm not writing this to throw my parents under the bus; because if truth be told, constellations confuse the heck out of me. And if someone told me "NO" for a part, I may have partaken in illegal drug activity to cope. So I do believe I am where I'm supposed to be. And I'm sure they had no idea how their responses to me would shape my life.
But I do wonder....If I had the conviction for something so strong that I chose to NOT listen to those around me..... where would I be now?
I know I couldn't live without my friends and family. And I do know that I rely on them for mental health checks to make sure I'm not losing my mind.
But I think there is a balance between asking advice; and let it dictate your life.
I think if you feel something in your soul; you should go for it. But most of us don't let our emotions go that deep.
I do believe our lives and souls and desires do go that deep. And if you let yourself go with it, even if only once in a while.... you will find a sense of peace and contentment.
So don't put all your beliefs into the hands of another. All they have is an opinion... and that and a nickel will get you almost nothing......
Happy Tuesday
I got sumthin'!!!!
Okay, so I had some realizations today and I had to write another blog entry.
Most of us are trying to get back on track this time of year. It's hard, I know. But so is being fat and lazy.
So I dropped the kids off at school and ran into one of the moms who said, "Are you going to workout at Heidi's today?" And though I was planning on it, I always realize I'm one excuse from not going. And that excuse could be as simple as, "I have to pee".
But because I faced this woman and said "YES", I'm now accountable to another body. And she is a fit adorable woman. But I also know she is pretty close to me in that one excuse away from not going.
So now, we are both accountable to each other and we both showed up; even though I was a few minutes late (which could have easily been the excuse I was looking for).
When I get there, I'm met with familiar faces. I have been to Heidi maybe once this whole summer. As I had kids every day, they were my excuse for not going. (do you see a pattern here?)
As I was working out we were talking about people who hadn't shown up in a while. One of my friends being one of them. And I realized that when you start working out and meeting people, you are creating this new community for yourself. It's out of your comfort zone at first, but then it becomes the 'norm' and then it becomes part of your life. And when you don't show up, you are literally missed by those around you!
Have you ever seen a really overweight person hanging out with a group of super fit (like zero body fat) people??? HARDLY!!!! And if you did, it was a visiting relative who had nowhere else to go and no car to get there!
It's quite a leap from Fat to Fit. I've been there, trust me!!! When I initially started working out, I hid in the back of the class, not wanting anyone to see me but feeling like everyone was staring!!
And as I got more fit, I started moving to the front of the class so I could actually SEE myself working out to make sure I'm doing it correctly.
And what started out driving me to the gym - the desire to lose weight - became more of a craving than anything else.
But what happened through all of it was I created this community of people who will call me out if I end up missing too much. These are my people now. Familiar faces and part of my day.
This morning when I was working out, I realized how fit I was compared to some of these people. Though I would like to call myself completely out of shape; I'm reminded that I'm still very strong and that my years of exercise didn't go away in just a few short months.
But what really hit me today, was at the end of the class as we were all on the ground stretched out for cool down, I looked down the row of women in the class. Yes we were all doing the same stretch; but what I saw on their faces was contentment. We were done. I was lined up with five other women and every one of them had their face in the same direction, with their eyes closed - and I knew EXACTLY how they felt, because I had that same look on my face.
I almost burst out laughing, because I was reminded how we always think we are alone. But in this moment, we were all one. It was a really great feeling.
And I give us all kudos; because it was sweltering today and we all left dripping. The fact that we stayed through the misery earned us extra points!!
Working out is a commitment to your body. But it's also a major benefit to your mind and soul. And why we choose to excuse ourselves from it is beyond me. But as long as I have those women's faces in my mind, I will always be pulled towards making the right choice!!
And that's not nuthin'!!!!
Happy Monday!!
Most of us are trying to get back on track this time of year. It's hard, I know. But so is being fat and lazy.
So I dropped the kids off at school and ran into one of the moms who said, "Are you going to workout at Heidi's today?" And though I was planning on it, I always realize I'm one excuse from not going. And that excuse could be as simple as, "I have to pee".
But because I faced this woman and said "YES", I'm now accountable to another body. And she is a fit adorable woman. But I also know she is pretty close to me in that one excuse away from not going.
So now, we are both accountable to each other and we both showed up; even though I was a few minutes late (which could have easily been the excuse I was looking for).
When I get there, I'm met with familiar faces. I have been to Heidi maybe once this whole summer. As I had kids every day, they were my excuse for not going. (do you see a pattern here?)
As I was working out we were talking about people who hadn't shown up in a while. One of my friends being one of them. And I realized that when you start working out and meeting people, you are creating this new community for yourself. It's out of your comfort zone at first, but then it becomes the 'norm' and then it becomes part of your life. And when you don't show up, you are literally missed by those around you!
Have you ever seen a really overweight person hanging out with a group of super fit (like zero body fat) people??? HARDLY!!!! And if you did, it was a visiting relative who had nowhere else to go and no car to get there!
It's quite a leap from Fat to Fit. I've been there, trust me!!! When I initially started working out, I hid in the back of the class, not wanting anyone to see me but feeling like everyone was staring!!
And as I got more fit, I started moving to the front of the class so I could actually SEE myself working out to make sure I'm doing it correctly.
And what started out driving me to the gym - the desire to lose weight - became more of a craving than anything else.
But what happened through all of it was I created this community of people who will call me out if I end up missing too much. These are my people now. Familiar faces and part of my day.
This morning when I was working out, I realized how fit I was compared to some of these people. Though I would like to call myself completely out of shape; I'm reminded that I'm still very strong and that my years of exercise didn't go away in just a few short months.
But what really hit me today, was at the end of the class as we were all on the ground stretched out for cool down, I looked down the row of women in the class. Yes we were all doing the same stretch; but what I saw on their faces was contentment. We were done. I was lined up with five other women and every one of them had their face in the same direction, with their eyes closed - and I knew EXACTLY how they felt, because I had that same look on my face.
I almost burst out laughing, because I was reminded how we always think we are alone. But in this moment, we were all one. It was a really great feeling.
And I give us all kudos; because it was sweltering today and we all left dripping. The fact that we stayed through the misery earned us extra points!!
Working out is a commitment to your body. But it's also a major benefit to your mind and soul. And why we choose to excuse ourselves from it is beyond me. But as long as I have those women's faces in my mind, I will always be pulled towards making the right choice!!
And that's not nuthin'!!!!
Happy Monday!!
Nuthin'
This morning, I literally got nuthin'. I'm starting my day out making bad choices simply because I want to.
I waited to get out of bed, because I wasn't in the mood. If I didn't have carpool today, I would let the kids sleep in.
I woke up to Heidi and Frank (formerly Mark and Brian) and I'm wondering to myself how they EVER saw Heidi and Frank as an equal swap to Mark and Brian. It's not even close.
It's like they took a more mature show and turned it into a kids show. I'm curious what their ratings are. I'd be surprised if they maintained 50% of their listeners. Or, if they just jumped at the opportunity to make this a 'younger' crowd.
So far, they have had two phone calls in from people saying, "I was SO surprised to see how much I LIKE you guys. THANK YOU for coming to KLOS......" Yadda yadda Yadda.
I'm sure they are "plants" for the program. But Whatever!!!
I was shocked to hear Mark and Brian retiring. I listened to them for many years - let's just say back to the 80s. So you can hopefully understand my hesitance to start over with another morning talk show.
Yes, I'm old. I admit it. I don't like change.
But I will have to get over and it and either accept it or shrivel up and die.
That is all I got this morning.
Happy Monday
I waited to get out of bed, because I wasn't in the mood. If I didn't have carpool today, I would let the kids sleep in.
I woke up to Heidi and Frank (formerly Mark and Brian) and I'm wondering to myself how they EVER saw Heidi and Frank as an equal swap to Mark and Brian. It's not even close.
It's like they took a more mature show and turned it into a kids show. I'm curious what their ratings are. I'd be surprised if they maintained 50% of their listeners. Or, if they just jumped at the opportunity to make this a 'younger' crowd.
So far, they have had two phone calls in from people saying, "I was SO surprised to see how much I LIKE you guys. THANK YOU for coming to KLOS......" Yadda yadda Yadda.
I'm sure they are "plants" for the program. But Whatever!!!
I was shocked to hear Mark and Brian retiring. I listened to them for many years - let's just say back to the 80s. So you can hopefully understand my hesitance to start over with another morning talk show.
Yes, I'm old. I admit it. I don't like change.
But I will have to get over and it and either accept it or shrivel up and die.
That is all I got this morning.
Happy Monday
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