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Monday, October 4, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
How Can This Be MY FAULT?
It happens without any warning. It's not something you can be ready for. One day you wake up and you wonder... how did I get here?
Okay, maybe it doesn't work that way for everyone, but it sure did for me.
Driving to work a few weeks ago I noticed my blouse (that's for you Tracy) was puffing up a bit over my seat belt. I hate when that happens, so I immediately patted it down and straighten it out but this time something different happened. It didn't move! This time it wasn't the way my shirt was lying, it was my BELLY! I was horrified.
All my life I could eat whatever I wanted and my weight would remain the same. People would tell me that everything would change after I had my babies, after I turned 30, 35, after 40; yet nothing really changed for me. Then this last year I guess Mother Nature decided it was time to hit me with it! I woke up one morning and my cloths felt tighter, I told myself they fit better. Now, with this seat belt "incident" there is no justifying it.
The next week I to the gym and took a walk but nothing seemed to change. Feeling frustrated I called my mom and asked her how I am supposed to lose this extra weight. I told her I was doomed and that I only had eight pounds extra but there is no way it will ever come off. I even complained that "I guess this is how I am now."
My mom is a pretty straight-forward kind of woman and I love her for that. Here is how the conversation went...
Mom: "What are you doing to lose the weight?"
Me: "I went to the gym"
Mom: "How many times?"
Me: "Once"
Mom: "What else?"
Me: "I took a walk"
Mom: "Just one?"
Me: (getting annoyed) "Yes"
So, you see how the conversation was going; she was calling me out on my lack of trying. It was then that I realized again how valuable friends and family that tell you the truth are.
The next few days I spent really looking at my habits and was able to clearly see my faults. No longer was I eating a healthy breakfast (unless you can count a diet coke Big Gulp and 7-11 potato chips healthy), I never walked by a vending machine without getting a little something, if there was a bowl of candy at any office I went to for work I figured I would be polite and take one (or five...right Cole!) and I couldn't remember the last time I went for a run or used my gym membership like I should.
I guess it wasn't Mother Nature being cruel to me after all. I hated to admit it but it was ME that caused this belly I disliked so much. All those years I could eat whatever I wanted I was eating small, healthy snacks and meals all day. (OKAY, I did eat Reese's Peanut Butter Cups from time to time) I exercised regularly and I drank lots of water. Somehow I let myself fall into bad habits and over time I have completely lost my good habits to the bad ones and now it's showing.
For the past four days I have watched what I am eating, I have stopped drinking soda and eating potato chips and I have been trying to workout for at least 30 minutes each day. I am happy to say I already notice a difference! The biggest difference I notice is I feel so good! I have so much more energy and in only four days I already feel so much healthier.
Thanks Mom!
Okay, maybe it doesn't work that way for everyone, but it sure did for me.
Driving to work a few weeks ago I noticed my blouse (that's for you Tracy) was puffing up a bit over my seat belt. I hate when that happens, so I immediately patted it down and straighten it out but this time something different happened. It didn't move! This time it wasn't the way my shirt was lying, it was my BELLY! I was horrified.
All my life I could eat whatever I wanted and my weight would remain the same. People would tell me that everything would change after I had my babies, after I turned 30, 35, after 40; yet nothing really changed for me. Then this last year I guess Mother Nature decided it was time to hit me with it! I woke up one morning and my cloths felt tighter, I told myself they fit better. Now, with this seat belt "incident" there is no justifying it.
The next week I to the gym and took a walk but nothing seemed to change. Feeling frustrated I called my mom and asked her how I am supposed to lose this extra weight. I told her I was doomed and that I only had eight pounds extra but there is no way it will ever come off. I even complained that "I guess this is how I am now."
My mom is a pretty straight-forward kind of woman and I love her for that. Here is how the conversation went...
Mom: "What are you doing to lose the weight?"
Me: "I went to the gym"
Mom: "How many times?"
Me: "Once"
Mom: "What else?"
Me: "I took a walk"
Mom: "Just one?"
Me: (getting annoyed) "Yes"
So, you see how the conversation was going; she was calling me out on my lack of trying. It was then that I realized again how valuable friends and family that tell you the truth are.
The next few days I spent really looking at my habits and was able to clearly see my faults. No longer was I eating a healthy breakfast (unless you can count a diet coke Big Gulp and 7-11 potato chips healthy), I never walked by a vending machine without getting a little something, if there was a bowl of candy at any office I went to for work I figured I would be polite and take one (or five...right Cole!) and I couldn't remember the last time I went for a run or used my gym membership like I should.
I guess it wasn't Mother Nature being cruel to me after all. I hated to admit it but it was ME that caused this belly I disliked so much. All those years I could eat whatever I wanted I was eating small, healthy snacks and meals all day. (OKAY, I did eat Reese's Peanut Butter Cups from time to time) I exercised regularly and I drank lots of water. Somehow I let myself fall into bad habits and over time I have completely lost my good habits to the bad ones and now it's showing.
For the past four days I have watched what I am eating, I have stopped drinking soda and eating potato chips and I have been trying to workout for at least 30 minutes each day. I am happy to say I already notice a difference! The biggest difference I notice is I feel so good! I have so much more energy and in only four days I already feel so much healthier.
Thanks Mom!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Self-control
Self-control seems like a dirty word. It feels like limitation or denial. I think of self-control and my first thought is doing without. I work hard and I’m an adult so I deserve to have what I want, when I want it. Being told no or to wait is for kids, not adults.
Then I put self-control to the test. If it is something God wants me to have, I will practice it. I can give it my best shot and see what happens. I believe it can't be bad but wonder what good it will do.
I decided to start small and move toward controlling the more difficult. I noticed a big problem right from the start. Nothing was easy to control, I couldn't figure out where to start. Food seemed simple; certainly I could start with controlling my chocolate addiction. This was not as easy as I envisioned. Exercise, prayer, my temper, my tongue, this was not going to be a challenge I enjoyed.
One day at a time, one step at a time, one small challenge at a time. Don't say it. Don't eat it. Believe it. Bible before breakfast. Run. Do I really need it? I tried, I controlled, I slipped and I started over again. I learned.
Through self-control I gained power. I ran marathons, got healthier, and grew closer to God. No longer does self-control mean limitation to me. Self-control doesn't close my options it opens my heart, my mind and my connection to God and to myself.
Then I put self-control to the test. If it is something God wants me to have, I will practice it. I can give it my best shot and see what happens. I believe it can't be bad but wonder what good it will do.
I decided to start small and move toward controlling the more difficult. I noticed a big problem right from the start. Nothing was easy to control, I couldn't figure out where to start. Food seemed simple; certainly I could start with controlling my chocolate addiction. This was not as easy as I envisioned. Exercise, prayer, my temper, my tongue, this was not going to be a challenge I enjoyed.
One day at a time, one step at a time, one small challenge at a time. Don't say it. Don't eat it. Believe it. Bible before breakfast. Run. Do I really need it? I tried, I controlled, I slipped and I started over again. I learned.
Through self-control I gained power. I ran marathons, got healthier, and grew closer to God. No longer does self-control mean limitation to me. Self-control doesn't close my options it opens my heart, my mind and my connection to God and to myself.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Is this Writers Block?
Every day for as long as I remember I write.
I write to myself
I started writing a book
I blog
I write letters
I write a silly story
I write about my "epiphanies"
I even, occasionally, write a poem
I write anything and everything I think about. I love to write.
Then I decided that should make a plan and write with more direction. I had it all figured out, I would write at least 500 words a day, I would work on a book that I had already started. I decided I needed to figure out my focus of writing. Am I going to write books or informative articles or short stories? If I write a book what type of book? Mystery, funny, work-related? So many things went through my mind.
Then it happened... I stopped writing. So much pressure to write and to write with a purpose that I no longer wanted to write. I no longer have anything to say. I guess I have writer's block!
So, as of today, I write again. Anything and everything. As much as I would like to have a direction or purpose for my writing, I don't think I can. Making it a "job" takes all the fun out of it.
the end
I write to myself
I started writing a book
I blog
I write letters
I write a silly story
I write about my "epiphanies"
I even, occasionally, write a poem
I write anything and everything I think about. I love to write.
Then I decided that should make a plan and write with more direction. I had it all figured out, I would write at least 500 words a day, I would work on a book that I had already started. I decided I needed to figure out my focus of writing. Am I going to write books or informative articles or short stories? If I write a book what type of book? Mystery, funny, work-related? So many things went through my mind.
Then it happened... I stopped writing. So much pressure to write and to write with a purpose that I no longer wanted to write. I no longer have anything to say. I guess I have writer's block!
So, as of today, I write again. Anything and everything. As much as I would like to have a direction or purpose for my writing, I don't think I can. Making it a "job" takes all the fun out of it.
the end
Monday, December 14, 2009
Dream Boards & Mind Games
Ever have a friend that is almost addicting to hang out with? Someone who can always make you laugh and who seems to always be in a good mood? A few years ago I hung out with someone like that, I'll call her Jodi.
There was something about Jodi, something infectious. She could brighten even the darkest days and her laugh could make you smile and believe everything would be okay.
Jodi introduced me to many new people, a few new hangouts, a couple of new drinks and something called a dream board. At first I thought it was really silly. It sounded like a kindergarten project. When she said she was coming over with some wine so we could make dream boards I was interested. When she showed up with magazines, poster board scissors and glue sticks I thought she was kidding.
What happened to the really crazy and fun girl I liked hanging out with? Now she wanted to cut out pictures of what we want and glue them to a board? This was a whole new kind of crazy!
I asked her what the purpose was and she explained to me that we bring about what we think about and that if we put all the things we want on a board and keep them in front of us, where we can see it regularly, we can make make our dreams come true.
Figuring I had nothing to lose I went along with it. We had fun pasting pictures and drinking wine. I felt like I was back in college working on a project of some sort. I glued on pictures of people kayaking in New Zealand and ski slopes in Aspen, pictures of families having fun and women with perfect bodies, why not think big, right? After Jodi left I added a picture of a woman's beautiful long hair. I have never had good hair. I figured if I am going to test this dream board thing out why not see if I can make myself some good hair.
I kept the dream board in my closet on the shelf where I get clothes everyday. I didn't pay much attention to any of the pictures other than the hair one. I looked at that picture everyday and would laugh as I would tell myself "Wow, my hair is growing so fast and is looking so beautiful." It was like a game. I know our minds are very powerful but could I really will my hair to grow and be healthy?
Several weeks passed and then it happened. I started getting compliments on my hair. This was new for me because I never get hair compliments. I can't remember now who they were but I remember three people made comments to me in one week that my hair looked nice and looked longer. Later that week I ran into Jodi and she literally did a double take. She was working when I saw her, looked over, finished what she was doing then came up to me and said "You're hair is really getting long."
Nobody knew about my picture or my little self affirmations. I highly doubt my hair could grow a noticeable difference in three weeks so now I was confused. Confusion turned into panic. Maybe my hair is in such a need for a haircut and looks so horrible that nobody knows what to say so they say it looks good. How is that for positive thinking?
I have decided to believe that we DO bring about what we think about. We notice what we are aware of or what is present in our minds. Think about it... you bought a new car, now you see cars just like it everywhere, you want a baby and suddenly everyone you know is pregnant, you name your child Kelsey because you don't hear that name much but when you take her to the park you find every kid there is named Kelsey.
Coincidence? I think not.
There IS something to this "bring about what we think about" concept. I just don't know what it is or exactly how it works. I may never figure it out but for now I am going to keep on the positive side of things and not risk bringing about the bad stuff.
Did I mention to you that I LOVE Mondays! Mondays always seem to be so productive and I make so many sales to such happy people on Mondays. Oh and Tuesdays too! While I'm at it, I also have a winning lottery ticket for this weeks power ball thing (or at least I am buying it at 7-11 tomorrow morning!) :)
There was something about Jodi, something infectious. She could brighten even the darkest days and her laugh could make you smile and believe everything would be okay.
Jodi introduced me to many new people, a few new hangouts, a couple of new drinks and something called a dream board. At first I thought it was really silly. It sounded like a kindergarten project. When she said she was coming over with some wine so we could make dream boards I was interested. When she showed up with magazines, poster board scissors and glue sticks I thought she was kidding.
What happened to the really crazy and fun girl I liked hanging out with? Now she wanted to cut out pictures of what we want and glue them to a board? This was a whole new kind of crazy!
I asked her what the purpose was and she explained to me that we bring about what we think about and that if we put all the things we want on a board and keep them in front of us, where we can see it regularly, we can make make our dreams come true.
Figuring I had nothing to lose I went along with it. We had fun pasting pictures and drinking wine. I felt like I was back in college working on a project of some sort. I glued on pictures of people kayaking in New Zealand and ski slopes in Aspen, pictures of families having fun and women with perfect bodies, why not think big, right? After Jodi left I added a picture of a woman's beautiful long hair. I have never had good hair. I figured if I am going to test this dream board thing out why not see if I can make myself some good hair.
I kept the dream board in my closet on the shelf where I get clothes everyday. I didn't pay much attention to any of the pictures other than the hair one. I looked at that picture everyday and would laugh as I would tell myself "Wow, my hair is growing so fast and is looking so beautiful." It was like a game. I know our minds are very powerful but could I really will my hair to grow and be healthy?
Several weeks passed and then it happened. I started getting compliments on my hair. This was new for me because I never get hair compliments. I can't remember now who they were but I remember three people made comments to me in one week that my hair looked nice and looked longer. Later that week I ran into Jodi and she literally did a double take. She was working when I saw her, looked over, finished what she was doing then came up to me and said "You're hair is really getting long."
Nobody knew about my picture or my little self affirmations. I highly doubt my hair could grow a noticeable difference in three weeks so now I was confused. Confusion turned into panic. Maybe my hair is in such a need for a haircut and looks so horrible that nobody knows what to say so they say it looks good. How is that for positive thinking?
I have decided to believe that we DO bring about what we think about. We notice what we are aware of or what is present in our minds. Think about it... you bought a new car, now you see cars just like it everywhere, you want a baby and suddenly everyone you know is pregnant, you name your child Kelsey because you don't hear that name much but when you take her to the park you find every kid there is named Kelsey.
Coincidence? I think not.
There IS something to this "bring about what we think about" concept. I just don't know what it is or exactly how it works. I may never figure it out but for now I am going to keep on the positive side of things and not risk bringing about the bad stuff.
Did I mention to you that I LOVE Mondays! Mondays always seem to be so productive and I make so many sales to such happy people on Mondays. Oh and Tuesdays too! While I'm at it, I also have a winning lottery ticket for this weeks power ball thing (or at least I am buying it at 7-11 tomorrow morning!) :)
Friday, December 11, 2009
Christmas Letter
Well, I finally finished it; my Christmas letter for 2010!
Every year since 1998 I have written my Christmas letter in December for the NEXT YEAR. I know this sounds silly but that is how I do my goals for the upcoming year.
I write my letter how I with what I want it to say and I have my family tell me their paragraph as well. I keep the letter handy all year and we strive to do everything we already said we did so we will have an interesting letter to send! Of course I never get around to actually sending the letter the next year. I have yet to send this years letter out. Maybe this weekend.
In 2001 my paragraph went something like this:
Sherry the mom. Works from home. Ran several races-taking second place in one. Swims weekly. Takes Pilates. Took kids to Chicago's Navy Pier, Mackinaw Island and camping. Elementary school popcorn mom, Nightly homework tutor. Christmas Wish: Healthy smiling children.
I sent this letter out (including a paragraph for each member of my family) and my now ex-mother-in-law called me right away when she got the letter.
"Are you sick?" she asked me in a panic.
"No, what would make you think that?"
"Well your letter said you are taking Pilates... is that some kind of medicine?"
I still laugh about that today.
My letter is now written and it looks like I'm going to have a fun and adventurous year next year, not to mention accomplish a few goals I have been putting off!
Happy New Year
Every year since 1998 I have written my Christmas letter in December for the NEXT YEAR. I know this sounds silly but that is how I do my goals for the upcoming year.
I write my letter how I with what I want it to say and I have my family tell me their paragraph as well. I keep the letter handy all year and we strive to do everything we already said we did so we will have an interesting letter to send! Of course I never get around to actually sending the letter the next year. I have yet to send this years letter out. Maybe this weekend.
In 2001 my paragraph went something like this:
Sherry the mom. Works from home. Ran several races-taking second place in one. Swims weekly. Takes Pilates. Took kids to Chicago's Navy Pier, Mackinaw Island and camping. Elementary school popcorn mom, Nightly homework tutor. Christmas Wish: Healthy smiling children.
I sent this letter out (including a paragraph for each member of my family) and my now ex-mother-in-law called me right away when she got the letter.
"Are you sick?" she asked me in a panic.
"No, what would make you think that?"
"Well your letter said you are taking Pilates... is that some kind of medicine?"
I still laugh about that today.
My letter is now written and it looks like I'm going to have a fun and adventurous year next year, not to mention accomplish a few goals I have been putting off!
Happy New Year
Monday, December 7, 2009
Monday again?
I hate Monday's. I hate Tuesday's too.
It's not that I hate my job, I don't. Nothing special happens on Monday that would make me dread it. Monday and Tuesday are pretty much the same as the rest of my week. I just can't stand starting a new week after the weekend.
I think some of the problem isn't work, but life in general. On Sunday the banks, the post office and other businesses are closed. It is almost as though I have a break from reality. Monday rolls around, the bills are back in the mailbox and the bank calls to give me a friendly reminder that my "grace period" is up in five days for this month's mortgage. My kids tell me on the way to school that they need more lunch money and their gym shoes are too small then I walk into work to find we have a meeting to discuss why nobody made their goals last month. It's not even nine in the morning and I am exhausted.
Something must change and this is the perfect time to make that change, but how?
For the past eleven months I have dreaded Monday's and knew I had to do something to make a change yet I tolerated, secretly hoping something would just change on it's own. Nothing happened, well, maybe things got a bit worse! That is the problem with waiting for things to happen on their own; change is inevitable. You can do nothing and it is certain change will happen but if you do nothing the change might be in the opposite direction of what you want.
Time to get serious and this is the perfect time to decide that. New Years Resolutions! I love this time of the year. Time to wipe the slate clean and start over; a do-over so to speak! 2008 was a great year and looking back at my list from this time last year, I accomplished a lot. I completed all but one of my "goals" and that last one I am working on right now. I have a tendency sometimes to wait to the last minute and on this particular goal it seems I will finish December 31st! Anyway, now is the time to figure out how to make me NOT hate Monday's in 2010.
I don't know exactly how I am going to make it happen yet but I will find a way. My initial thought is to get ahead on bills and complete all my online bill pay so I get very little mail. However, in the end it might just be that every Monday I treat myself to a large coffee mocha and a biscotti at Espresso Bay on my way to work. It might not help my pocketbook but I would sure look forward to Mondays.
It's not that I hate my job, I don't. Nothing special happens on Monday that would make me dread it. Monday and Tuesday are pretty much the same as the rest of my week. I just can't stand starting a new week after the weekend.
I think some of the problem isn't work, but life in general. On Sunday the banks, the post office and other businesses are closed. It is almost as though I have a break from reality. Monday rolls around, the bills are back in the mailbox and the bank calls to give me a friendly reminder that my "grace period" is up in five days for this month's mortgage. My kids tell me on the way to school that they need more lunch money and their gym shoes are too small then I walk into work to find we have a meeting to discuss why nobody made their goals last month. It's not even nine in the morning and I am exhausted.
Something must change and this is the perfect time to make that change, but how?
For the past eleven months I have dreaded Monday's and knew I had to do something to make a change yet I tolerated, secretly hoping something would just change on it's own. Nothing happened, well, maybe things got a bit worse! That is the problem with waiting for things to happen on their own; change is inevitable. You can do nothing and it is certain change will happen but if you do nothing the change might be in the opposite direction of what you want.
Time to get serious and this is the perfect time to decide that. New Years Resolutions! I love this time of the year. Time to wipe the slate clean and start over; a do-over so to speak! 2008 was a great year and looking back at my list from this time last year, I accomplished a lot. I completed all but one of my "goals" and that last one I am working on right now. I have a tendency sometimes to wait to the last minute and on this particular goal it seems I will finish December 31st! Anyway, now is the time to figure out how to make me NOT hate Monday's in 2010.
I don't know exactly how I am going to make it happen yet but I will find a way. My initial thought is to get ahead on bills and complete all my online bill pay so I get very little mail. However, in the end it might just be that every Monday I treat myself to a large coffee mocha and a biscotti at Espresso Bay on my way to work. It might not help my pocketbook but I would sure look forward to Mondays.
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