Thought dancing in my brain…
What do you believe, and how do you show it?
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Ready, Set….GO!
Does anyone else feel that with New Years Day falling on a Friday, that the weekend was kind of like getting ready for the marathon of 2021? Today being the first Monday it feels like I should be launching myself from the starting line and running full on into this year.
Kinda disappointing that there is a few administrative things to tidy up from last year, before I can turn my full attention to this year. Although I believe we have made a pretty good start.
Weather is cooperating, so our main line business keeps moving along. Kids have been working on their studies. Relationships are getting more intentional, with continuing date nights with my husband, and “church” building with my tribe.
So I guess we are off on the race through 2021 already, but it still somehow doesn’t feel like it.
Big goals for 2021, this marathon may be rather steep, but I am ready for it. I have been training for years for this moment in time. No turning back! No giving up!
Are you ready to push through the pain, cover the distance, and strive for the prize? What prize came to your mind just now? Pace yourself, find your groove, let’s go for the long haul!
Super Woman!
Well at least I dream of being “Super Woman” today.
I wish I was one of ‘those’ that have a plan, and a time frame, and everything comes out perfect. With not a hair out of place.
But it’s not, I’m not, and my family is kinda like herding cats, they all run in opposite directions.
So for today I be me, tomorrow, wonder woman will show up!
They will dream dreams
When you stop and sit silently and let your mind wander, what kind of dreams do you dream?
Is it in colour, or black ‘n white?
Who is with you, or are you all by yourself?
What does your dream smell like?
How does it make you feel?
Free yourself and dream at least for a little while today!
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL
Like waking up to a clean, fresh, snowfall, with out a track or defect, January 1st makes it’s appearance and humans unite in a new sense of hope and anticipation.
I really tried not to get sucked up into the new year thingy this year, but I can’t seem to help myself.
Ironically, well at first glance anyway, my “theme” last year was ‘restoration’. You would possibly think how in the world would someone have gotten restored in such a “backwards year as 2020”. But I woke up this morning with a sense of such peace. I really think it started yesterday with a conversation with my friend Tammy, were out of my mouth I spoke the words, “I am not going to strive so hard to be noticed. I used to feel invisible, so I would volunteer, work really hard, and still feel overlooked, unappreciated and invisible.” She spoke back her welcomed words of wisdom. And then I declared “I am not going to do this anymore, I am just going to be. No more striving, I am going to open myself, and be who I am created to be.”
Well that’s enough about the past, time to step into today!
This morning while basking in this surprising peace, and praying, my theme for this year came to me, “beauty“.
What is beauty anyway? Where does it come from? Does it have to be that much work or can we simplify it? Has our perception of beauty been tainted in any areas? If so, how do we heal those areas?
I see beauty all around me, but it has taken ‘decades’ to see beauty in myself. It is so easy to taint that beauty by our words and actions.
It may take all year to explore this topic, it is so large. But I know GOD made beautiful things for OUR enjoyment and pleasure. I am very ready to enjoy!
1 Peter 3:3-4 “Do not let my adornment be ‘merely’ outward-arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.”
People of God please note the word “merely” in this verse. God did not say hide your external beauty, which sometimes seems to become a thing for faithful women especially. But he did instruct us on our spirit.
A gentle and quiet spirit is also NOT the spirit of a “door mat”, you can still voice opinions and thoughts, and STAND for justice, and mercy in GRACE. Gentle and quiet is a peace, from God, that knows HE is at work making everything work together for the good of those that love HIM.
Who wants to join me this year in rediscovering beauty? Health, fitness, hair, makeup, style, and knowledge of who we are…. beauty around us, beauty within us, beauty shining through us.
I am all in on this journey!
I CHOOSE GRATITUDE! 2020-12-31
I AM THANKFUL FOR A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH MY SPOUSE.
I am thankful for a trip to Winnipeg with my friend Barb, and my daughter moving home.
I AM THANKFUL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT I HAVE AMAZING WOMEN FRIENDS IN MY LIFE THAT ARE WILLING TO DROP AND GO FOR ME.
I am thankful for the ability to stretch and grow and learn.
I AM THANKFUL FOR THIS BLOG PLATFORM AND MY FOLLOWERS, GIVING ME A PLACE TO EXPRESS MY THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS.
I am thankful for new beginnings.
I AM THANKFUL FOR THE FREEDOM OF HONESTY.
I am thankful for new found hobbies and talents.
I AM THANKFUL FOR FISHING DAYS WITH MY KIDS.
I am thankful for waking up this morning and the opportunity to make more memories.
I AM THANKFUL FOR MY FATHER THAT SENDS DELIGHT AFTER DELIGHT TO ME, IF I CHOOSE TO LOOK AND DISCOVER THEM.
What attitude do you choose today? If you choose gratitude share with me what you are most thankful for today.
What was the question again?
Have you ever thought, “if I only knew what the question was, I could find the answer, and then everything would become clear and possible?” Or am I the only one?
In my Life Coaching training, a majour portion of the concept is learning to ask the right questions to draw out the answers about purpose and direction that are already deep within ourselves.
So what is the question that I should be asking of myself today?
What question is foremost in your mind this fine day?
S.M.A.R.T.
Maybe I am not as ‘smart’ as I thought I am, because I sure do struggle to set “smart goals“.
Why is being specific so difficult when it comes to goal setting? I make specific decisions every single day. For example I decide what grocery store I am going to, what task I will perform, what I will wear. These things are specific, but anything that takes more than a day or so….
Maybe it’s the fear of failure. If it is written clearly, I have to become accountable to it. I can’t just make an excuse or become slothful, I actually have to “measure” my progress and adjust my course of action.
What is an achievable goal? I would assume it is anything you set your mind to, and take the appropriate steps to get to.
Relevant? Relevant, relevant to who? I would assume if I made a smart goal it would have to be relevant to myself, or does relevant mean the specific steps to get to the prize? See I am already confused.
Time is so fleeting, it slips away from me so fast. How is it the very last week of 2020 anyway? It still feels like November so how did we get HERE? If time slips through our fingers so easily, how do I set a goal around it?
See I don’t feel very ‘smart’ today! But for sure it’s time to get educated!
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————– DAY 3 CANDY’S FACTORY RESET:
- remember fruit, vegetables, meat, water
- work on schedules, and checklists to maximize productivity, while mindfully observing rest periods for well being and peace.
- eat breakfast, pay close attention to hunger cues. work on vision to be able to set smart goals.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————–FYI: day two: total failure on avoiding unhealthy choices:lesson eat breakfast and be mindful of hunger, stop and take care of self, but my success is, I did mindfully take a rest period yesterday afternoon when exhaustion started to overcome me.
Putting out fires
Yesterday being boxing day, would have been a great day to rest, relax, and recover from the excitement of Christmas. My body and mind and soul were all telling me I was tired. Did I listen? Well of course not!
I had been aware for quite sometime that there was a mess brewing up in one of my rooms in my home. It was calling for attention before it turned into something HUGE. A tiny fire, that if extinguished immediately literally would have taken fifteen or twenty minutes of my attention and five minutes of my husband’s. But did I nip it in the bud? Did I dowse it right away? NO! NO! NO!
I started the job of fighting this massive ‘fire’ as soon as I returned from driving my daughter to her work. I had every intention to take breaks and listen to my body, pace myself, hold onto my inner peace. Well like the saying goes “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”. Don’t ask me who said it, I have no idea, I have heard it all my life.
The job had become physically demanding, my body running on empty. My happy, determined mood did not take long to start to slip. Worse yet, I did not take a break, I did not rest, and it was not long till that ugly little monster started to grow inside of me again.
Worse yet he started feeding on the“poor me vibe”. After all, EVERYONE else in the house were enjoying their restful day, playing with their new ‘toys’. Could they not see how hard I was working? Could they not at least offer to help? Could they not at least pick up the stuff around themselves?
Oh poor, poor me! Oh how ugly that monster is when it rears it’s ugly head.
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I could focus on what my family did not do to help me. I could probably make a good case, and convict them, BUT…
God gave me patience, love, and a strong mind. I did not listen to my inner voice crying out to me to take extra care of body and soul. I stubbornly pushed through till my peace had slipped down and was being trampled on by pain and frustration.
The pain in my body started screaming. My frustration of mind, knowing I, yes “I”, had not extinguished the spark before it became an inferno out of control, had me snapping and growling, like an injured dog!
This was not a part of my original design! This was a learned behaviour, a habit, a crutch! This is my behaviour to change!
It’s time to actually listen to myself, it has A LOT to say!
DAY 2 CANDY’S FACTORY RESET:
1.remember fruit, vegetables, meat, water, oh yes and coffee LOL
2.work on schedules, and check lists to maximize productivity, while mindfully observing rest periods for well being and peace.
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(FYI I survived day 1 on CANDY’S FACTORY RESET! Slipped a little in dairy, but I am not terribly concerned about dairy anyway. Pushing 50, calcium is good!)
Now or Later
How many times have you wanted to start some type of self improvement plan, but the timing wasn’t right? For myself, over and over again!
What type of things should we consider when deciding when to start? Should we really consider holidays, schedules, commitments, weather, kids….? Or should we just start?
I know I have discussed it before and I certainly don’t want to sound like a broken record, but one pressing area in my life is my near constant aches and pains. I believe that my diet and exercise habits, probably contribute to this current condition.
You would think that actual physical pain would be an exceptional motivator for immediate change. For myself though, the “it’s Christmas” excuse, with all the treats and goodies, is the current run to, to avoid actually taking responsibility for myself and my choices.
Do I really have that little self control? Can I not control myself from stuffing that cookie, and chocolate into my mouth? It’s inanimate for crying out loud, it’s not going to jump up and force me, it can’t threaten my family, it’s just a yummy delicious cookie!!!!
Food in the past has always been a comfort area for me. A soother! I have so many happy memories of family and friends gathering around the kitchen at my grandparents home eating, and laughing together. My other gran would love to go shopping and then dine at the local Chinese restaurant.
Then there is the flavour sensation. I am very stimulated by taste and smell.
But why in the world can’t a delectable sweet and juicy piece of fruit, or a savoury bite of herb seasoned steak substitute for that cookie?
The cost of that cookie might be much higher than, a prime rib steak if these aches and pains develop into something much more serious. What about the cost to my children when I get too sore and grouchy to play or engage with them? What about my favourite outfit that went into the give away bag because I couldn’t get it past my thighs? What about the physical ability to take that hike through the hills of northern Ontario next summer with my family? What about the fact that not one, but three of my aunts have kidney disease? The cost of that treat could be very very high!
My physician once told me that it can take up to two weeks for our body to rid itself of what we ingest. Therefore to know or feel for sure the changes will take some time. I am thinking a 30 day trial is on the menu.
I am not sure what or if I am sensitive to food, but in a couple of preliminary trials I have noticed significant changes if I reduce or eliminate added sugar and breads from my diet. My brother and my uncle both have full blown celiac disease Logically this is what I should target first again.
Well here I am again DAY 1 of “Candy’s Factory Reset”, reduce sugar intake, eliminate gluten, watch out for additives and colours.
Simplify it girl! Meat/Vegetables/Fruit/Water sounds simple enough. Oh yes and coffee, that is an important food group to keep right? LOL
Today IS day 1, no more putting off, I’M WORTH IT!
Beautiful Remade 