a moment to refocusonlife - Aim Higher!

Happy Tuesday to all my peeps out there!
Rev. Flemon McIntosh, Jr stated, "The greater danger for most us is not that the aim is too high and we miss it, but the aim is too low and we reach it."

Think about that for a minute...
How often have we set goals for ourselves that are truly high enough for the potential that each and every one of us have? While I've read about, and posted here before, about setting specific, attainable goals, it's also VERY important to have lofty goals.

Try not to eat too many of these! <Hey, now there's a goal!>

When I started on my journey, about 15 months ago, I started with easy, reachable goals. I wanted to make sure that I avoided the foods that I knew were triggers. That was my short term goal. For my long term goal,  I gave myself 6 months to lose 59 pounds.

I still find myself working on short term goals that give me a feeling of success in the present, but I try to consciously stay aware of the long range plans that keep me reaching for the stars. This week, because I've recently saw my blood glucose numbers rise a bit (due to a change in medications), I've vowed to eat fewer starchy carbohydrates each day. That's my plan for this week. Who knows what next week might bring. But, while I'm focusing on my weekly (or daily) goal, the long range plan right now is to be able to compete in the Warrior Dash in May 2014.

So, take a minute today to refocusonlife and set some small goals, but make sure that you also aim higher and set your long range goals. With that in mind, as Casey Kasem always said, "keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!"

I hope that each and every one of you have a fantastic week! Best of luck to all the kids, parents, and teachers out there that started back to school this week! May it be the best year ever!

a moment to refocusonlife - letting go!

It's hard to let go of things. I have some trinkets, some jewelry, and a few books that I've held onto for years for no reason other than the sentimental value they hold. I do not mind the fact that this stuff more or less clutters up a small drawer or two at home. They have meaning. I want to keep them.

Me in my suit 10/27/2011

But, something I did not want to keep, but had trouble letting go of was all my "fat clothes" (Hey--I call a spade a spade--sue me!) Yes, fear paralyzed me even though my waist is now approximately 8 inches smaller around than it was before. (Yep, I was wear size 40 or 42" pants and I can now wear a 33" waist.) It truly is fear that kept my closet full of those clothes.

Fear of the what if's? Most people who lose weight gain it back, right? Most people who lose weight gain it back plus some, right? I hate thinking like that, but it's reality. I've heard it over and over from Doctor's, to talk show hosts, to random articles on the internet. It's a statistical fact! So, I better hang on to those big clothes so I don't have to spend money on an entirely new wardrobe again!

Me in one leg of the same
suit pants 8/17/2013

WRONG. This weekend, I took the first step in an emotional healing process. I cleaned out our closet. We had three 6-foot long racks full of clothing. From those 18 feet of clothing, I culled down what I could wear to about 5 feet of clothing I've bought in the past 6 months.

Yes, it felt good, but at the same time my stomach was knotted. I, truly, was near panic mode when I started. But, in the end, Mark encouraged me, helped me, and we truly did a spiritual, emotional, and physical cleansing of the fat men we were before!

We will traverse this journey together. If I gain 5 pounds, I'll work harder to take that 5 pounds back off! I will NOT allow myself to slip up and end up back in the same (much larger) boat that I was in before!

It's time we all let go of some of the emotional and physical baggage we carry around with us every single day! It's just time-consuming, harmful, and not worth the energy!

What are some things you need to let go of?

a moment to refocusonlife

Have you had the opportunity to see the Geico commercial with the camel? That's right, what's today? You guessed it! Hump day! Happy Hump Day everyone! At least we know the camels out there are excited today is Wednesday. I'm a little less thrilled than a camel that it's hump day, but at least we're almost to the top of the workweek hump and will soon be making our way back down the other side. Let's hear it for the second half of the week!

refocus on sunset 8/13/2013 Lake James

Every single hour of every single day of every single week, we are faced with choices. Sometimes those choices put us up against some really tough decisions. We need to be courageous to make some decisions and deal with the rewards or consequences of those decisions. Mark Twain once said, "courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."

So, remember if you're faced with tough circumstances today, tomorrow, or next hump day, make sure you realize that even the most successful, the most powerful, and the strongest people in the world have moments of fear, but those people know that conquering our fears and weaknesses are the cornerstones of success.

Be well. "Be happier than a camel on Wednesday" and remember to take a moment to refocusonlife today!

a moment to refocusonlife

Happy Tuesday! 

Yep, it's late on Tuesday, but it's still Tuesday. I waited until 9pm to write this blog entry to make a comparison between yesterday and today. As I've mentioned before, I like gadgets. One of my favorites is my Fitbit One. It's a pedometer and sleep monitor. Mark and I have been having "step challenges" to see if we can make it to certain number of steps a day. 

Me and Scooter 8/5/2013

Many weekend days, we have a 10,000 step challenge. It's harder throughout the week for me to get that many steps. Monday, August 5th, I took the day off to spend with my family. We took a trip to Catawba Falls in Old Fort. As a result, Mark and I challenged one another with a 10,000 step challenge. Yesterday, I finished the day with 13,436 steps (the equivalent of 6.24 miles). Wow! What a day! 

Today, I returned to the office. As of 9pm, I had accumulated 3,240 steps (1.51 miles). Wow! What a BAD day! I even made an effort to walk more today. I made extra trips to the printer and moved stuff to storage in my office in an effort to clean up a bit. 

The point here is, my daily goal (according to fitbit and other research) is 10,000 steps. It's incredibly difficult to reach that many steps a day when the bulk of my day is spent sitting in front of a computer. Armed with that knowledge, I have to actively work harder each and every day to be more active. 

So, don't be surprised when you see me running around the office, making extra trips to the printer, and standing at my desk. All the while, working hard at putting out all the IT fires that come my way! Of course, there's only so much activity a person can get when the J O B requires hands on keys...

Anyone have any suggestions for me?