I am searching for a better life. Not that my life is bad, but it could be better. The first thing that Pastor Kevin (PK) talked about was making a list. How do you know if you have a better life if you don't know what all that requires? Not only do I need to make a long term list, I also need to make a daily list of the 6 most important things that I need to get done that day, in order of importance. So, Sunday night (01/18/2014) I made my list of the top 10 things I wanted to do or have to make a better life for myself. I wrote them in no particular order and hung them in my bathroom, on the mirror, so I would see them every single day, morning and night. After just 2 days, it reaffirms my focus every morning, because now I know what I working so hard for.
1. Spend time with God
2. Workout at gym or outside (except Wednesdays)
After those two things, my list normally consists of homework or chores that I need to get done that day. I am amazed at the peace that comes from spending just a short time with God first thing each morning. My last two days have been so stress free and relaxed, even with a really bad migraine last night. I have been going to the gym or walking at the park for a little over a week now and I am starting to crave it. Now, don't get me wrong, I still argue with myself every morning when my alarm goes off at 7:00 AM, and I still have to force myself to get up most days, but the difference is that I am actually getting up! I let myself "sleep in" on Sundays because I don't have near the amount of things to do on the weekend, but the last two weekends that has only been till 8:30 AM. Anyone who knows me knows that I am NOT a morning person and I hate getting up early and missing out on sleep. But, I am finally committed to doing this to achieve my goals to have a better life.
Another way to get me to commit to something is to make me pay for it. I joined a gym (www.trainatfunctionalfitness.com) and I work with my trainer, Celeste, twice a week. So far I love it...not sure how well I am doing, but I know I go home sore! Last Monday was my first session and I was sore till the weekend. My muscles had not done exercise in so long that I think they were revolting. After my second session, I was still sore, but my body recovered much faster than it had the week before. She cheers me on, holds me accountable, and gives me knowledge about how to cope with things in real life. On the days I am not scheduled with her, I wake up early and go to the gym and ride the bike and walk on the treadmill. On the weekends, I bundle up and go walk at the park. I'd love to be able to run a 5K one day, but at my weight now, that is not a smart thing to do. But, I can walk one...
And that is the next commitment that I made. I signed up for a membership with the Atlanta Track Club last week. I am not a runner, but with my membership comes free entry to several races. I liked that. I read the course requirements for several of them and found that the top limits for times (25min/mile) were well within my range for walking. I might come in dead last place, but at least I am making the effort. So, with that, I registered for my very first 5K last weekend and it takes place on Saturday, February 7th. It is called the Heart and Soles 5K. I had to sign myself up in order to make myself go. Otherwise, I would keep putting it off until the date passed. I will not be running this 5K (or any other race anytime soon) but I will walk it and I will finish it and I will work harder every day to get better.
Another one of lifelong dreams has been to complete the Peachtree Road Race. Every year, we go to Lenox Square for the 4th of July and watch the fireworks. Every year I see all the people and their shirts and every year I tell my family or friends that I want to do that "next year." Well, next year has moved from 1998 to 2015! So, the other reason I signed up with Atlanta Track Club is that it comes with guaranteed entry to the Peachtree if you sign up by February 1st. Again, there is no way that I could run a 10K this year, but I can walk it. I worked as a volunteer last year, handing out water to the people who passed by and I saw many people walking and working hard to climb those hills to the finish line. It will not be an easy task even to walk it in the summer heat in downtown Atlanta, but it will be worth it. My family thinks I am crazy for wanting to do it (and get up crazy early as well) but I hope they will be at the finish line to cheer me on when I do it. Who knows, maybe next year, I could actually run it!
I am eating so much better and enjoying it at the same time. Most days I have to pack my meals and snacks for the whole day, but it is worth it. This has not been, nor will it be, an easy task for me. I have some serious problems when it comes to unhealthy food and right now, I can't even have it in my house. It's too tempting. I eat before I go do my grocery shopping and that makes it so much easier to stroll down the frozen aisle to get veggies and pass up the ice cream. I also avoid the cookie and cracker aisle like it's the plague! Because for me, right now, it's too much of a temptation and eventually my "willpower" will fail...if it didn't, I wouldn't be where I am right now. And another miracle is that I am willingly drinking 1 GALLON of plain water every day. It has gotten to wear it is an easy thing for me to do and I find that I crave it as well when I have gone too long without it.
I am thankful for those who believe in me and cheer me on daily: Celeste, Angela, Nathan, my parents, and my sister, just to name a few. I know there are people who pray for me every day and probably even some that I don't even know. But know this, my daily prayer is that someone will read this or see this and find some kind of inspiration in my struggles, I hope and pray that I can impact just one person in this journey of mine...for someone to know that even what seems impossible, can be made possible with the right tools, hard work, and positive people in your life.
Check out www.teamendured.com to find out more about Operation Caryn's Smiles and more about how to get involved in encouraging others in their journey as well. Be Brave, Be Badass!
#bebravebebadass #neverquit #neverevergiveup #nevertoolatetotryagain #committmentishard
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