Attitude Check

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step………..

I was tired of feeling sick and tired, so this past July, I decided to make a change.

Change is never easy, even if the change is healthy and good. Often times, those outward changes we make are not nearly as defining as the inward ones.

I have a thyroid autoimmune disease, and gluten sensitivity. I was diagnosed with the former, in my early teens, the latter, several months ago. I was feeling really sorry for myself. I knew I hadn’t felt well for some time, but knowing I was going to have to “give up” favorite foods and begin to consciously read labels left me feeling down. It didn’t seem fair.

Although I would consider myself fairly active, I knew I needed to exercise more. Strength and flexibility grow increasingly important as I grow older.

More than changing my eating habits and exercising more, I have changed my attitude. Since, I’ve been thinking more about my attitude lately, this quote I came across from Charles Swindoll seems apropos. I might commit this to memory.

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company…a church….a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude…I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you…we are in charge of our attitudes.” –Charles R. Swindoll

Shooting Stars

Image by Jasen Miller via Flickr

My “walking buddy” and I are out the door and walking by 6 a.m. in the morning. The past couple of mornings it has been pitch black outside and COLD. I’m trying to convince myself that this early morning exercise is invigorating. As long as I’m layered up, I’m okay…and to tell the truth I like the cold more than I do the hot. Too much heat and humidity just makes me crazy. Crazier than usual…and that is saying something.

1. Walking in the early morning darkness can be a little creepy.

2. I hear things.

3. Things that rustle in the the trees and bushes on the side of the road.

4. Things that probably have hooves, or claws, or teeth.

5. I make myself feel better by reminding myself that they are more afraid of me…

6. Than I am of them. Hopefully.

7. Don’t tell me otherwise.

8. I do enjoy the time to talk with my friend.

9. It is very satisfying to solve the world’s problems, before breakfast.

10. We are that good.

11. Really

12. Okay, maybe not…but, we try.

13. And it’s good therapy.

14. And way cheaper.

15. Yesterday and today the sky has been crystal clear.

16. Breathtaking, really.

17. I saw 2 shooting stars yesterday.

18. And 3 more today.

19. There is something about looking into the heavens…

20. Realizing how small I actually am.

21. In the big scheme of things.

22. It makes me in awe

23. Of He who created the stars in the skys

24. And calls each by name.

25. Peace

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Boot Camp

Image via Wikipedia

A couple of years ago my sister in law told me about a workout called T-Tapp. I tried to stay focused on the exercises but, at the time we were beginning to build a new house out of state, pack boxes, and things were just crazy. To say the least.  This is not to mention I didn’t have a square foot of space to exercise in. That is not an exaggeration.

I am now ready. I was going to start boot camp last week, but could not find my DVD. I’m happy to say that my daughter located it and we had our first session last evening. This is how it went…

1. Teresa Tapp is older than I am, but the woman is perky.

2. I would like to be perky.

3. When I am bending my knees, tucking my butt, and pushing my shoulders back…

4. Not so much.

5. Perky is not the word that comes to mind.

6. I won’t say what comes to mind.

7. I’m doing the 14 day boot camp.

8. This is not like summer camp.

9. More like a concentration camp.

10. That’s okay, though.

11. I am focused this time.

12. When I’m truly focused, I am like a dog with a bone.

13. I won’t give up.

14. Even if it kills me.

15. And it might.

16. Honestly, Teresa Tapp is spot on when it comes to working muscles layer by layer.

17. She comes from a physical therapy/exercise physiology background.

18. She gets it.

19. And I appreciate that.

20. She also promises loss of inches.

21. I’m all about fitting into my skinny jeans, again.

22. Don’t laugh.

23. I have a goal.

24. My new motto is, “Best I Can Be By 43 or Die Trying”

25. That’s snappy, huh?

26. In the meantime my 15 year old daughter and I are going to be the workout queens.

27. Or maybe I should say, “Queen and princess.”

28. Last night we thought we were dying…I, for one, was in need of resuscitation.

29. The men in the family might have found us curled up in a fetal position.

30. Twitching.

31. Mumbling about tucking out butt…..

32. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case.

33. Because we are women.

34. And we are tough.

35. And we will be fit and fabulous in no time.

36. If we aren’t dead first, that is.

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• Fabulous Muscles (Mama Black Widow Version) (ask.metafilter.com)
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