Changes & AWESOME Ideas!
Do you ever just need change? I do! I love change! You've probably noticed that. I change my plans, I change my blog, I'm changing me. You may notice I've gone from a three column blog to two. I've been playing with the sizing, so if you are seeing anything funky, please let me know (things like text overlaying each other or running of the page, or not being centered).
What kind of changes are you working on?
This has been a year of changes for me. But I think one of the things I've learned is that who I am is just perfect! I am a beautiful individual and am just who I need to be. And all of the people that I have met, they're beautiful too! Every single one of them! It's just the outer layer that needs to be shed. No, I'm not talking about the lbs (although those are welcome to leave any time, right?). I think that each of us at the core are perfect. We are exactly as God intended. The problem is we go through life and all this "other" stuff gets in the way of who we really are. It's like when you have something sticky, like a sucker (a really big one, and it's heart shaped), and you walk outside and some of those white dandelions get blown by the wind and get stuck to your sucker (okay, bad analogy, I couldn't think of anything! :D) Underneath is a perfectly good sucker. Sweet, tasty, etc. Now, you just have to pull of each of the little dandelions fluffs (okay, this just went from bad to worse!). Those little fluffs are the negative habits, thoughts, experiences that we pick along the way. And to get to the yummy core, we just have to pull them off one by one! You with me? Let's get rid of the fluff!
So I picked up some great ideas today, and I wanted to share them with you.
Okay, first one. I have never really liked shopping! I think I did when I was younger, but the older I got, and the heavier I got, the less and less I liked it. I would even say for a long while, I hated it. Then, I finally made peace with it and we tolerate each other. This is how I shop, get in, try it on, get out as fast as possible! Also, I tend to talk to myself in the dressing room, and that leads to embarrassing moments!! It's quite comical really, I talk to myself as if I were a friend come to help. Haha, I think maybe the first step would be to bring a real friend rather than my imaginary one? Anyway... there is no joy in it. But... I think I might enjoy it if it wasn't so painful. So here is the idea I heard.
Let's say you need to buy some slacks. You should get three sizes to go in the dressing room. The size you think you actually are, and the two next sizes up. Start with the largest size and go down. It is much less painful to go down in sizes when trying them on, the up. The other part to it, is when you go into the dressing room, put on the pants while facing away from the mirror (and even close your eyes if you have to). Then once you find the pants that feel the best, you can look in the mirror. And by feel the best, I mean the ones that the waist band is not to loose or too tight. You can sit down in them comfortably. You can move in them easy and gently. Etc. Then, you can look. Then if you like the look as well, tada! You have a match, and it was painless and maybe even gave you some confidence in the choice you made. I'm going to try this the next time I go, I'll let you know.
Next, a tip on exercising, DON'T do it! (Don't leave, let me explain!) Instead, just move your body! What's the difference? One, I guess the reason behind it, and two is what you are doing. I've had several gym memberships. I've spent a lot of time in the gym working really hard (and not losing as much weight as I thought I deserved to be losing and getting more and more & more frustrated)! I've also had many many many months where I paid for my membership, but didn't use it once. In fact, I've done that more often then I want to admit. Anyway... now, I'm trying to look at exercise a little differently. Exercise is about LIFE not calories! It's about using your body and feeling ALIVE! It's about doing what you LOVE and what makes you FEEL GOOD! Yesterday I heard the best question, "What does the toddler inside of you want to do today"? Don't you love it??! I do! Think about a toddler you know. When they are running around chasing a dog, or playing in a pool, or even going for a walk with mommy, are they thinking about calories? Of course not! They are playing! They are having fun! They are doing what they love and probably feel really energized, happy, and healthy! That is what I want my activity to be. I want to do things that do make me feel alive and energized. That make me happy! For me, that could be going hiking (which I LOVE) or jogging (which I also love! I love that feeling of satisfaction knowing I'm doing something I never thought I could do and the time it gives me to be with my thoughts). I know that there are SO many health benefits to exercise, and I'm not trying to discount those. But let's be honest, if that were really a motivating factor for most people, we would be a healthy nation. But we aren't! But what if we let the real motivation be how it makes us FEEL? I think a LOT more people would move their body more if they didn't feel like they had to go to the gym to "exercise". And just for the record, if going to the gym does make you feel alive and great, then by ALL means, do it! I've heard so many good things about Zumba, Yoga, Pilates, Spinning, etc. Those are all in a gym, and I want to try them all because I think they sound just delightful! I guess what I'm trying to say, move your body to feel and be alive!
And the last tip I can't remember. When I do, I'll post it. Sorry, my brain doesn't seem to hold much these days! Hopefully those two will hit a nerve, if they do, I'd love to hear about it!
So I picked up some great ideas today, and I wanted to share them with you.
Okay, first one. I have never really liked shopping! I think I did when I was younger, but the older I got, and the heavier I got, the less and less I liked it. I would even say for a long while, I hated it. Then, I finally made peace with it and we tolerate each other. This is how I shop, get in, try it on, get out as fast as possible! Also, I tend to talk to myself in the dressing room, and that leads to embarrassing moments!! It's quite comical really, I talk to myself as if I were a friend come to help. Haha, I think maybe the first step would be to bring a real friend rather than my imaginary one? Anyway... there is no joy in it. But... I think I might enjoy it if it wasn't so painful. So here is the idea I heard.
Let's say you need to buy some slacks. You should get three sizes to go in the dressing room. The size you think you actually are, and the two next sizes up. Start with the largest size and go down. It is much less painful to go down in sizes when trying them on, the up. The other part to it, is when you go into the dressing room, put on the pants while facing away from the mirror (and even close your eyes if you have to). Then once you find the pants that feel the best, you can look in the mirror. And by feel the best, I mean the ones that the waist band is not to loose or too tight. You can sit down in them comfortably. You can move in them easy and gently. Etc. Then, you can look. Then if you like the look as well, tada! You have a match, and it was painless and maybe even gave you some confidence in the choice you made. I'm going to try this the next time I go, I'll let you know.
Next, a tip on exercising, DON'T do it! (Don't leave, let me explain!) Instead, just move your body! What's the difference? One, I guess the reason behind it, and two is what you are doing. I've had several gym memberships. I've spent a lot of time in the gym working really hard (and not losing as much weight as I thought I deserved to be losing and getting more and more & more frustrated)! I've also had many many many months where I paid for my membership, but didn't use it once. In fact, I've done that more often then I want to admit. Anyway... now, I'm trying to look at exercise a little differently. Exercise is about LIFE not calories! It's about using your body and feeling ALIVE! It's about doing what you LOVE and what makes you FEEL GOOD! Yesterday I heard the best question, "What does the toddler inside of you want to do today"? Don't you love it??! I do! Think about a toddler you know. When they are running around chasing a dog, or playing in a pool, or even going for a walk with mommy, are they thinking about calories? Of course not! They are playing! They are having fun! They are doing what they love and probably feel really energized, happy, and healthy! That is what I want my activity to be. I want to do things that do make me feel alive and energized. That make me happy! For me, that could be going hiking (which I LOVE) or jogging (which I also love! I love that feeling of satisfaction knowing I'm doing something I never thought I could do and the time it gives me to be with my thoughts). I know that there are SO many health benefits to exercise, and I'm not trying to discount those. But let's be honest, if that were really a motivating factor for most people, we would be a healthy nation. But we aren't! But what if we let the real motivation be how it makes us FEEL? I think a LOT more people would move their body more if they didn't feel like they had to go to the gym to "exercise". And just for the record, if going to the gym does make you feel alive and great, then by ALL means, do it! I've heard so many good things about Zumba, Yoga, Pilates, Spinning, etc. Those are all in a gym, and I want to try them all because I think they sound just delightful! I guess what I'm trying to say, move your body to feel and be alive!
And the last tip I can't remember. When I do, I'll post it. Sorry, my brain doesn't seem to hold much these days! Hopefully those two will hit a nerve, if they do, I'd love to hear about it!
Comments
And, the tips on trying on clothes - absolutely brilliant. This will be my plan from now on, and I'm sure there are plenty of readers who struggle with this....excellent post!