Follow Your Dreams

Hopefully you have written down your dreams, thought about the choices you are making today that affect those dreams and now are ready to do something fun!  Have you heard of a vision board?  A vision board is just that, a board that has pictures of your dreams.  A poster board works well.  You cut out pictures that fit your dream.  Want a new Mercedes, then cut out a picture of a Mercedes and glue it to your board.  Want to feed starving children then find a picture of starving children and glue it on. Do you want to have more time to yourself? Spend with your spouse? Your children?  You get the idea; whatever your dream is find a visual representation and glue it to your board.  When you are finished you need to hang it somewhere that you will see it daily!  Then look at your goal sheet from our 10/22/2013 blog.  Get it out and look at your 90, 60, 30 day plan.  What are you going to do TODAY that is going to get you closer to obtaining your goal.  Then write it down and check it off as you complete each action step.  Remember to make your goals measurable; meaning they have a verb stating what you will be doing so you can check them off as they are accomplished.  This will make you feel successful and powerful and keep you moving in a positive direction.  As you check each one off you are one step closer to realizing your dream.  Keep putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward.  I know some of you are thinking but what if I don’t get everything on the list done today, then I’m a failure…NO YOU ARE NOT!! You move it to tomorrow and start fresh with tomorrow.  This isn’t a beat myself up game.  Life is a marathon not a sprint and you will stumble and things will happen.  The difference is you don’t give up you start fresh daily and focus on what you CAN do not what you can’t or didn’t do.  NEGATIVE thinking will keep you from obtaining your goals and living your dream.  You must focus on the positive and keep moving forward.  That is not to say that negative things won’t happen but you can chose to be positive today about whatever happens and not let it get you down. 

You are making positive steps toward living your dream!  Keep moving forward and you will be amazed at your success.  Dare to dream outside the box!! You deserve a wonderful life.

Follow your dreams, believe in yourself and don't give up.
Rachel Corrie

Nena

How will the choices you make today affect you tomorrow?

Did you write down your dream?  Make your plan?  How are the choices you make today affecting you in obtaining your dream life?  Which areas of your life need to be changed so that your dreams can come true?  These are not small questions.  Sometimes I find that I need quiet time to ponder the answers to these questions and quiet time is not always easy to find.  Every day we have to make choices regarding our time, money, family, friends, etc.  Each choice we make whether large or small affects many aspects of our life.  Choosing not to plan is planning for failure.  Try to find 5-10 minutes each evening to think about what you will be doing tomorrow and where you will be.  Then plan your day accordingly.  Do you stop to get coffee (or soda) in the morning because you don’t have time or energy to make it at home?  Even if you only spend $1 a day (that doesn’t sound like a lot does it?) that’s about $25 a month and $300 a year or $1500 over your 5 year plan.  What could you do with an extra $1500?  Do you buy lunch out because you don’t have time to make a lunch?  A very modest amount for lunch would be $4 a day (and I bet you spend more). That would be $20 a week, which is at least $80 a month, $960 a year, and $4800 over 5 years. Just coffee or soda and lunches over your five year goal period could have saved you over $6,000. See how the little choices we make daily and don’t really give any thought to could make an impact on our achieving our goals?

Maybe you don’t like spending an entire weekend day cleaning or maybe your house doesn’t get cleaned because you’re too busy…what if you set aside 15 minutes every day before bed and played a game with your family?  What I don’t have time to clean, how can I have time to play a game every day? Give me a second…this is how the game works- set the timer on the stove, everyone goes around the house and picks up anything that is out of place and puts it away.  The person that picks up the most and gets it put away correctly WINS!! If you want you can reward them at the end of the week with spending some quality time with you; reading a story, watching a show, playing a game, or whatever is enjoyable in your family.  Everyone really wins because the house is picked up all week and makes it much easier to clean on the weekend.  Maybe more needs to be cleaned to get started…if that’s the case take one drawer a day in the kitchen (or every other day) and clean out that one drawer or cupboard or area; whatever is manageable. The idea is to break it down into manageable pieces so it isn’t so overwhelming.  Over time you save a lot of time and usually money because you can find things and don’t have to buy new! In addition, you have a clean house and you feel better.    

Just making these two changes could add money to your pocketbook and give you a little extra time which could be what you need to plan your time more wisely and make some of the changes you want to make to help you in planning to make your dreams come true.

A friend of mine from church and her husband authored a book: Declutter Now!: Uncovering the Hidden Joy and Freedom in Your Life by Sherry and Lindon Gareis.

It is a great tool for looking at the areas of your life that might need work.  Slowing down, saying no, and spending quiet time with yourself are excellent ways to figure out what you want from life and be able to plan so you can make your dreams come true.  What you do today and the choices you make are the most important steps in making your dreams come true.

You must recognize, embrace, and be honest about what is real for you today and allow that understanding to inform the choices you make. Only then will you be able to build the future of your dreams.
Suze Orman

Nena

What would you do if you WON THE LOTTERY and money was no object?

What would you do if you won the lottery and money was no object?  What is your dream?  My husband and I were speaking about this and we had a few ideas of things we would like to do if we won the lottery and money were no object.  My dream is to speak to women who think that without money, time, or a lot of help they cannot accomplish their goals in life.  I would like to inspire them with my journey to let them see that you can do anything you set your mind too.  Then I started thinking what’s holding me back from doing that now?  Yes, money because I have to work to pay the bills but upon further examination I found that while I might not be able to quit my job at this time and travel around to speak to women I CAN speak to women locally, I can blog, and I can share my story through my website.  So I made a website, created a blog, and contacted a friend who works with recovery and battered women’s shelters to find speaking opportunities.  While I am still in the infancy stage I am starting to see opportunities arise and that is exciting to me.  I will be able to practice my speaking and become more proficient so when I do win the lottery I will be more prepared to present to larger groups.  And if I never win the lottery I will still be able to live the dream I have for myself to inspire others with my story.  WHAT IS YOUR DREAM?  What obstacles are in the way of you living your dream?  What can you do today to help bring you closer to your goals? 

Write down where you would like to be in 5 years. These should be long term goals that will take time to achieve.

Write down where you would like to be in 1 year.  Still long term goals but where you would need to be in 1 year to be on track to meet your five year goals.

Then write down your 90, 60, and 30 day goals to get you focused in to what you need to do in this time frame to be able to meet your 1 year goals.

Start thinking about what you need and CAN do today to get to where you need to be in 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 1 year to meet your five year goals.

Really think about breaking down your goals into steps…tomorrow I will focus on ways you can start taking small steps toward your bigger goals.

You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands - your own.
Mark Victor Hansen

Nena

Learning to Say No

Many of us find it difficult to say no.  We feel guilty, or like we will be letting someone down, and that if we are strong we should be able to handle it.  What I am finding is that by saying no to some things it allows me to say YES to the things I care about.  The things that can build me up and make me a better wife, mom, grandmother, and even a better ME.  We all need some quiet, reflective time to be still and listen to our inner thoughts that give us great guidance and help us work through what we need and want to be doing with our lives.  If we are busy all the time we cannot hear that voice that can lead us down the path of success, freedom, fulfillment and even our life's passion.  Taking a few minutes everyday to gain this insight will definitely be worth it in the long run.  When someone asks you to do something take a few seconds to think...is this something that will cause me stress? something that we take away from what I need/want to be doing? Will I or my family suffer if I say yes? and last but not least...Is this something I feel passionate about?  If the answer to the first three is YES then say NO thank you; if the answer to the last question is NO then say a resounding NO.  By being more selective about what you say no to, you will discover that you have a lot more time to do the things you have been wanting to do and your life will be less stressful and more rewarding because you will be saying YES to the things you are passionate about and therefore fulfilling your life's true purpose. 

Just for today think before you say YES automatically!
Nena

Domestic Violence Event

Tonight I had a booth with two other friends at a Domestic Violence Event to help raise money for women suffering from domestic violence.  There was a fashion show where the ladies were able to dress up, have their hair and make up done, and then model the clothes.  All of the women had a personal experience with domestic violence whether they were married to someone who was abusive, the daughter of someone who was abused or the child of someone who abused them.  There were some very moving testimonials and it really had me thinking how everyone has a story.  Many people suffer in silence everyday because they are afraid of what might happen if they come forward and tell.  Many children are afraid to trust adults because of the abuse and because the only adult they thought they could trust has betrayed them.  Imagine being young and fearing what would happen if you told and then you were returned to the abuser.  I hope if you get the chance to support this very worthy cause you will.  I pray that when you see someone that is quiet, withdrawn, angry, sad, etc. instead of judging them for what you perceive is happening that you will stop and ask yourself, "I wonder what their story is?" and "I wonder what kindness I can show them that might give them one bright spot in their day?"  We can all use a little understanding and kindness.  Let's treat each other the way we would like to be treated and see if we can't make a difference in someone's story today. 
Nena

That little voice

You know the little voice in your head that tells you you're not good enough or you can't do it?  Well that was the number one thing I struggled with while trying to lose weight.  That doubt would creep in and say you can't do this, you know you always gain it back, why bother when you know you love food, you're not that good, etc.  You know all the things we tell ourselves...well I have found a few things that help with this little problem and I would like to share them with you because my prayer is that I will write one thing that will resonate with you and help you be successful in your journey.  I pray to God to put the thoughts and words in my head that will be a blessing to someone else that will keep them from struggling as long as I have.  The first thing I want you to know is that YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH and YOU CAN DO IT!!  Everytime you have a doubt or that little voice starts creeping in and trying to undermine you try one or more of these suggestions:

1) put post it notes up around your home, car, and office where they are visible to you, that have words of encouragement. For example: I CAN DO THIS!  I am in control of my life.  I am worth it.  I CAN _______ (you fill in the blank).

2) When you start feeling like you want to eat something tempting...STOP...think about what is happening; are you stressed? do you feel upset with someone or something? Are you tired? bored? write down what you are feeling and what is happening to you at that moment.  You may not see anything at that time but when you read back after a few days you will start to see patterns and what is triggering you to want to eat or to sabbotage your weight loss.

3) When I started this new lifestyle in June 2012 at 267 pounds, I decided to stop watching television; yes cold turkey! I watched TV all the time but what I found was that when I watched TV even when I wasn't hungry, I would get hungry from all the food!  It was a trigger for me.  I started reading and I will tell you I have become addicted to reading.  If TV is a big portion of your life you should try this because I can tell you not only do I read amazing books but I have cleaned out and organized more than any other time in my life.  It is amazing how much time I have for other things.

4) Take a walk.  When I walk it is so peaceful; I am able to think and sort out issues that I usually don't have the time for.  It also releases endorfins in your brain that are natural pain and stress fighters so you feel wonderful.  The first step is the toughest...once you get started it becomes addicting!

5) Journal.  Take time to write your thoughts and feelings get everything down on paper.  Don't worry about if it makes sense or if you are doing it correctly just write whatever comes into your head.  Do it daily over time and then go back and reread at least once a week.  It is amazing what patterns you will see come to life over time.  It can be very helpful when trying to figure out why we are sabbatoging ourselves.

6)  The number one thing that helped me was planning ahead for where I would be at meal time and what I was going to eat.  When I went to the grocery store I would come home and immediately cut up all vegetables and put them in containers or ziplock baggies.  I had fruits and vegetables washed, cut up and ready to go at all times.  I wrote down what I was going to eat and at what times I was going to eat and I checked it off as I went.  Two reasons, first I didn't have to think about it, and second it was a feeling of accomplishment knowing I had completed a task.  I even bought a small igloo cooler to use when I had to be out for work and needed to keep my water bottles cold and food cold.  The more prepared you are the less likely temptation will occur.

7) This IS THE MOST IMPORTANT part.  CLEAN EVERYTHING out of your house that doesn't fit into your plan.  Get it out of your pantry, refrigerator, etc.  Many people say yes but my family eats it...WHY would you have something for your family to eat that wouldn't be healthy for them?  If it isn't good for you it isn't good for them either.  Get rid of it.


YOU CAN DO THIS!! If you would like any support, help, advice, someone to listen please feel free to contact me at www.getoffthescale.com and I would be happy to support you in your journey.

These are two quotes that I like and thought you might enjoy!

"Your imagination is your preview to life's coming attractions."
"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not."
Have a great day! God Bless!
Nena

Maintenance

After months of weight loss I am now on my third month of maintenance.  This is exciting because I can buy clothes and know that I will be able to wear them more than a few weeks!  This means I can spend a little more and not feel like I am wasting my money.  It also means I feel amazing.  So much energy and desire to do things with my family and friends.  It also means I am a little nervous because usually this is when I go back to eating and start gaining weight.  However with this program maintenance has been a breeze.  I haven't had any weight fluctuations, cravings, or emotional problems.  I feel amazing and energized and like I can continue on with this lifestyle and maintain my weight loss.  This gives me a lot of confidence which I have never felt before.  This also marks the sixth month that I have been prescription free after 14 years of taking three prescription medications!  That is a very freeing feeling and all my blood work and blood pressure are great!  The doctor is so happy every time I go in.  I am going to continue and really hope to be able to use my story to help others.  I want my story to be a blessing to others.  
God Bless,
Nena