Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Be kind to yourself


Right?
Am I the only one that feels this way almost always? 

Being kind to myself is something I struggle with. I live with all my imperfections and see them most readily. However, I recognize how unhealthy that is. (Especially when it prevents me from seeing the good and makes me wonder why my husband stays or why anyone would choose to be my friend.)  So today is about being kind to myself. Today's weigh in was great. Would have liked to see better but I got all the vacation weight off and that took work and dedication. I've been doing great with my calories. I've been exercising. I am making progress, even if it is slow and not always steady. I am a good person with something to offer. 

What kind things aren't you telling yourself?
What kind things should you be telling yourself? 

Never suppress a generous thought.
-Camilla Kimball
(Try to include yourself.)

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

One pound more...

Wahoo!
Let's hear it for another 16 ounces gone! 
Feels so good to finally have a goal happen. 
Let's say goodbye to another pound next week.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Gratitude

“A Feeling That Nurtures the Soul”
Happiness and gratitude are linked together inseparably. Those who are grateful tend to be happier, and those who are happy tend to be more grateful. Happiness and gratitude simply go together. Scholars and scientists, poets and philosophers have connected them for generations.
We tend to think of gratitude primarily as a byproduct of happiness—when life is good and things are going our way, we feel thankful. But this is only half of the truth.  Those who choose to be grateful even during hard times discover that gratitude creates happiness. Gratitude to God for everything around us awakens wonder and awe; it stimulates kindness and affection; it deepens humility and creates space in the heart for love and warmth. Gratitude is not just a reaction to our quality of life—it is how we determine our quality of life. Indeed, happiness inspires gratitude, but gratitude also inspires happiness.
The words of British writer G. K. Chesterton remind us how we can practice gratitude all the time:
You say grace before meals.
All right.
But I say grace before the play and the opera,
And grace before the concert and pantomime,
And grace before I open a book,
And grace before sketching, painting,
Swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing;
And grace before I dip the pen in the ink.1
 
True gratitude is a way of life, a perception and perspective that can change our lives for the better. And like any habit or skill, an attitude of gratitude just needs to be deliberately developed so that happiness can take root and flourish.
Rabbi Harold Kushner, another noted writer, suggested that gratitude requires focus and concentration. He said, “Can you see the holiness in those things you take for granted—a paved road or a washing machine? If you concentrate on finding what is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.”2
 
1. “A Grace,” G. K. Chesterton: Collected Works, 36 vols. (1986–2011), 10:43.
2. “God’s Fingerprints on the Soul,” in Richard Carlson and Benjamin Shield, eds., Handbook for the Soul, (1995), np.

From Sunday, July 5, 2014 Music and the Spoken Word. 

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Create a dream board

I have many dreams. My biggest dream is to be healthy and slender. So I decided instead of creating a board with pictures of other slender people, or pictures when I was three, I would make a board of what it will take to get there, including my personal mantra. 

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Celebrate every pound lost

Today, I'm celebrating every pound lost. From last Wednesday to today, I have lost one pound exactly. Three cheers for those forever lost sixteen ounces! 

To celebrate,
I exercised, 
showered (including washing my hair), 
ate a yummy breakfast of whole wheat toast and a peach, 
and read my scriptures.
What a great way to start the day!

Here's hoping your day is a happy one!
And let's celebrate next Wednesday another pound lost.

How to stay motivated

 How to Stay Motivated
  • Take it one day at a time
  • Surround yourself with positivity
  • Create a dream board
  • Ask yourself what you want and make realistic goals accordingly
  • Reward yourself
  • Believe in yourself
  • Acknowledge your attributes
  • Recognize your progress
  • Visualize accomplishing your goals
  • Celebrate every pound lost
  • Be kind to yourself
  • Focus on how you feel, not the scale
  • Don't compare yourself to others
I came across this list on some social media from the other day and I liked it so I'm sharing it.