I fully intended to blog once a week on this journey...I mean, once a week isn't too much to ask, is it? Well apparently it is!
The reality is, life happens. A LOT. Things take a back burner...like blogging.
We've been busy with family, illness (mine is going on 4 weeks!), end of the year projects for school, birthdays (5 in our immediate family in just a 7 week time frame!) and the start of our Select Basketball Team season. It's been CRAZY. But I digress...
Because I have struggled with regular exercise and not eating like I'd like...or rather eating TOO much like I'd LIKE...I haven't weighed in for a couple of weeks. I finally did last night, fully expecting to have gained it all back. However, I was pleasantly surprised that I'm at least holding steady on the weight I've lost. So that's good! I'm definitely NOT where I'd like to be or even where I could be at this point, but I have to keep reminding myself that this is a marathon, not a sprint. I have to make decisions DAILY toward better health, sometimes even hourly. But as long as I make more good decisions than bad, I will hit my goal in the end!
In talking with a dear friend the other day, she pointed out that she wanted to be sure to learn in moments of struggle...when God is trying to teach her a life lesson...so that she doesn't have to repeat the lesson in the future. I've found that I've been here before. I've struggled with trying to better my health off and on for years, to get rid of bad habits and make better choices. I'd prefer to learn NOW the lessons I need to, and start making better choices, rather than find myself in this same situation years down the road, wishing I'd started now!
In saying that, I've also realized that I HAVE to make time for myself. It's so easy to let life keep you busy...too busy to take care of yourself. Whether you're a parent, working outside the home, or both...life just gets in the way. Unless you make it a point to set aside time for YOU, then you'll never be at your best to give of yourself to others. I CANNOT be the kind of mom, wife, daughter, sister or friend that I truly want to be if I'm not taking proper care of myself. So I have to make myself a priority if I want to make them a priority.
For me, that means I need to get up before everyone else (other than my hubby) to give myself not only the time I need to read my Bible, stretch, workout, and plan my day, but also just to give myself some quiet alone time. I've found that each time I've done this, my day is more productive, my time is better allocated, and I have more patience in dealing with my children...which is always a good thing!
Being real, being honest WITH MYSELF about the areas in which I struggle, in which I need to grow most, has been the single most freeing thing I've done so far on this journey. Allowing myself to acknowledge that I fail, sometimes daily, but to also realize that I can still keep going...that is priceless. It's so easy to believe that when we fail, even multiple times, that it is useless to try, to keep going. But each day, each moment, we have the option to choose success or failure...to keep going or to give up. It's NOT easy, but it will be so worth it in the end. So I choose success.
Blessings,
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