Post Birthday, Congratulations & Lifestyle Challenge Update I

So I have been meaning to make this post before my birthday came, but I didn't get around to it.

Lifestyle Challenge Update

2 weeks later...

I have been trying to maintain my exercise routine.
For the first 2 weeks that just went, it involved walking, planking and doing some squats and pushups. I'm hoping to make this more streamlined and be more disciplined.

Walking

So walking is a habit I've been maintaining for awhile now, so that wasn't difficult for me. I walk for at least an hour each day, and I walk for 2 days out of the week.  I'm looking to now push myself to power walk/ do some kind of intermediary cardio walking. We will see.

Planking

Planking was hard as ever! Seriously. When I first started my entire body was shaking at like 20s, LOL! But I must say doing it for 2 weeks (not every day, haphazard) I am now maintaining 1m each plank, and I try to do 2-3 sets of planking. AWESOME!  You can YouTube videos on planking if you aren't sure what this is.

Squats

So for squats, I do 25, to be honest I'm not sure if I have been doing these right, they don't hurt, and I don't think I have strong legs like that.

Breathing & Prayer

I have been trying to manage my fear and worrying! I have been using breath and prayer to help me with this.  My Lifestyle Challenge includes all areas of self. So my attitude and how I view and feel about myself is all a part of that.  I am encouraging you to join me on my #NoComplaintThursday! This is one day out of the week I try not to get frustrated, or complain (think / word /act), instead I focus on gratitude. You can join me on twitter as I mark the day, hoping to make this a daily habit, not just a specific day. Let's see how this goes. I must add that I find that the devil tries extra hard to get me to complain, so beware of the obstacle this may be!

Devotions

I started this year on a really good foot.  Been spending time with a devotional I had bought called "After God's Heart" by Mryna Alexander. I also joined gotandem, a customizable experience. They do emails, phone calls, text messages. I recommend not skipping the survey, do it and be honest.  They can help.

Eating

So, I haven't been doing as well as I would like in this area, but I realize I need to plan and prepare, so I will be working out a meal plan to help me on this journey, I will share this with you once I have worked it out. Trying to eat on time, small portions, healthy, natural foods. In the mean time, I will be ensuring to maintain my food portions, eat as natural as possible and drink plenty of water.

 Congratulations Kelly

Before I get into my birthday update I have to, have to, give a shout out to my dear friend Rasheen 'Kelly' Roper. Who was crowned Miss Kingston & St. Andrew Festival Queen. Girl, I am soooo proud of you! You were awesome. And I am looking forward to the Grand Finale, Have every confidence you  will win. You can see pictures from the show over here at my friend Marcus' blog.

POST BIRTHDAY UPDATE

My birthday was this week! OMG! I took the day from work, thanks to a friend who recommended I do. She was like, it doesn't matter if you don't have any money, stay home! What's the point if you come here and someone pisses you off? That wouldn't be cool.  I took her advice. I must say, even though I was broke! No set plans! I was really looking forward to the day. And just knowing I had this one day, I was able to dream about doing anything I wanted. So this is how it turned out.

• Slept late.
• Made french toast for breakfast. Yum!
• Had Breakfast with my lovely Aunt.
• Was taken to the beach and zoo with my Bestie! Totally awesome!
• Had a lovely dinner with my Mom, Her Beau and my Lovely Sis! This was a lovely surprise.
• Came home and slept with a smile.

The love is appreciated. I know I am loved. Not just by others, but I love me too. And this feeling is good. I have some work to complete on me, another journey to start but I'm looking forward to it, All that God has in store.

Every moment will last forever. I loved every bit of it. God is sooo good to me. I am very proud of myself, where I was just 2 years ago and where I am now. There are some remnants of unresolved issues, and new issues to deal with, but I am so grateful God has taken me this far. I am highly-favoured and I know it! 

I would recommend everyone to take the day off for your birthday! Do nothing / Do everything you want to do, whatever it is you decide, but do something you love, spend it with someone or people you love.

P.S. More updates coming soon. and pictures.

Originally Published in 2012

Soul Searching - Your Feelings Are Real and Valid

So I've been treading lightly in some soul searching shallow water and came across this post from Lori at TinyBuddha and wanted to share with you.  I know we all sometimes feel this way and thought I would spread the encouragement. 

Tiny Wisdom: Your Feelings Are Real and Valid

“Feelings are real and legitimate.” -Unknown

One of the most frustrating things in the world is feeling something painful and having other people tell you that you shouldn’t be upset.

That it’s no big deal that relationship didn’t work out, or that opportunity didn’t pan out—that it’s all in your head, so you should let it go, suck it up, and move on.

A while back, a friend of mine got fired from a new job after her first day. We were out in a group when she got the call, and several of us watched her emotions slowly build to gut-wrenching tears.

Naturally, everyone wanted to console her, but that quickly turned into a rapid fire succession of reminders that it really was no big deal—no one died—and she shouldn’t feel so crushed.

I understand it can be helpful to put things in perspective, and I know there were good intentions behind those words, but I found myself wondering if it ever helps to tell someone that they should be feeling something else.

No matter what someone else thinks about our circumstances and how we should respond, our feelings are not imagined.

If you’re mourning a loss of any kind, you don’t have to pretend you’re not hurt. Know that your feelings are real and valid.

If you’re missing the way things were, you don’t have to pretend you’re not sad. Know that your feelings are real and valid.

If you’ve been betrayed, disrespected, or violated in any way, you don’t have to pretend you’re not angry. Know that your feelings are real and valid.

We are only human, and we are going to have times when we feel wounded, sometimes over events that would challenge anyone’s sense of composure, and sometimes over things that may seem insignificant to everyone but us.

In those moments, we may feel an overwhelming surge of emotion without really know the words to express it. Maybe the key is to simply feel it, without stressing about whether that’s right or wrong, and then give ourselves some time to understand what’s going on in our heads and our hearts.

We can either judge our emotions, telling ourselves we should be stronger, or accept them for what they are, and then allow ourselves space to recognize what we can think and do to feel stronger.

Originally Published in 2012

Go Ahead and Just Live... Even for a Little

Last Saturday I decided to do something I have not done in years, go out ALONE!
*Insert deep sigh here*
I'm kidding. It was GREAT!


I had carefully thought about this day coming up and had even invited a close friend of mine to join me, but that didn't work out.  Needless to say the day before I was rather anxious and almost wussed out on going by myself, but who really wants to go down punking out? I don't.  So when Saturday morning rolled around, I had spent the morning indulging in a good daily dose of my favourite game SIMS, taking a nap and then had dinner. For my soul preparation I had a long hot shower and then I got all dolled up for ME to some happy music. I was gorgeous.

I had spent the evening attending a dance presentation by the Dance Theatre Xaymaca- GREAT SHOW. A friend of mine, participated in a few of the dances (Kels, You are still a beautiful dancer!).  I thought it was a very epic ending to a rather difficult week.  I was able to reinforce some self-love lessons and I was able to get out and laugh and smile and be inspired by the human body and human bodies moving to soulful music.

I got enough juice to say "Laura, You are going to get through this."  Before the show Kels called to say she had another friend who was also attending solo and if it was OK if she sat with me, I said sure, it was fine. Funnily she shared that a mutual friend of ours referred her to my blog and that she was actually trying to practice on one such post about Perfect Love.
While she is still in her relationship she is trying to figure out how to spend some time with herself alone.  I wish you all the best Paige, just remember every habit starts with a thought, and I hope everything works out.

All in all it was a beautiful evening. I am really happy and proud of myself that I went because the truth is that Life starts right now. Right in this moment. Whether I like it or not, whether I have money or not, or a man or not. It is happening and there isn't anything I can do to stop it and unfortunately I can't walk into the Life Store and request a refund on all the times I didn't LIVE.  So if you are like me- Trying to find contentment in what you have right now and learning to love yourself in spite of. Go Ahead and Just Live... even for a little :)

Have you ever gone out by yourself? What was the experience like for you?

Originally published in 2011

Good Friends help me get by

I started this week, quite upbeat, wanting to make it a different one from last week *insert sick face here* Monday I welcomed a friend back to work, and I got to thinking how some people add to the happy value of our lives.

The truth is life is hard, some roads require us to travel them alone and that makes it more difficult.  But our friends, our true friends, the ones that stick by us when we are ready to just pull over and say "I aint got no more"; the friends that pray us up, the friends that have that 6th sense to message you when you really need someone, the friends that pull up our bootstraps for us; rough us up a bit and tell it like it is, and the friends who are quiet when you just need their presence and nothing more.  Thank God for Good friends.


Needless to say, I'm on this hard road, and sometimes the rains beat down on me, the sun is just too hot and the road won't end; but then I look over and there is a good friend, and I remember, we are all traveling on a road, maybe a different kind.
 
The way I see it is that we are never alone. If no other human is in sight, God is.  And isn't He more than enough? He is for me.  We will never really be able to enjoy life with others if we can't enjoy it with just us and God.

Isaiah 43:2
"When you pass through the waters,
   I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
   they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
   you will not be burned;
   the flames will not set you ablaze. "

Be encouraged and lets aim to look at the glass half full.  God is on our side and he is right there with you on this journey.

Don't Give Up!

Originally Posted in 2011