I'm Upgrading my Package

A few years ago, when I was going through a pretty rough time, I told myself each day "For today, I have all that I need."  I found that I did have all that I needed.  I always have.  It's just time to upgrade the package!

What do I want the most?  To be healthy, to live my best life (yeah, I watch too much Oprah, but it's a good way of putting it), and to write!  Last week I got a lot of writing done - so much that I can't wait until tomorrow to continue and see where my story will lead.

I think I'm ok in the money department - I could always use more, but couldn't we all.  In this economy, I feel like a wealthy woman.

I'm ok in the relationship department.  I'm happily married going on 35 years.  Wow!   Other relationships are pretty good too.  I feel blessed with friendships and with family.

I got my birthday out of the way, and had a wonderful day.  Ate too much chocolate cake, but you know how I look at eating healthy?  There are 365 days in the year, 300 of them in which I'm going to be eating healthy.  Sixty of them, I'm going to plan in a wee bit of self-indulgence - lunch with my friend Teresa where we always share a piece of chocolate cake, a glass of wine when visiting with my friend Pat, eating something delicious my son-in-law makes.  And five days that will probably be out of control.  Like having chocolate cake for breakfast AND dinner because my husband bought me a cake!  LOL

The same goes for exercising.  300 days of getting some kind of activity in, sixty days that I will plan to take off (that's still basically 6 days a week of exercising) and 5 days that I will not be able to - a cold?  Traveling? Whatever.

I got my new Daytimer.  NOTHING makes me feel more organized than having a nice Daytimer and filling it up with my To Do lists.  I adore To Do lists and crossing things off.  Am I a Capricorn or what?  I was like that when I worked outside of the home - very organized and knew exactly what I was doing, had done, and what my husband is doing also.

One thing I do plan to do this week is get caught up on those pesky calls I need to make - I need a dentist appt, an eye exam, to do my yearly OB-GYN exam and.....I dread this one.....to get a colonoscopy.  I only dread it because I watched my husband go through the preparation, and I'm just not sure I can do it.  But since my dad had polyps on his colon, I think I should do it.  So I promise to make those phone calls this week.

What is it that you have been putting off and need to do?  I hope you'll share because that way we can all help one another.  That way we can all upgrade our package!

Inspiration is everywhere this time of year!

Yesterday was a great segment on Dr. Sanjay Gupta's CNN segment.

Dr. Oz started his Ultimate Weight Loss Plan today.

I haven't checked out Dr. Phil or Oprah today, but I'm sure it will be something about new beginnings.

HealthyWriter.com has a very inspirational article by Michelle Butler. http://healthywriter.blogspot.com/

I'm loving an article by Martha Beck in the January 2010 issue of O - well worth reading http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/201001-omag-beck/3

As much as I'm loving FaceBook, I'm spending way too much time on it.  Mostly playing games.  One or two isn't bad, but I'm spending the day sending horses to fellow Farmville and Farmtown neighbors, or cooking something up in CafeWorld, or (and I shudder to mention this one) playing Sorority Life.  Something has to give!

Breaking habits is a hard thing to do.  But obviously, it can be done.  I think of some of my real life heroines like Connie who runs a yahoo group to help us lose weight.  Connie is amazing with with how far she has come.  She broke some bad habits and made it fun for us.  And I have to add, her knitting just gets better and better.  

I also think of another WRW member (Washington Romance Writers) who has a daughter who has a lot of issues.  I never see her without a smile on her face.  Mary Lenaburg has a very moving blog http://passionateperseverance.blogspot.com/search/label/New%20Years%20Resolutions  I want to be like Mary and SMILE and LAUGH through life's obstacles.

I think of my mom.  We lost dad last year, and as difficult as it's been, thinking of the times she just wanted to give up, she's doing better than ever.  She had some very tough physical therapy and is now able to do more than she has done in years.  Perseverance, my friends, perseverance.  

I'm one of those people who studies and studies but doesn't follow through.  Well, no more.  Following through will be my mantra for the year.  I WILL follow through with my writing.  I WILL follow through with a healthier lifestyle by moving more.  And I WILL follow through by less Facebook apps time.  If you see me on there, feel free to kick my ass.  I'm not talking about status updates because I don't think I add so many that I'm annoying.  But the apps?  Kick away girlfriends, kick away.  I NEED my friends to support me, just as I hope I can help them out.  Let's find perseverance with the breaking of bad habits.  Hey, it's been over a year since I last smoked!  I did something right in 2009 lol!

I'm off to finish a couple of chores, and then writing, writing, writing.  What are you doing today that improves your life?

Resolutions? Schmesolutions!

Happy New Year! I always get excited as a new year approaches and love to get my Resolutions in order. They're always pretty much the same ones, unfortunately. I have given the advice that every day is the beginning of a New Year, whether it's January 1st or May 14th. So why have I had a hard time getting that through to my own thought pattern. So that's what this blog is about - changing habits. And I hope I have friends who will join me, motivate me as I motivate them, be there for one another and perhaps have others would like to guest blog about motivation.

Since I'm a writer, and in the company of writers, I really want to get motivated into the habit of writing every day instead of just when I feel like it. I haven't worked outside the home in a few years, so I've lost that Sunday night panic, but I've also lost that "It's 9 a.m. so I should be at work now" feeling too.

I've had some health issues that kept me down and out for a while, so the biggest thing I have to do is move around more. It's been too easy to stay home and miss out on some good things in life. That's going to change. I eat pretty well, even over the holidays, so that wasn't really an issue. It's the moving around thing.

I know there's other things I could change, but that's enough for now. I just want to know....is there anyone willing to join me on this one year adventure?