Rewards & Growth

So I've kicked into my first workout for the year and went for gold! On Day 2 I am very sore.  Why? Because I forgot to stretch and warm down.  How quickly I wanted to just get into it and now paying the price of not seeing something through from preparing myself to cooling down.

With anything we face it is important to prepare oneself as much as one can.  Otherwise you would only embark on a journey with half a tank and vague driving directions.  A half an hour drive to your destination would then turn into 2 hours, a lesser tank of gas and frustrated passengers.

So today I'm going to prepare my body properly with having a good breakfast, working through what I need to do today ( I need a to do list ), and putting time aside to exercise again.  I'm afraid pain will be my best friend for some time.  Before all of that..praying is the best way to start the day :)  With all this pain I have now I'm going to need some help with strengthening my spirit, because I know that it will be fighting spirit that will help me to do the last push-up, pull-up, box jump. :)

My first milestone will be in March.  I will look over last year's fitness goals and make some adjustments.  I think I need to simplify them again.  I also really need to follow through with rewarding myself.  While on holiday I was reading Joyce Meyer's "Eat the Cookie, Buy the Shoes".  The book talks about allowing yourself to have a break, to reward yourself...basically encouraging yourself to continue on with your spiritual life, to persevere through it all.  Encouragement and positive self-talk really push you through, push anyone further than put downs and negative self-talk.  Simple Math really.  In the chapter about rewarding yourself it explains that rewarding yourself along your journey is just as important as the journey and the destination itself..  We need to fuel ourselves in order to carry on with our journey.  I had reached one of my milestones last year but never got around to going through with my first reward.  I quickly lost motivation because I didn't reward myself.  So this time I'm going to set smaller goals and rewards.

Our New Years didn't kick off to a great start.  We were heading home on New Year's Eve from an awesome holiday with my little family when my husband had an accident and fell into a tank through the ground.  The result was heading straight to the hospital where my husband stayed for the following 3 days :(  He is now instructed to rest for 6 weeks.  Thankfully he is able to work from home, but how frustrating it has been for him because in the last 3 - 4 months of 2011 there has been something wrong with his leg...be it a grid iron injury or some thing.  Someone asked me recently how it was all going...my response was that if I hadn't worked hard in my marriage before...I am definitely working hard now...I was rushed off my feet preparing my family to head out to lunch with my husband's extended family for their annual reunion.  I had my girls to change, trying to burn CDs, preparing a dish to take with us, ironing my husband's clothes and I still hadn't dressed myself.  I could feel the pressure building up until I received a text from Dan's cousin...his best man at our wedding :)....asking if I ever needed any help to let him know as he knew I would be putting my superwoman cape on and trying to do everything.  Reading that text made me giggle, but also made me relax.  I can't do everything, and I do need to ask for help.  Though it is very busy at the moment with taking care of my family especially my husband.  I love it still.  If anything I feel that I am giving back to him what he has shown me....and continues to do so even while he is propped up in bed with almost all the cushions and pillows in our house supporting his back and leg :)

This year is going to be another year of realisation.  Realisation that I am worth all the time in the world so that I can give that time to others...especially my family.  I am really loving my life right now.  So many good things happening to me and my family...and so many challenges to overcome which I will!!!! xxx

It's Amazing...

It's amazing that time has flown by so fast that it is January again....

It's amazing that once again my new year's resolutions remain unchanged except now this year WE WILL FINISH IT!

It's amazing how even when a new year springs about new contemplations of CHANGE some people remain THE SAME!

It's amazing that my good God has once again protected my family despite an accident that left my husband spending New Year's day in hospital.  I love Him still....

It's amazing that I feel more tired now during the holiday than I have any other time...BLASTED DVD NIGHTS!

It's amazing that we continue to leave it 'til special occasions such as Christmas and New Year's to tell our loved ones how much we value them....

It's amazing that in these holidays I have been blessed with some quality time with my husband and children....but once we step through our front door...we almost lapsed into old habits....ENOUGH OF THAT NOW!...IT'S A NEW YEAR :)

It's amazing that I have been blessed with another year to spend with my family, to serve such a wonderful God, and to make right the wrongs in my life.

It's amazing that this year will bring about opportunities that could not have been foreseen 2, 3 or even 5 years ago.

It's amazing that......LIFE IS JUST AMAZING...

I have not fallen off my healthy living wagon...I am holding on for a bumpy ride this year....but my theme for this year is to FINISH WHAT I STARTED!!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!! xxx