Ding Dong, Ding Dong!
That’s right. It’s time to step up to the plate.
It’s midsummer, 2014. Half the year is gone and we have half the year remaining.
I know you had goals for this year. Where are you on them? Did they get abandoned? Have you come up with new ones? Adjusted them as you’ve gone?
What’s holding you back?
Let me share some of what I’ve been doing and see if that helps to inspire you.
Lose Some Weight
Alright, so, one of my goals is to lose about 100 pounds of excess weight. That’s kind of a lot! AND it’s at that range where I have to worry about skin elasticity, so I’ve got to lose the weight as quickly as I can WITHOUT losing it so fast my skin can’t keep up. How do you like that for tricky?
Also, I am NOT someone who enjoys exercise for the sake of doing exercise. I don’t mind it, but I don’t particularly enjoy it. And let’s face it, I don’t like sweating, either, and it’s 115 degrees out here! So I HAVE to find something that can motivate me to face the sweat and doesn’t feel like exercise. PLUS, I have a back issue that causes me a lot of pain.
The Solution:
So, what I did was dive back into Belly Dance! I started dancing when I was 18 years old and, while I’ve taken breaks here and there, sometimes for a couple years, I always come back to it.
I started out slowly to be careful of my back, but quickly amp’d up to 3 times a week classes + troupe practice! I don’t know how much weight I’ve lost so far, but I’ve lost 6 inches around my hips since December. How’s that for nice?
Aside from making my week-day evenings SUPER crazy, I am LOVING all the dancing! I’ve rejoined an incredible sisterhood, I’m listening and dancing to some great music, I am getting performance opportunities at places I love, and I’m getting a LOT of positive feedback! I’m passionate about it and I feel alive again! In addition to the weight loss, my back has been getting BETTER! I can now stand for extended periods of time and I can walk without pain. Lifting things is still a challenge, but instead of crippling pain, I just feel muscle weakness. If I keep dancing, I’m sure that will go away, too.
So – if fitness or weight loss is one of your goals, have you explored various activities to find what you love? Do you have passion in your belly? Are you grateful for the opportunities? Check out your Parks and Recreations catalog and see what kinds of classes are out there!
More Stability in My Finances
This is one I am ALWAYS working towards. I want to be more and more and more stable! And I don’t see that as a sin – I see it as the starting point!
BUT, we’re facing some issues. Because of my experiences with Workplace Bullying, I’m hesitant to go back to an office. And, on top of that, I HATE office work! Also, I refuse to give up my leisure time and grind myself to the bone doing something that I hate. I want to be passionate about what I do instead of miserable.
The Solution:
Find my passion and run with it!
Birdy’s been helping me a lot with this one – discovering what I’m passionate about and how I can keep things lively for myself. She’s really supported my explorations. I recently posted looking for Betas for my Shamanic Coaching program and the feedback has been FANTASTIC so far! I’m really fired up and really excited about working with people in this way! PLUS, I feel like I’m changing the world for the better. The more people I reach, the more transformations I facilitate, and the more those changes ripple out. REMEMBER, by lifting ourselves up, we uplift other people.
I now have a new Shamanic Coaching program, which I call the Shamanic Healing Journey, that people can participate in. Just the idea gives me chills.
What fires you up SO MUCH that you want to do it, even in your free time? What can you do that would not ONLY make your weekends ROCK, but also provide some scratch for your pocket? What do your friends say is a strength of yours and something that they appreciate about you (don’t know that one? ASK them!)?
Saving the Planet
Yes, I am one of those dreamers who wants to save the planet. I believe in the power of balanced ecosystems, green energy, and saving our fellow animals. I believe there are viable, sustainable options for the future and that all we need to do is open our doors to discovery and they’ll flow right in.
But people are afraid of change, and they have their habits, so we’ll have to drag them kicking and screaming into the future. Or DO we?
The Solution:
I believe the root cause of resistance and fear is a lack of education, so I’m doing all I can to spread the word about how things work – solar energy, wind power, laws and statutes, science and biology, and environmental information. If I keep spreading information, people will start reading it one by one and seeing how easy it is for us to save our world if only we start RIGHT NOW. If you know me on Facebook or Twitter, you’ve already seen this.
I also try to lead by example.
- I use reusable shopping bags for my groceries – I got nice nylon waterproof ones that are large, washable, and have wide straps, so they don’t hurt my arms and shoulders (if you’re gonna use them, use the ones you love).
- I study native plant life so I can plant sustainable plants in my yard. This includes crops, decorative flowers, and trees. It also involves NOT planting non-native allergy producing plants, though they may be beautiful.
- I study the native wildlife in my area so I can meet their needs in my yard. I’m working on getting my yard certified as a Certified Wildlife Habitat. This includes the needs of bees, butterflies, ants, lizards, spiders, and other wild creatures.
- I use reusable water bottles. I fill up my water dispenser bottle at those filtered water machines for $.75 for 5 gallons, reusing the 5 gallon bottle. I pour this water into glasses or bottles that I can then carry around with me. No disposable cups and no disposable bottles. No empty water jugs to throw away (or recycle) and no paper waste. Everything gets reused. My fiance and I gave up soda, so there are no more soda bottles, cans, and 12-pack boxes to dispose of.
- I’ve minimized my junk mail so that I produce as little waste as possible. I have electronic billing for everything and receive electronic account statements. Call up your local post office, utility bills, and other people you receive mail from to determine the best ways to do this for your area.
- I recycle my boxes. Not at the recycling plant, but at U-Haul. They have a U-Haul Box Exchange program that provides free boxes to people who are moving. Pass those boxes on!
No matter how small a step you seem to be taking, know that it 1) is a step and totally counts and 2) inspires others to do the same!
In Conclusion…
Think about the things you want to see in the world. Find things you’re passionate about. Build a life you love that you can sustain. Move towards your goals. If you need help, ask for it. Reach out to other people. Do things in groups. Be an inspiration. Take those small steps. Think about what you can do, not what you can’t do. Every little bit counts.
Remember, you don’t have to do everything at once and you don’t have to perfect. Make small changes – they add up!
Need help finding solutions to your problems? Comment on this post or share with me on Facebook or Twitter and I’ll be happy to help you brainstorm!
