For you artsy fartsy types, if you'd like more details on materials and method and all that, I invite you to visit my art blog by clicking on link under the pic below. I'll be posting all the deets there later tonight.
A weight loss journey is like going to the dentist...
...because sometimes it hurts. You don't wanna do it, but you NEED to do it.
...because sometimes it takes longer than you thought it should. But you hang in there, knowing it will soon be over.
...because it doesn't come cheap. But it's a price you pay, cuz the alternative is worse.
...because when the numbness goes, the pain comes. You remind yourself it's temporary, and you deal with it.
...because sometimes it's necessary to dig deep... to drill into your very core, your bone, in order to have a better outcome later.
...because sometimes you could kick yourself, knowing if you have taken care of issues sooner, you would be in better shape now.
...because no one can do it for you, or take your place. You have to face it, choose to deal with it, and go through the process.
...because you can't blame the dentist - or anyone else - for your problems.
...because after the numbness wears off and all you want to do is escape the pain, you can't. You take the pills, but sometimes nothing works. You learn to deal with it... it's a part of life everyone faces at times.
...because you catch yourself pouting "it's not fair"... why did I get stuck with these genetics? Why didn't someone teach me better, earlier? Boo hoo... life isn't fair. Get over it.
...because you know if you relax and roll with it, eventually you will be glad you did it. Right now, anyone within reach would get shredded... but eventually... some day... in time... you will smile and be happy it's over and done with. But for now... leave. me. alone.
Yep... you guessed right. I went to The Dentist today. Drilled into the bone on both lower jaws; inserted implants; sewed me back up to go home and heal for 3 months so I can come back to finish. "Might be a little sore..." Uh huh, ya think!?
Stick a sock in it!!
From Dr Phil's book: "Start behaving in ways that make you feel really good about yourself."
My verse for today: "Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer."
My quote for today:"If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving Fido only two of them." --Phil Pastoret
With the shiny new year of 2012, I am shifting some of my emphasis to what I want: my art, and to live my life to the fullest, becoming who I was meant to be, living with passion and purpose.
That's why I'm working, afterall, to lose weight and regain health. That's my WHY. I want to focus on that,on what I WANT, not focus on what I do NOT want.To look forward, not backward.
I was reminded recently that our brain can't tell the difference between a negative or a positive. For instance, think of a pink elephant.
Now... do NOT think of the pink elephant. I don't know about you, but every time I close my eyes and say "do NOT think of a pink elephant"... I DO! This silly example helps to remind me not to focus on "I don't want to be fat"...but rather... "I want to be healthy, strong and lighter".
So... on to focus on what I DO want. :-D
For my birthday, my sister Karen sent me a birthday card with this quote:
"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." --Albert Schweitzer
Today for Toon Tuesday, I want to offer a VLOG showing--in speed drawing mode--my doodle of Word Bubble #1. It will be blank in the middle, and I offer the finished doodle below as a free download to anyone who would like to play along. You get to pick your own inspiring word to add to the center.
By the way, I kinda sorta goofed, and didn't leave a very large word bubble in the middle. Sorry 'bout dat. Next time I'll make the blank space bigger. :-}
Here's the finished blank for you to download. Be sure to click and enlarge, so you download the large file, not the thumbnail.
I'm going to dink around this coming week and color mine. You are welcome to do whatever you want to yours... color it, change it, glitter it, alter it, collage it, whatever. And next Tuesday it would so fun if you came back and gave a link to your blog to share your results, if you're comfortable doing so.
Only one rule: Have fun! Remember when we were kids and not worried about "being good"? So give yourself permission to just goof around and play, okay? :-D
Remember the above quote from my sister Karen? The inspiring word I added to my word bubble isFIRE!
This is a first for me, drawing with a camera watching. In INK! No pencil, no eraser. No plan, other than to leave a word bubble in the middle. New year... new adventures!
So... howz it going? The new year, your new energy, the fresh start... all that?? I know just by having traveled around the sun a few times that by now a few folks might be disappointed that they goofed up a couple of times... or more.
I did, too. But see, it's different now. My perceptionof it is different now. I'm not stopping to wallow in it, or beat myself up, or do the old all-or-nothing thinking any longer. Oh sure, I had a nanosecond or two of exasperation with myself. But really, that was all. I did a quick behavioral autopsy on it, learned, and moved on.
And guess what? That feels good! In fact, I wanted to share something fascinating that I realized this week. I had an "oreo cookie" set of days. You know, the crummy day in the middle with two great days on either side. On that crummy day I ate 2600 calories... ack! Yes, it was on plan food. But the quantities were NOT on plan.
But in my behavioral autopsy, here's what I learned:
-I didn't get much sleep the night before the crummy day. I was tired. I ached. I didn't want to put forth the effort to focus my thoughts. I let them drift. And they drifted right into the kitchen!
-The two days on either side of the crummy day were fantastic days! I did get enough sleep... I did make the effort to direct my thinking intentionally, instead of drifting. And one of those days I was having a ball learning how to video myself drawing, to make a vlog with it. It was a blast! I learned how to add music and everything. And guess what? I forgot... gasp... to eat! Then, when I realized I was hungry, I was annoyed at having to stop and grab something.
Me! Not wanting to eat! That happened on both those good days, when I was so wrapped up in fun and fascinating projects, that I was NOT INTERESTED IN EATING.
Okay, so what's the takeaway for YOU in all this?
1. We CAN change.We really can. It may take awhile. It may take repeated falling down and getting up. You might have to experiment to see what works for YOU. But if you never quit, if you always keep going NO MATTER WHAT... you will make progress. You CAN change. I believe that with all my heart. I don't care what research insists. I don't care what your mama says. I don't care what "they" say. We CAN change.
2. Perception is key. I've always loved that little poem: Two men looked through prison bars; one saw mud and the other saw stars. I'm not bummed by my poor choices recently, because I can see my progress. I see that I'm learning. I see change, real change. In my sidebar I have a badge that says "Upward Spiral of Success". Just for fun, under it I'm tracking 100 days, and noting how many of them are On Plan days. Just because I have a goof-up day, I don't perceive this as going in circles. Because I'm learning and getting better, I see it as going UPward. Hence the name of the badge.
My plan is to post that new vlog next Tuesday for Toon Tuesday, and offer the pattern in black and white as a free download. If anyone is interested, they can join me in playing with it by coloring/changing/collaging it... whatever. Adding your own stuff to it. And then the following Tuesday we can post our results (if you want to) on our own blogs, linking to each other. I might be playing in this sandbox all alone, but that's okay... I had a blast doing that project, and was surprised and delighted to feel what it was like to be free from the obsession of food. To feel "normal". To feel like the Bully--that push to eat when not hungry--was banned from the playground. I want more of that! :-D
PS: Some of you participated in a survey recently about what kinds of topics you'd like Coach Dayne to talk about... just an update: It's still in the works! He's been sick, but will work on it when he's up to snuff again. I'll keep ya posted.
From Dr Phil's book:"Your thoughts powerfully program you."
My verse for today: "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever."
My quote for today:"Everything is hard before it is easy." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Got up earlier than usual this morning because Jim left for the morning shift at work. No sleeping in with a super charged mini-schnauzer around!
So... I peeked early at my blog, and discovered an early birthday present: someone I care about is back! She had disappeared a few months ago... and now she's ready to keep going on this journey to health.
I can't tell you how good that makes me feel, to read her comment that I actually had a little influence in helping her choose to come back to blogging.
But you know what? SHE chose, not me. SHE had the courage and determination, not me. SHE decided to get serious again, and focus her efforts and give it her best. She's finding her power and her voice again!
Ever since I started this blog, one thing I had in the back of my mind was: if I could only somehow help others do this thing SOONER than I did... to grab hold of their life, their potential, their future... and do it younger than I did....
And she is... Ruby is back!
If you have a free moment, would you kindly stop in and tell Ruby (here) what a good choice she is making?
From Dr Phil's book:"There are no victims, only volunteers. You must embrace the fact that you own your problems and take action to solve them."
My verse for today:"The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call to him in truth."
My quote for today:"Every action and feeling is preceded by a thought." --James Allen
In a few days I'll be 61... and now I think differently. I want to have not wasted this gift called Life. I want to BE the person I was created to be, to live a DELIBERATE life, to live on purpose and with passion.
This Time theme tends to
show up in my art, too...
I know some of you don't watch videos... you skim in 30 seconds and are off to the next blog... I get it, really. So, just for you, I'm including some of the lyrics from the video below. :-)
I was struck by it... how much it expressed my longing to live a life that matters, that leaves the world a tiny better for having been in it.
I Was Here
I wanna leave my footprints on the sands of timeKnow there was something that, and something that I left behindWhen I leave this world, I'll leave no regretsLeave something to remember, so they won't forget I was hereI lived, I lovedI was hereI did, I've done, everything that I wantedAnd it was more than I thought it would beI will leave my mark so everyone will knowI was here I want to say I lived each day, until I dieAnd know that I meant something in, somebody's lifeThe hearts I have touched, will be the proof that I leaveThat I made a difference, and this world will see I was hereI lived, I lovedI was hereI did, I've done, everything that I wantedAnd it was more than I thought it would be I will leave my mark so everyone will know I was hereI lived, I lovedI was hereI did, I've done, everything that I wantedAnd it was more than I thought it would beI will leave my mark so everyone will knowI was here I just want them to knowThat I gave my all, did my bestBrought someone some happinessLeft this world a little better just because I was here.......
Some have cattily said it's an arrogant song by Beyonce, like she thinks she's "all that". Well, I don't see it that way.
I see it as someone who wants to LIVE their life with purpose, with intention, not wasting it and wanting to give back. To love and to be loved. To live a DELIBERATE life.
That's the cry of my heart, too. I don't need the applause of the audience, or my name in lights, or pats on the back. I DO need to know, in my heart of hearts, that I did my best to live, love, and give.
On my darkest days, I admit I cry and have regrets and feel I missed the mark. But most days now, I feel like I am at least reaching out, aiming higher, and trying to make Time count for something... to be the person God created me to be... "that I gave my all, did my best, brought someone some happiness, left this world a little better just because I was here..."
From Dr Phil's book:"Be realistic about what you can control and what you can't."
My verse for today:"Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
My quote for today:"I will live this day to it's fullest. Time is the coin of my life, and I choose to spend it wisely." --Carl Sandburg, paraphrased
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. What this means in a nutshell: If you'd like to use something you find here for Non-commercial purposes, it will most likely be okay, as long as you don't change it, and give proper credit and a link-back. For details, please read the above Creative Commons page. Thank you for your honesty and courtesy! :-)
