Monday was a crazy day and I was not able to exercise. We were swamped with house stuff and didn't make it home until nearly 8:30pm. (that is LATE for us). I set my alarm bright and early on Tuesday to get up and get it done because we have SO MUCH to do after work that it's not even funny…but guess what…???? When my alarm went off, I didn't want to get up…so I didn't. Usually missing two days of exercise in a row would make me feel really guilty.  But yesterday I just blew off any guilt I might have had and realized that although I am committed to completing 30 days of the Shred and will do so….the Shred is not my life and it will wait for me.  Sometimes things come up and we have to remember to LIVE and not obsess about being perfect and doing things exactly as planned. Sometimes our plans get interrupted.  I've learned that if I roll with it and try not to let it make me feel guilty or up tight, I lead a happier healthier life!

That being said, last night my foot was hurting me a little bit. It felt a bit tight and uncomfortable right on the top, side and under my big toe on the "pad" or whatever you call it. I wore comfy boots yesterday so I'm sure the pain did not come from my boots. I went to sleep thinking it would go away.  When I woke up at 3:00am with throbbing foot pain I was a little concerned. I tried to sleep through the pain but at 4:30am, I was wide awake. I realized that shredding of any kind was not going to happen today. I can not even walk on my foot. It seriously hurts so bad. I have NO idea what is going on or why it hurts so bad.

A while back when I was running 6 miles every day (summer 08) my foot did almost the exact same thing..it hurt really bad and then after a few days it slowly went away. I contributed it to the running. Weird thing is…I haven't done any running or exercise at ALL since Saturday.  I have NO IDEA what is wrong with it.   Last night I was dead set on getting up and working it hard core!I was really bummed but I realize that it would be impossible to do anything on my feet today…its just not going to happen.  I can't shred when I can barley walk.  Instead of feeling bad and letting it get me down, I realize that things happen that are out of my control. (Being positive about it and not letting it bother me is all I can do! I chose how to act and react!)

Instead of shredding I am going to work on my upper body.  When I get home I "plan" on lifting some weights sitting or laying down.  I don't want to do anything to make my foot worse, so I will not be doing anything tricky. If I'm lucky the pain might just magically go away. I think my chances of it going away quickly are pretty good since I didn't do anything to bring it on.

About the picture…
( I had to take my boot off when I got to my desk because it was hurting so bad…even the pressure of my sock is hurting..what the what???) Before I get up to do anything I am calling people in advance to make sure they are at their desks….I want to do any additional walking today!

Sorry for having to put my shredding on hold…but I don't really have a choice!  Keep me updated on your progress and hopefully whatever is going on with my foot will be very short lived and I'll get right back into the swing of things. 

What is your favorite upper body exercise? Please share!!

"A man is but the product of his thoughts.
What he thinks, he becomes."
Mahatma Gandhi

I've been wanting to write about this subject for as long as I can remember! I have slowly added to this post and am finally ready to share it! This topic is so important to me and something that has changed me and my life. 

"The Power of Positive Thinking"

I've mentioned in previous posts that I used to be kinda negative. If you knew "the old me", I don't think you would have labeled me as a negative person. (I think Dramatic would be a better adjective). I did not go around proclaiming the glass to be half empty. The negativity that I am talking about was in my head. I was guilty of inviting negative thoughts in, and giving them a place to stay. In fact I think I was a negative thought shelter for all the homeless negative thoughts that needed a home.  To be honest I didn't really know I was even harvesting these  thoughts. When I started to realize what I was doing, I didn't know how to change or how important it was to do so.  I didn't think my inner dialouge was interfering with my life or the people in it. They were my thoughts, no one else had to hear them. When I look back, I realize I was so wrong. Whether anyone heard my negativity or not, It was effecting me and in turn effecting the people I love the most.  

When I had my "ah ha moment" and realized that I needed to make some serious changes, I didn't know where to start. Where had it all come from? Why was I so obsessed about my weight and being skinny? Why did I feel so uncomfortable with my body?  Why was I mopey inside and why did I feel bad about myself?  Why did everything seem like such a big deal?

I now know the answer, but in that moment I had no clue.  Luckily I had someone who cared enough about me to help me see what I didn't want or know how to see.

He (Dave) gave me a suggestion one day that at the time I thought was ridiculous. He said "Lie".  'Lie to yourself'. Tell yourself things that you don't believe are true and the more you do it, the more you'll believe it.  

My response…..What? What is that even supposed to mean? You want me to lie to myself? (Ya that's gonna work).

'Anytime you have a negative thought, immediately push it out and then tell yourself the exact opposite…even if it is a 'lie, sometimes white lies are ok'.

Example:  AHH…My butt looks so big in these jeans…. The "lie"… These jeans are so cute, I look so cute in them, my butt looks great in these jeans.'

Even if I didn't believe what I was saying I was to say it, no questions asked.  He also suggested that on top of disputing my negative thoughts, I should also go out of my way to tell myself things that I didn't think were true.

My response….What? What is that even supposed to mean? You want me to tell myself things I don't think are true? Like what?

'It is so fun to exercise and eat healthy'. 'I can do anything I put my mind to'. 'I can do it'. 'Junk food makes me feel gross.'

Reluctant as I was to do what was suggested, I decided I had nothing to lose.  I went at it and started to lie build myself up on a daily basis. I eliminated negative thoughts by replacing them with the positive ones.  It felt weird at first. I found myself rolling my eyes at myself and the whole idea.  Despite my reluctance, I still tried. I started telling myself things like:

'I love exercising'
'It's so much fun to eat healthy'
'I am so strong'
'I'm so proud of myself'
'I can do anything'
'I love sweating'
'You look so cute today'

I didn't say these things once and a while. I said them all the time.  I even started to tell my family these things to make it seem more real. I replaced these thoughts/compliments (and many more) where my negative and 'Fat Talk', used to be. After consciously practicing these techniques, I started to notice a change.  The negative thoughts that led to my negative behavior were no longer there. I found myself  thinking and doing the positive things I was constantly telling myself. After time, the things I told myself actually became a real. Not only was I telling myself these things, I believed them because I was thinking and doing them. I  was no longer lying to myself. WHAT! This was crazy. I could not believe how quickly things changed from there. I FINALLY realized that I was in control and that every single thing I thought directly effected the things I did. I had been my own worst enemy and didn't even know it.  I started to be my biggest supporter. Me my own supporter? Positive and negative thoughts can become self-fulfilling prophecies!
 
I am now a different person. I am in control of my life. I chose how I will feel each day. And everyday I chose to feel GREAT, no matter what is going on.  Please know that I'm not perfect at this. I still have negative thoughts, but I WILL NOT entertain them . I refuse. I spent too much time letting those stupid thoughts rule how I felt. Now, I'm in charge.

We, YOU AND I are in COMPLETE control of what we think and how we feel.  We don't have to be stressed, we don't have to be sad, we don't have to be negative. We can wake up each day and chose to be happy (even if we are going through trials or hardship).

What we seek determines what we think. What we think determines what we do. And what we do determines who we will become.
-Dieter F. Uchtorf

I want to shout out on the roof tops what I have learned and how much it has changed my life. Not just regarding my self image and confidence, but in all aspects. Having a bad day, facing hardship, feeling sick, being patient, loving my husband, being a better friend, caring for others…. it has made my entire life better.  There are plenty of things in life that we have no control over and can't change. Bettering ourself is not one of those things.  We are in charge of making the change. We are the one's who decide what we will seek, think, do and who we will become.

When we're aware of the way we think, we can take action to use positive situations to our advantage, and re-shape the negative ones. We can think positively, regardless of what is going on, and make a conscious effort to see things in life as opportunities instead of obstacles.

We are magnets attracting all things to us. The signal we emit through our thoughts and feelings will either bring us happiness or sorrow. 

What "signal" are you emitting? 

I challenge all of you to take a step back and think about your inner dialogue or "signal". What is it saying?  What message are you giving yourself and others? Are your seeking the positive in life?  Do you seek the positive? Do your thoughts lead to positive behavior?

  I read a book while I was in Romania five years ago and pulled it out again six months ago and gave it another read.  It's called "As A Man Thinketh". It is inexpensive, super short (60 or so pages) and will change your life if you practice its principals. It is a perfect way to help you understand just how much power you have!  Here is a short review:

“As you think, you shall become.”

"The theme of all of Allen’s works is that each one of us has the power to form our own character and to create our own happiness.  The conditions of our lives are closely related to our inner state.  Allen encourages his readers to think positive thoughts, which will inevitably lead them to take positive actions."

I challenge all of you to purchase the book.  The book is only $4.99 on Amazon.com and a bit cheaper if you buy it used, this book also has free shipping! After you read it, I promise you will thank yourself. You are worth the $5 that you will spend on this book, no matter where you are in your life, this book will benefit you and help you realize just how powerful you are! If you're interested, you can buy the book here: As A Man Thinketh

 I also wanted to share a worksheet I found online the other day. I think it's GREAT! The worksheet helps you to observe your "stream of consciousness".  It is a very helpful exercise that helps you let go of negative thoughts and replace them with rational positive thoughts. I challenge you to give it a try. CLICK HERE to down load the FREE worksheet.

Here is an example of how to use the worksheet. It really is a great exercise and can help even the most positive person create even more positive energy in their life. Give it a try, even if only for a day.

I'd like to end this post by asking you a few questions:

-When your husband/boyfriend/sister/mother (someone close to you) asks you how your day was….what is your response?

-When you look in the mirror….what do you say to yourself?

-When you have a bad day at work…..do you let it go when you walk through the door at home?

-When something upsets you….how long does it take for you to calm down or blow it off?

-How often do you think positively?

-Is the glass half full or half empty?

-Are you emotionally strong?

-What are you thinking about yourself right this very minute?

-Do you focus on the negative or positive?

-Do you love yourself?

-Do you love your body no matter what shape or size?

I could go on and on, but you get the idea.  If you are not already practicing positive thinking, now is the time to make the change. You have the power within yourself.  No one can do it for you.  You are the change.

Mind is the Master power that moulds and makes,
And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes
The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills,
Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills:—
He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:
Environment is but his looking-glass.
-James Allen

 Please email me with any questions!!
nono2yoyo@gmail.com

I did it!! I cut my hair today!!! I wasn't going to post pictures until next week….but Dave decided he wanted to download a new game on the Xbox to try…so I have a few extra minutes tonight before we watch a movie!

I was so excited all day to go to my appointment.  I made sure to wash my hair and straighten it completely for my before picture…It looks so gross and long in these pictures because I straightened it all the way out. I usually use rollers or curl my hair if I'm going to wear it down so the length in these pictures seriously surprised me!

I was super anxious to get it cut the entire time I was at the Saloon, we did the highlighting first so I had almost an entire hour to think about it.  Here I am waiting while my hair processed….

Now for the good part…I was a bit nervous as you can see…

Locks of Love asks that you cut your hair above the elastic to keep the hair together when you send it…

She ended up cutting almost 12 inches off! WOW!!  I was a little scared when she made the first cut, but after that I felt great!   There were tons of people watching when she cut if off and I even heard a few gasps. It was kinda funny! She did a great job with the cut, it turned out exactly how I imagined and I am super happy with it! I was so excited that it was long enough to donate to locks of love!! YAY!!!  I worried that I would have to cut off more than I wanted but it ended up working out just great! (I hope Locks of Love won't mind the split ends! lol) Speaking of which….I now have NO split ends!! NONE! BOOYA

You should have seen my face while I was driving home and pulling in the drive way to our house. I had perma grin and hurried into the house to show Dave! I was so proud of myself for going through with it and so excited to show him the new me.

This might sound kinda silly, but on the drive home from the restaurant to night after Dave made a sweet comment about my new hair….I told him that this hair cut completes the new me. I feel like a new woman! Inside and now Out.

Sweat dreams!!!