Fresh Hope

At the beginning of the year I came across something on Facebook.  It was a 5 day challenge to jump-start some healthy habits.  Usually I don't pay much attention to those kinds of sponsored posts. But something about this one seemed different. And I gave the 5-day challenge a try. 

The  same online community actually offers a paid course that you can take.  I felt so good after the 5-day challenge that I decided to join that course. 

I haven't said anything to anyone about this until now.  I just shared this same thing with a group of friends who try to keep one another accountable.    I've started and stopped a million times before at efforts to become healthier.  I wanted to make sure this was different.

But I am really enjoying this course / program.
✨ First of all, it takes a holistic approach.... Addressing body, mind, and spirit. It's a community of Christian women. It stresses how desperately we need to rely on God for all things... including our health.
✨The next thing I like is that the leader stresses taking baby steps... Slowly establishing healthier habits in your life. 
✨ Also, she is incredibly encouraging. At first, watching her videos, I thought she was a little too perky.  Lol. But the more I watch and interact on the group, I believe she is the real deal and that her positive approach is genuine. 
✨ I'm learning not to beat myself up for perceived failure.  She said in one video that if we're doing even 1% better than we were before, we're making improvement.  I don't know why, but that really stuck with me.  I tend to have an all-or-nothing approach to getting healthy. And this program is really helping me to dismantle that mindset. 
✨ She doesn't focus on the scale. In fact she encourages people to put their scales away and if necessary to throw them away.  At the most we should only be doing monthly weigh-ins. She does encourage taking measurements and checking those every two weeks because they are a better gauge of how you are progressing.  I have been a slave to the scale where if I don't see it moving or I don't see it moving fast enough, or heaven forbid if I see it go up, I become incredibly discouraged.  This is a hard one to break away from but it's also incredibly freeing. 
✨It's not restrictive.  No counting calories, carbs, etc etc.  This is also incredibly freeing.  She stresses adding in healthier options and slowly crowding out the less  healthy options
✨There's a community of women that I can interact with who are all going through the same program.... All at different stages.  The ones who have been with it for a while are incredibly encouraging to the newer members
✨ I've been working on this since the beginning of the year. I don't see a ton of noticeable physical changes yet. But I feel better....much better actually.  My clothes don't feel as tight. And for the first time in a long time I feel HOPE.  Hope that I truly can make lasting changes.

I'll keep you posted.  I'm praying that God strengthens me to be a good steward of the body he has given me. 

An Update and A New Year

I recently looked back at some old posts and realized something pretty momentous.  It was ten years ago, in 2010, that I began this blog. 

Where was I then?  Where was our family then? 

Well, there's much that hasn't changed.  We still live in the same house, in the same town, in the same school district.  Our 'starter home' when we married has been home all these (18) years. 

But, my, how our family has grown!  Not in numbers....  We had 4 boys then & 4 boys now.  But they are so much bigger.  Maturing into young men before my very eyes.

Ten years ago I had 4 boys aged 6 and under...one of which was an infant. 

Now my two oldest (16 and 14) tower over me.  My 12 year old is as tall as me and growing.  And, my baby....just turned 10. 

My dog, Abbey, is almost as gray as my husband and I.

Ten years ago I began a blog because I was knee deep in diapers and sleepless nights, and I needed something that was 'mine', something that helped me find a connection with others, something to do.... to create that would last.

And, how I love looking back at those early posts.  Actually I love looking back at all my posts.  It's a little window into my thoughts, my experiences, my family.  I read those posts and am reminded of things I'd forgotten...things that would have been lost if not recorded here.

My blogging style has changed over the years.  At first it was primarily about my family and a recording of our daily lives.  It morphed over the years into a place where I could record what God was speaking to me or working out in me.

I've all but abandoned it in recent years.  Facebook took over as a place where I could quickly record little tidbits from our lives and where I could find connection. 

But, I'm not ready to say goodbye. 

This blog is a reminder of the fact that I love to write.....that writing is something that helps keep me sane.  I may not ever be a popular blogger or author. But, the words I record have meaning to me....and that is enough.

So, I won't begin the new year with any grandiose plans to return to regular blogging.  But, I will pop on here from time to time....and record bits for the me ten years from now who will look back and remember.