Tag: be mindful

being mindful, daily moments, devotions, healthy living

tug-o-war

dailystepsblog

tugowar3rdgrade

Tug-o-war.  If you live in our neighborhood, this has been an annual tradition at the elementary school at least since my oldest daughter has been there.  It is an annual competition, a tournament among the grade level classes, that earns you bragging rights for the year.

This is a photo of my daughter’s 3rd grade class.  She’s the tugger in the white shirt right there with her teacher coaching her on.  These kids and their teachers are serious, mentally prepared, and make it fun.  The parents have as much fun watching as the kids do competing.

When I look at this photo it depicts how I feel with my daily journey to live more balanced.  Being about six weeks into weight watchers, I am feeling the reality settling in of living a new lifestyle. It’s not one big pull and I’m at my goal.  It’s something that I will work at always.  And I want to be healthy so  I take it seriously.  My health and the health of my family matters.  I have had to get to a place of being mentally prepared in order to approach this as a lifelong journey- a lifestyle of balance that I practice daily.  And, yes, I have fun.  I make it fun!  I have gotten in a rhythm of sorts with it all.  I found workouts I love to do.  I know what foods I need to fuel my body with and I am learning how to prepare them in ways that are tasty… that I look forward to eating.  I’m learning to say to no to things that make me feel overwhelmed and I try to rest when I can.  It’s not easy and it takes work.  Daily work.

So what else is going on in this picture?  How does this relate to a journey of better living?  I see a whole team that pulls with you, in the same direction you are going, to get you closer to the goal.  One person alone cannot carry the work that requires many.  Your team is right there by your side, going through the game with you, wanting the win too.  They are your steadies- those that do life with you in a way that makes you want to live better, love bigger, and give your all.

On the other end of your team?  That’s all the things that work against you… habits from the past that are hard to shake, negative self-talk that becomes your everyday norm when you are in that self-demoting mentality, emotional triggers that cause you fight or flight… and most days flight is just an easier option.  It’s those that may not support your new way of living or your new habits of bettering yourself.  And sometimes it’s just the taste of that one vice that you.cannot.say.no.to.ever.  (Remember… The chocolate struggle is real…). These things tend to always be pulling us away from our goal- whether it’s massive resistance or just a gentle tug.  We are in constant motion to pull back, away from these triggers.

Standing there right by your team is the coach.  Maybe this is a person, maybe this is an online community of support, maybe this is a monthly meeting you attend.  It’s that person or program that gives you specific strategies on how to pull harder in the direction you want to go.  Coaches that have clipboards full of ideas to keep you committed to do your best.  They see in you the goals you want to accomplish and they help you figure out a plan to execute a plan.

None of this would be easy without the cheering section.  These are those bystanders around you that yell out encouragement from the sidelines.  They are there, ready to give you that attagirl that we all need to hear from time to time.   They may not be in your life daily, but they are there watching you succeed, giving you that thumbs up to keep going.

My daughter’s class started off this competition losing two out of the first three rounds.  That didn’t stop them.   They kept trying, working together one round at a time, getting stronger as they kept going and relying on each other.  And by the time it was all said and done, they walked away with first place.  What a win!  Accomplishing a goal is always so much more satisfying when a little sweat and tears went into the game.

So I look at this photo and realize- this is life.  This is me using my strength to pull towards the goals I have set for myself.  One giant tug doesn’t get me there.  I have to work with those around me, that help push me towards my goals.  I have to use the support I have put in place to help coach me through, and I need to pay attention to the encouragement I get along the way.  One day at at time.  One tug toward the goal at a time.  The drawn-out, hard fought wins are always the ones that you remember the most.  And they are always so worth it.❤️

 

 

 

 

 

 

being mindful

waiting at the dentist

dailystepsblog

waiting room feet pic

After taking my daughter to the pediatric dentist today, I found myself with some extra quiet time on my hands… time to just read and let my mind wander.   I thought I’d share my thoughts here- which are written and listed as randomly as they floated through my head.

  1.  Even though it is your fourth child and you’re busy wrangling teenage attitudes, it’s best to take that youngest child to the dentist regularly.  Don’t do like I did and pretend those regularly scheduled visits every 6 months are just a hypothetical recommendation.  Between that and the poor tooth genetics from her mother, Julia had more than she should have had done while in the chair today.  New dental habits are already in place. #motheroftheyear
  2.  Always bring good reading material with you.  It’s not called a waiting room for nothing…. sitting around for awhile is just part of the gig.  I have found it to be a great opportunity to put my phone down and have a few uninterrupted, quiet(er) minutes to read.  Even though the TV is on, the ability to tune out Blues Clues is like riding a bike… it comes back just like that.
  3. Take advantage of the beverage hospitality.  This has not always been the case with these waiting rooms.  There are mini fridges stocked with cold water and Keurigs fired up ready to brew you a quick, custom cup of coffee.  Seriously, we are spoiled.  And they go hand-in-hand with the book or magazine you plan to catch up on.
  4. If your wait is long enough and you have time to both read and spend some time on your phone, plus it’s lunch time and you haven’t had time to eat, do NOT scroll through magazine-worthy food photos on Instagram or Twitter.  I follow many Weight Watchers folks who all post countless snapshots of delicious looking food.  I left a little hangry today, conflicted between frustration to eat NOW and inspiration to run by HEB and try one the yummy recipes I had just stalked.
  5. If you are in a pediatric waiting room, enjoy watching those cute little ones waiting for their turn to be called back.  I’m talking about other people’s little ones who make me look at my own nine year old baby and wonder where on earth all the time is going.  Think about slowing down TODAY and just enjoying them.

 

This waiting room is yet another reminder of just how quickly they grow up.  Right now, it’s that time of year when I am ready to be DONE with all of my parent duties for school, soccer and dance…  everything. I’m so guilty of just rushing through our week nights and weekends, checking things off the list for the sake of simply lightening the load. I need to listen to that small voice I am hearing that tells me to slow down and savor every last moment of the current grade each of my girls are in.  There’s always just a tinge of sadness for me as the school year wraps up.  Does anyone else feel this?  All of the end-of-the-year everything leaves me feeling a little melancholy.  This chapter we are in is coming to a close and it’s gone by entirely too fast.  Next year I will have two in high school, one in her last year of middle school, and my baby in fourth grade.  I don’t dwell on it… I really do get excited about what’s to come.  I think God designed all of us parents with that thread of optimism to keep us going with their growing.  But I can’t help but secretly want to hold onto this part- RIGHT HERE… where we are RIGHT NOW- just for a little bit longer.  As they say, the days are long but the years are short.  I am thankful this week for this waiting room of other people’s little people, a real-life TimeHop kind of moment, teaching me to take one day at a time these next couple of weeks… to just enjoy the age of my girls and who they are becoming… today…. now…. in the midst of all the May parties and awards, recitals and art shows, field days and tug-o-war.  Summer can hold on just a few more moments while I take a short pause and enjoy this chapter soon getting ready to end.  Then it will be time to celebrate  ❤️

 

 

 

devotions

tree shaping mamas

dailystepsblog

Have you ever noticed how power lines can GREATLY  affect the shape of a tree? Every time I head out of our neighborhood I see this one in particular just as I pass through a light.

shaped tree neighborhood

Or, when I head out to our new Starbucks, I see these trimmed up trees, altered because of the power lines that run through.

starbuck shaped tree

The ones I see as I drive around our town are often cut in a “V”. But this whole tree shape thing has really intrigued me. I started doing a little research online and came across several other examples…

tree collage

It’s up to the power companies to keep these trees trimmed. It takes an actual person to clip each and every branch that’s in danger of coming into contact with the power lines. If the branches are left to grow on their own through the hot wires, fires can erupt. Power is lost. The damage from these incidents can have a lasting impact. The result of these dedicated workers taking the time to trim and prune as to avoid danger, leaves us with all kinds of uniquely-shaped trees.

This Sunday is Mother’s Day. I keep thinking how my mom is kind of like one of these tree-pruners. As I was growing up and began branching out to discover and find my place in the world, my mom was right there watching the direction I was headed, letting me grow, but then pruning me, and redirecting me away from things that were potential hazards. She would nip and clip and sometimes even saw down unsafe areas where I was branching out… places that could have had a lasting negative impact. My mom knew just where I needed to be trimmed to keep me growing, but safe.  It’s a process that takes time, attention to detail, careful planning, patience, and steady hands.  There are a LOT of branches and there are a LOT of hot wires.  The job is not for the faint of heart.

So, Happy Mother’s Day to all the tree-shaping women out there! This includes all women who are trimming and pruning, working hard to keep others growing in a safe direction, and helping to shape them into who they were meant to be. Every time I see one of these uniquely shaped trees, I will thank our heavenly Father that He gave us mothers… soul-shapers, redirectioners, pruning princesses. WE LOVE YOU.

Dear God, thank you for shaped trees. Thank you for those that work hard to trim them, prune them, and keep them branching out where it’s safe. Thank you for eyes to see the gift of moms in random spots of nature. Thank you for the ability to grow away from unsafe places and find our unique design. And thank you for mamas. Our world truly is a safer place because of them.

Do you have any pruning princesses in your life?  In what ways did they help shape you into who you are today?

Who are you helping to shape?  Sometimes it’s in big ways- sometimes it’s a subtle change of direction you need to tweak.  In what ways have you found yourself using the “clippers” to keep hazardous situations away?

being mindful, daily moments, healthy living

pretty blue water bottle

dailystepsblog

ww water bottle

So, week 2 of ‪#‎weightwatchers‬ has happened. I love my new, pretty blue water bottle and am hoping it serves as a fun reminder to add more water to my day. That’s just not something I’m good at. I REALLY don’t like rules and restrictions with food. But, I decided it’s time for some accountability and thought WW may be a good fit. I have never been one to get too hung up with the number on the scale- it goes up some and it goes down some- and that’s okay. That’s life. Yet if my clothes start fitting a little more snug (which they were) and, more importantly, if I am regularly feeling a little more sluggish (which I was) then I know I need to make some changes. Over the last several days of being a little more mindful about it, I can already see where some daily habits were getting a little out of hand. My small handful of chocolate chips is not really reaping the health benefits of dark chocolate when it happens several times a day. Every. Day. 😁. (‪#‎thechocolatestruggleisreal‬). I see my choices improving. When I have healthy food ready and available, I’m more willing to choose that first. Rocket science, right? Bottom line is, I FEEL better. I am not hovering over the scale. I just don’t have the time or inclination for all that. What does matter to me is how much I plug in to life each day. I have more energy and am less distracted and I just feel more HERE. THAT is not a number. And that is SO worth it. When I committed to jazzercise, it made a difference in my fitness level. When I commit to bible study, it makes a difference in my faith walk. So, I decided to commit to this to help me get healthier. I’m much more likely to live out my purpose by being healthy and feeling good.  1 Corinthians 10:31- “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

get active, healthy living

the blessing of health

dailystepsblog

health is blessing quote

True health is a whole thing.  I mean that in two ways.  It’s a WHOLE thing, holistically speaking.  We’ve got to live a life of balance to really live and thrive.  But it’s also a whole thing– as in it’s always something we are pushing after, something that we work at all day (realistically), and something that as days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months, we are constantly tweaking to keep it all in balance.  A healthy body that can move and be active and that you nourish with real food- good food- that fuels and strengthens you… that’s where our physical energy comes from.  A healthy mind that thinks happy, positive thoughts and seeks joy as the root of how we live life… this takes energy and focus.  And we cannot forget our healthy spirit.  That internal gift that is a part of us and keeps us chasing after God- intentionally- not just when we get in a bind. A healthy spirit that urges us to dive into the Word- His word- to learn, pray, and always keep seeking Him. Our health IS a WHOLE thing. It’s a blessing- a gift we should nurture each day.  Let’s strive to THRIVE in mind, body, and spirit and go out and do good in this world.  ❤️ 3 John 2:  Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.