Thursday, December 31, 2009

Great People

"The difference between great people and everyone else is that great people create their lives actively, while everyone else is created by their lives, passively waiting to see where life takes them next. The difference between the two is the difference between living fully and just existing." ---Michael E. Gerber

I absolutely love this quote. It makes me realize how thankful I am for all the active women in my life. The women who don't sit on the sidelines but DO something about what they want to change or improve. They give me the opportunity to be with them as they create their lives actively. It means so much to me to have that option and watch them grow into stronger, healthier and more confident women.

Happy New Year Women!

Archives 2009: 52 Sweets


1. Donut Holes
2. Chocolate Cupcake
3. Orlando Trip
4. Vanilla Cupcake
5. M&Ms and Cupcake
6. W/B Cupcake
7. Cheesecake
8. Torta di Chocolate
9. Bits of Bravo Sampler
10. Strawberry Cheesecake
11. Jelly Filled Donuts
12. Chocolate Cupcake
13. Torta Di Cioccolata
14. Brownie&Jelly Donuts
15. Easter
16. Cupcakes
17. Cake Donuts
18. Sweet-a-Thon Week
19. No Sweets!
20. Jelly Filled Donut
21. Branson Vacay
22. Go Figure! Donuts!
23. 1/2 Sheridan's Concrete
24. Excursion to Caymans
25. Donuts
26. Scotcheroos
27. Cake and Brownies
28. Donuts
29. Jelly Filled Donut
30. Sabbatical Week
31. Branson Vacay
32. Donuts
33. Cin. Breadsticks
34. Donuts
35. Cake
36. Mrs. Fields Cookies
37. Donuts
38. Donut and Apple Pie
39. Crap (it was a bad week)
40. No Sweets!
41. No Sweets!
42. C.C. Cookies
43. CC Danish
44. C.C. Cookie
45. Donuts
46. Jelly Donut
47. Chocolate Pie
48. Cupcake A La Mode
49. Blue Chip Cookies
50. Sugar Cookies
51. Christmas
52. Cin Rolls

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

"10" in 2010

I've tried to create some goal ideas for 2010 and while meditating about it off and on throughout the last month here's what I've come up with:

1. Continue the sweet-a-week program. Since I didn't do my 100% best this year I'm going to make more rules that should make it much easier to earn an A. The rules are this: special days (my b-day and special holidays) a sweet is allowed and because it's 2010, I will allow myself 10 extra sweet days throughout the year. This should provide some nice wiggle room.

2. Read 10 books every six months (had to keep it with the 10 theme).

3. Complete 10 races.

And...that's it! I think these goals are very doable. They are something I've been building on over the past two years; not something I just pulled out of the air. That's why there's three because I don't want to stop controlling my sweets, I need to get back into races from my 2008 goal and I really want to be a better reader. Gosh there are so many other areas I could work on but tackling these three will continue to provide a good platform to build from in later years.

Please take a minute to read below, I think it really summarizes exactly what we need to focus our efforts on in the new year.

A Wonderful Resolution for the New Year!

What amazing gifts the new year brings! An entire
year's worth of wonderful opportunities, given to us
one sunrise at a time. Many of the moments ahead will
be marvelously disguised as ordinary days, but each one
of us has the chance to make something extraordinary out of them.

Each new day is a blank page in the diary of your life.
The secret of success is in turning that diary into the
best story you possibly can. Have pages on understanding
and tales of overcoming hardships. Fill your story with
enthusiasm, adventure, learning, and laughter. And make
each chapter reflect time doing these things:

Follow your dreams. Work hard. Be kind. Do what you
can to make the door open on a day that is filled with
inspiration in some special way. Remember: Goodness
will be rewarded. Smiles will pay you back.
Have fun. Find strength. Be truthful. Have faith.
Don't focus on anything you lack.

Realize that people are the treasures in life, and
happiness is the real wealth. Have a diary that describes
how you're doing your best, and...
the rest will take care of itself.
- by Douglas Pagels -

Monday, December 21, 2009

Ease

Definition
Pronunciation: \ˈēz
1 : the state of being comfortable: as a : freedom from pain or discomfort b : freedom from care c : freedom from labor or difficulty d : freedom from embarrassment or constraint

Application
There is an interesting (and unexpected) success when we stop putting pressure on ourselves to perform perfectly. Recently I attended my favorite get-away class. The whole 90 minutes reinforced an approach to difficult situations. An approach I most often never take because my DNA is tightly wound.

The class was playful and fun because there was an energy of no pressure and "who could care less" weaved throughout the format. It was a completely different experience than I was used to. Typically the class isn't this laid-back, sometimes it's serious and most always it's just downright difficult (the reason I attend). This time it was light, fun and very curious. I enjoyed it so much...which makes the get-away class perfect for leaving reality a bit.

I hit many more postures than ever before. There were even some foreign poses and previously when the instructor has done this (normally her body is in a pretzel-like formation) I react with a defeated approach secretly knowing I won't get it. After all it looks way too hard and I don't have enough flexibility or strength so sometimes I just half try the poses (knowing I won't stand a chance at even coming close to success). Well I didn't have that internal dialogue with myself this time, nor did I pressure myself into doing it. With much curiosity I just went for it. 100% went for it and guess what? I kinda, sorta succeeded. It left me feeling empowered.

So now I just need to care a little bit less and maybe, just maybe, stop putting so many expectations on myself. Allow effort to happen laced with ease.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Bye-Bye 2009, Hello 2010!

As I reflect on 2009 and my sweet-a-week goal I can't help but give myself a grade for the year. I feel it's the easiest way to illustrate just how I've done.

B-

The reason I'd give myself a B- is because I tried...most weeks I really tried. Other weeks I failed. There were weeks I would go without sweets and not even want them. Then there were weeks when my goal of one would go out the window. And with two weeks left, I'm still working towards my goal. I didn't give up when (sometimes) I wanted to. It was a goal, a goal that I partially met and now that 2009 is almost over I've been catching myself brainstorm ideas for 2010.

It would be neat to tie in some sort of "10 goal" for 2010. I know I'd like to focus on reading more books, staying on course with exercise and eating less things that aren't good for my body. I want to keep those things at the forefront of the goals. So with that in mind, do you have any ideas for 2010 that would fit into the "10 goal?" I'd love suggestions to chew on for a couple of weeks before it becomes official.

Not a Victim Anymore

“Far too many people have no idea of what they can do because all they have been told is what they can’t do. They don’t know what they want because they don’t know what’s available for them.” ~Zig Ziglar

I like that quote for many reasons. Somewhere at some point someone puts into our mind that we cannot do something. Most days I feel like there's way more negative people in the world than positive; which makes me sad. Why do we have to look at the glass half empty? Why can't we work really hard for something and accomplish it because that's just what it takes to make the world go round? Is it because it's easier to take the victim mindset? Where we focus on all the things that get in our way that we have no control over so we decide to obsess about the obstacles versus strategic planning to work around them.

Comfort. Comfort is something that society thinks we should always have. Everything should always be perfect?

Convenience. Hello! This one's pretty easy, convenience is everywhere and it seems to be a must in order to get through a day. Getting to an exercise class must be convenient, it must fit perfectly into our schedules and work out just right; otherwise we just decide to take the sedentary road?

Now that 2009 is coming to a close I beg of you to evaluate your mindset. Evaluate your close circle. What's your inner dialogue look like? What kind of people are your inner circle? Cling to positive thinking and forgo the victim mentality. Never let anyone tell you you can't do something. You can always prove them wrong!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Reason for the Season

I need your help!

It's getting cold outside and so I though maybe you wanted an extra reason to get out and walk or run some miles. :-)

Debbie, who is a wonderful woman I've been training up until the past month has been in the hospital with her husband for the past couple of weeks watching him battle H1N1. The H1N1 has turned into double pnemonia which has led to blood clots in his lungs. With all the medical bills they'll be facing along with the two of them being out of work for quite some time now and the holidays approaching I can't stop thinking about how to help. Here's what I came up with:

Next Saturday, December 12th at 8am at the Liberty Community Center we'll be walking 3 miles (or whatever you can do) for Debbie. I'd like to get a group picture of everyone who shows up to walk (even if you don't know her) and send it to her to let her know we're all thinking of her. I'd also like to collect any donation you'd be willing to give and put it together as a little way of helping out....anything from $5-$20 or more...whatever you can.

So what I need from you is help to spread the word. Bring a friend and yourself next Saturday.

Thank you so much.

Now go hug someone you love!