Resolute

I always laugh a little when the new year comes around and I consider making a New Year's Resolution.  Part of me finds the idea ridiculous because you create a plan on the first and by the 5th or 6th of January all focus is typically wavering or completely gone.  I think my favorite New Year's Resolution to date was one that someone shared with me several years ago.  The resolution was to never make another resolution - ever again.  He has successfully kept his resolution, as far as I know.  I decided to really look at what it means to be resolute.  To be resolute means to be firmly resolved or determined; set in purpose or opinion. I think that the power of this word really sunk in when I looked at the list of synonyms and "undaunted" was one of the listed words.  I think over time the beauty of this opportunity has been lost as we make resolutions with the idea that it is okay if we fail or fall short.  Why go to the trouble of trying to change if you aren't really going to put forth the effort?  So as I considered my resolution for 2014 I considered my accomplishments for 2013.  Last January if you would have told me that in September I would make a change that would have resulted in close to 50 pound (48.4 to be exact) weight loss by the end of the year, I would have probably laughed in your face.  But I did it.  I lost weight - a lot of weight.  Yes there is still much to go, but I have a strong start and as I approach 2014 I am going to make a SMART resolution.



Specifically (S) I am going to continue going to Weight Watchers meetings and eating according to plan.  I am going to aim for a weight loss that averages 2 pounds per week (M).  I will achieve (A) this by staying on track and adding in additional healthy lifestyle components as necessary.  I will focus on 20 pound increments (R) and take each day meal by meal and when necessary moment by moment.  Losing weight takes time (T) especially since I am making a lifetime change.  It is okay if I still have a ways to go - the changes I am making now will benefit me for the rest of my life (which is going to be a lot longer than the amount of time it will take for me to lose the weight).

The last week has been another internal struggle to stay on track.  I wanted to eat. a. lot!  A friend at my WW meeting told me the next time I am tempted to put the wrong thing in my mouth I just need to picture all of my friends at WW and remember to keep on track.  I kind of chuckle a little at the idea of picturing them as I reach for a cookie or piece of candy.  I still lost weight this last week.  I am down another .8 pounds which was one of my greatest weight losses to date.  The reason is because I didn't quit.  I wanted to throw my hands up in the air so many times and just indulge - endlessly.  I continued to write down everything that entered my mouth and did not go over my daily intake goals.  I told my WW meeting leader that I keep psyching myself out over this amount of weight loss because of losing focus at this point before.  She shared this letter she had all about letting things go.  Let our preconceived notions of what is go and let us make goals and determine who we are now.  I am the worst person at letting things go.  I am a dweller.  I dwell on every little step out of place I take, and I dwell on the steps almost taken out of place (you know the ones that I think about, but don't actually act on).  I need to let things go.  I need to get over it.  I used to love a quote about time.



I don't need to look backwards or even forwards all the time.  I just need to focus on the now and appreciate the moment that is here.  I think it is so easy in our lives of work and family and friends to forget the now.  I am a planner and I am always looking at if I do this now, then this should happen and tomorrow I can be happy.  When I was younger (teens I think) I remember listening to Oprah (my mom had it on while she prepared dinner during the week) as she was speaking to different guests about living today.  One of the guests was a woman who was single and had a really special bottle of wine she had been saving for years.  She wanted to drink it at the best moment possible.  Oprah (and maybe Dr. Phil lol) told her to drink the wine.  That there was much to celebrate in her life even if it hadn't turned out the way she had planned she was still doing great things and she was still worth it.  Now I am not going to tell you to go drink some wine, but I think the lesson is still there.  Yesterday I ran across this on Pinterest, and I think it says my thoughts perfectly.



Every day is special and important.  Every day is a reason to celebrate.

A couple of weeks ago we purchased a "new to me" Pontiac Aztek.  This car was a repossession and was not taken care of very well on the inside.  I was looking online for some seat covers.  I did a search for "Pontiac Aztek seat" and up came lots of results for seat covers as well as seat belt extensions.  I smiled because I don't need one.  I fit in the Aztek.  I know that in September that wouldn't have been the case, but it is now.  I purchased a zip-up hoodie at a family reunion in 2012.  At the time the hoodie would hardly zip up, but I tried it on yesterday and it fits better now than when I bought it.  Last night I decided that I wanted to experiment with my new enamel cast iron cookware and made chicken cooked in salsa and rice for dinner.  Beau had made a pizza, and I sat there thinking I was having a much better meal than him.  I never thought I would be able to think that a healthy meal was better than pizza.  These little things are all reasons to celebrate.

Welcome 2014!  I am ready to enjoy your ups and downs.  I approach the lessons I will learn with excitement and hope.  Every day will not be a walk in the park, but every day will be a special occasion to recognize how truly blessed I am.