I haven’t written here since I was pregnant in 2018. The baby is 14 months now. I’m sitting in traffic looking forward to visiting family.
My blood sugar has dramatically improved. If you’re following me here, come follow my Insta at selahinthelight and follow my Facebook group called The Happy Journey.
Here’s my Instapost for today! Wishing you a bright and Healthy Holiday season 🌲🌲🌲💕💕💕💕💕💕
Giving up is a daily struggle.
We put something off because we dread the results we’ll get and we dread that feeling of dissatisfaction. We fear discouragement and failure. Patience is part of the process. If you do it, you are productive no matter the result because then you will have had something to improve in the future.
So what are the things to improve?
Some things to consider to get started:
Preparation
Reading, seeking advice
Technique
Application of what you learned as you prepared
Mental State
Did you sleep enough, is there distraction?
Are you anticipating new exciting things or are you focused on failing?
Just keep doing whatever it is. The more you do it the more you will learn and the more reflective and hopeful you’ll be.
Next up? Reflection keeps you from giving up.
Week 5 Day 4 Take it easy Tiger!
Yesterday was hard, last week was hard, everything was hard! But today I may have had a second wind. I’m not sure if that applies to weight lifting, but I felt more refreshed. It’s been a rough couple of weeks. Hmmm. Is that strength?
Maybe the weight is getting a little lighter? I don’t know. I started off feeling like “oh no, why am I doing this again” but then i felt it and my trainer said: wait one more rest minute. I was ready for more. I also ran yesterday. I also rested more.
So today: 145 lbs on the squats. I don’t own a scale but I’m pretty sure I still weigh less than that.
Day 4
You’ve got one more rep!
You’ve done Days 1-3. You’ve started on your goal, became passionate about it and breathed some life into it. Now is the serious part of the journey. If Days 1-3 haven’t happened, make the magic happen. Today is like the the 11th mile for a half marathon, BUT you’ve already run 11 miles straight so no stopping now!!!! Finish! In other words, for the unprepared, today might feel light like eating gravel for breakfast. Be prepared. Make momentum happen and let it work for you.
Muscling through the year might work for a while but when the mind gets stale the rest of the body and actions will go with it. This is Day 4 of week one. There are 52 weeks. You’re in it for the long haul.
Days 1-3 got you here. You’ve committed. Congratulations!!! Now you need resources to keep this momentum going.
Here is a list:
Experts
Tools (materials, books, videos, etc.)
Accountability
There’s more but these are basic. This may look different for different goals. Find these. Invest in these. Experts may cost so decide how valuable this goal is to you. It doesn’t have to be expensive and you might not find them all today but start. Go to Day 2 to get that started.
Next up: Assess progress
I am so glad Alicia Keys is being honest about “covering up” as a woman. When I was a kid I really didn’t like make up. It felt like dirt on my face. I didn’t begin to put it on make up until I was thirty. I remember my husband asking me “why all of a sudden?” I put it on now in my thirties because I think it’s “better.” I think I look less flawed. I certainly was not doing this for him. I was doing it because of criticism. But what I think my thirty year old self would say is “who are you trying to impress or suppress from criticizing you?”
Note: when I speak of women, I am not speaking of 100 percent of us. I am speaking about those I have encountered and those I have read about. If you are comfortable in your own skin or in your make-up without worrying about others, I applaud you. I don’t want to deny your experience so allow me to tell mine.
Women critique each other from hairstyle to toenail polish. Isn’t that disrespectful? We imprison ourselves with a fake sense of beauty. We don’t appreciate ourselves for who we naturally are.
Make up is color. There is nothing wrong with liking color. I love the color of beautiful stones and the color of a sunset, but those things are naturally occurring. And if you enjoy color on your face for your self ok; but I question the moment when we can’t live without it for the sake of someone else’s approval. Is this healthy? I ask myself: Can I live without food? Can I live without makeup? Do I have a choice or is make-up a criterion for ladyhood?
Some of us wouldn’t dare let anyone see us without makeup and that’s when we have to be honest with ourselves. Why should the opinions of other women or men control our freedom to be ourselves? We fear criticism.
Some of us think “perfection” gains us some peace. I know it did for me. I wouldn’t be the “unkempt” one if I just added the make up.
Why even address this issue? Women have a way to say something rude nicely. Indirection floats in the air and poses as the truth when in reality it is unkind and catty. Passive aggression is a civilized bully that wars within and without.
That was my experience. Someone repeatedly compared me to others. My imperfections were named indirectly but of course I knew they were mine: uneven skin tone, specific skin blemishes and so on. I didn’t say anything I just kept hearing it in my head. I pushed it out as long as I could and then it became a feeling. It wasn’t a thought it was just this general feeling of ugliness. Maybe I’m aging and I have just been given the hint. So the coverup began.
My confidence of my twenties was shattered in just a few years. Now as I look back, I think makeup may cause more unevenness as it wears off; the sun shining on my face unevenly. I recently started going back to my make up less face. I noticed an article about Alicia Keys and it feels great to know I am not the only one.
Makeup doesn’t create peace and it surely doesn’t make the lady. Our hearts and minds have the ability to be peacemaking. It’s time we create a culture of women who look at each other and see the beauty within. After all, isn’t that what we teach our young daughters? Isn’t that what we teach our young boys to appreciate? Don’t we ask men to love us for our minds and hearts? We also need a consistent message when we wake up and go in the morning. When I walk out the door I want my daughter to see me as a kind soul who is interested in her and not in just her beauty (she is so beautiful as she is). We are not “less than” just because we don’t wear make up. Our worth is much greater than the physical. Let’s practice what we teach.
P.S. I am not against make up, but pointing out the attitude that could and has come with it. If we put on make-up, let’s do it with a heart for others and ourselves. It should be a matter of personal choice: the choice to wear it or not.
Top: Here I am with #nomakeup!!! Oh, the only time I ever did my brows was for my wedding in 2000.
Bottom: Here I am with makeup.
Where is your freedom? What brings you peace today?
Here is a verse that brings me peace and instruction when it comes to what I wear and don’t wear. I believe it applies to make-up as well.
“For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”
â€â€James‬ â€2:2-4‬ â€ESV‬
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