Til Your Cup Runneth Over

I write this blog for my heart but I hope it fills up yours. I want it to hit you all in your feels because that means I did something right. Writing is something I’ve found fills my cup. I found blogging the same way I found yoga… getting out of my own head by getting into it. I needed a way to get all these things that were causing stress and anxiety and worsening depression from burying in my soul. I know not everyone can control those things but I knew I had a chance. I knew I had a reason to try and a reason to live for. And I good put some positive vibes into the world while I was at it. Even without having kids of my own and long before I could, I’ve always been the “mother”. The nurturer. Often times the bossy one because I wanted what was best for those around me. Believe it or not my intuition is pretty on point. I be knowing things... Better ask somebody. Lol. But seriously. My compass may tilt sometimes but I know where True north is and I try to follow that path the best I know how even with a detour here or there.

I’ve said before that helping people is something that has always been on my heart but I never really knew how. Like where do you start? And who do you talk to? How do you help? What do they need? AdvoCare has given me an avenue to help people with their nutritional health. My new group for a fitness community has given me a road to help others with their physical health. My dreams of a yoga studio, that grew from my love of whole self wellness, will hopefully reach others one day as well. And this blog, while helping me mentally and emotionally has given me the opportunity to do that with others around me that I love and adore and maybe some I don’t know yet but surely love also. I may have a habit of loving “too much” but what does that really mean, anyway. It’s not gonna kill me to care about others and if it does, I went out the right way.

Knowing you’re helping others is a big motivator to not give up. Yes, you should know your value. You should know you’re worth it. But some days you need a reminder of just how far you’re reaching. You need to hear that it isn’t for naught. That your contributions are appreciated and validated. I’m sure that’s just us being human but it’s necessary. It’s a silent shout out but seeing that over the past 10 months and over 40 blog posts that so many people have heard my story, have read my word and maybe, just maybe took something away from it makes me so happy. I’m proud of those ripples. They keep me going just in case you were wondering. Thank  you for caring enough to let me care.I appreciate your fuel for the fire in my heart. So what fuels your fire? What’s your motivation to keep going to wherever it is you’re going? How can I support you the way you support me? I’ve learned the best way to help people is to listen to what they need.

Tonight, I’m heading out for what is sure to be an amazing event in VA to fellowship with the ladies of the AdvoCare community for a night. I’m sure I’ll laugh and cry and be inspired and I can’t wait to have my cup overflowing. It's a perfect dose of self care to stoke the fires within. May your night be just as great. Here’s to a perfect #tbt on the radio for my mini road trip. Love you, you beautiful humans!

Safety Isn't Fun Anyway, Right?!

A week ago, I decided to step out of my comfort zone just a tiny tip of my toe more adn share workouts online in a public forum for people to go to and find community and encouragement and strength. Still sharing. Still inviting. But I really fell like it's putting something positive around me. I'm doing something for people to help them to grow. If they want it it's there, if not it's hurting absolutely no one. I had to think about that. It will do no harm at all to share my passion. 

That's a big thing to grasp for me. Sharing my words and my feelings and my journey is scary. It's hard for me to overcome that fear that is so deep inside of me but it's not relevant to the good I can do. It will cause me no harm to speak. I feel like I should know that. Sharing this blog over that past 10 months has been such an experience for me. Getting these words out and realizing I really love being able to write without fear of judgement. I'm so glad to be learning that. To be growing as a human being in my own right.

 I have grown in many ways. Accepting responsibility for things. Accepting myself in ways that I never did before. Not trying to change the things about me that don't need to be changed while understanding why I want to modify others about myself. Accepting that I am I constant work in progress. ever changing. Ever evolving just as this universe is. I can be persistent. I can be consistent. I can give myself grace. And I can continue on. Because that one thing Robert Frost learned about life, I have too. It. Goes. On. 

I'm just here to put some positive ripples out into the ocean. I'm hear to be the best I can be for me and for those on this journey with me. For those I walk beside. I make time for my commitments and my responsibilities but forgive myself for my misdoings. That balancing act of life. I can't let the speed bumps I've hit on my personal journey dictate who I serve in life. I can't let me stand in the way of others personal journeys. But sharing my experiences so others can hear and make their own decisions is important. I might have knowledge they never considered and I'm doing them a  disservice to not share. 

I may not know what you need but maybe you need what I have and I am sorry if I haven't shared it with you before. I have hopes and dreams and opportunities. I have a life-altering path to walk but I would love to walk next to you while we find our way. Let's get to it beautiful human! We have much to do. 

Strong Healthy Happy

Last night, while reading The Fringe Hours... in my fringe hours, the author was talking about making time for you in a community. This has been a big theme in my life as far as my AdvoCare family and it just rang to me that community in your interests is really important for refilling your cup. I have a little with my small group but after the 10 week session each time, there's not really a commitment to keep in touch minus the occasional facebook like or share. I had the same thing when I went to the gym and yes there were a few friendships that grew from that but not a big network of support. Same with Yoga Mondays (that still havent started back, sadly,) a group of like-minded people doing something they love but no long-range connections. I'm the kind of girl with a few close friends. That's how I've always been. Yes, I interact with a wide variety of people and I do care for them it's all on an individual basis.

I have friends who participate in FIA (Females In Action). It's a free, peer-lead, boot-camp style fitness group and it reminds me so much of the type of community I'm imagining. Think about it. It's a group of women, that in itself is a great start. It's peer-lead, which means that you're investing in one another. And it's free, so you know you aren't getting together just from a financial obligation. You're supported for your health and nutrition goals in a positive, encouraging environment. I really do love the idea of that. However, getting to an FIA workout near me, is nearly impossible and as a not-so-outgoing, introvert that's a lot of pressure on my anxiety. 

But after reading, I went searching the interwebs for this style of group (I'm in a few women's encouragement and empowerment groups) for a group that "meets" weekly for their fitness goals to encourage one another and to attack their health goals head on. I didn't find one. And then Jessica Turner, the author, said this, "Start your own group. It is likely that other women in your community are yearning for the same thing you are. Your boldness might be an answer to their prayers." Oh, snap! She just told me to go do the things. Doing the things is scary though. Doesn't she know that. 

Well, guess what? I did the thing. I started a facebook group called Strong Healthy Happy, it's a hashtag I use often in my fitness posts. I loaded up some workouts simple, easy stuff you can do at home to start your fitness journey or to fill in the gaps. A mix of things I do on my own and videos I've tried before. I had my brother look it over to get his input. I sometimes send him my workouts just as encouragement. And with his blessing that I'm not crazy, I decided to share it. I want to focus on a fitness community of women but honestly, everyone could use a little more fit in their life. Nutrition is the hardest part for most but fitness can be the most expensive. I mean you have to eat, right?

If you like it, let me know. If you don't then keep it to yourself... I mean give me ideas for improvement. Sorry if I over used the word community today, I fell asleep watching Community right after reading about community and making a community page... it's a little heavy handed. But you get it. May you have a happy throw back thursday, beautiful humans!

Yeah, this was the last #tbt song I heard this am, and I was jammin', just go with it!

Evolving In The Real World

You know that feeling when everything is just right. You can just feel yourself moving in the right direction. But then you keep looking over your shoulder cause you know this just can't be real. This can't be your normal. Seeing the evolution of your life in real time is hard. Honestly, most people take weeks, months, years to actually be able to look at their lives and realize it's different. It's so much different than it used to be. We often need to do a self check, an inventory if you will and see what things we used to have, see how things used to be and really look at what is now. We still need work towards changing the things we aren't proud of or happy with. But give that grace. Be grateful for for the positive changes. Give yourself a, "I did that," celebration. A gift, a treat, a physical award to hang on your mirror. Just a reminder that you may be a work in progress but look how far you've come.

I know sometimes I get so caught up in how far I still have to go I forget that little bit of advice. I forget to be proud of myself for taking charge and changing the things I can. I get so caught up in the things I can't control that I forget that I have made such positive waves in how I handle the things I actually have control of. I have stepped up out of the uncomfortable in ways I never imagined and have made moves for myself. Often still, I remind myself of things I'm not proud of. Things I know I can do better. The other night, I was on the phone with a friend and I said it out loud. I know I have a tendency to be a bad friend. It's not purposeful. It's not because I don't love my friends. I want each of them to be happy and healthy but I get into a space and I inadvertently disappear. Without warning, without a thought. I'm just in the silence.

I enjoy it there sometimes but I have to remember to pull myself out and function and interact on purpose. I don't know if you know what it's like to be an introvert but that takes like actual work. I have to make myself function enough to sustain "normalcy" sometimes. It's hard. I know those closest to me expect it by now but I still feel bad and I still try to apologize. There are times when I just can't that I will send snail mail just so they know I'm thinking of them. I didn't forget. I still care. I'm still here. There's something so special about getting a card that makes me happy and I want them to feel that too. To know that, that is my way of reaching out. Speaking of, go here and join the list for some snail mail too.

My takeaways for today are just don't be so hard on yourself and how far you have to go when you've already some so far. Take a few minutes to just journal. This is one of my journals obviously, but i have many that I carry around with me. Never know when you might have an epiphany or need a quick therapy session. Get you one today, they're fairly cheap on Amazon and you don't even have to go anywhere. And also, about that rewarding and acknowledging yourself, check this out.

You're amazing. Don't let you tell you different. Self-care is after all, the best care. So continue being the beautiful human that you are. Hold yourself accountable, but throw the confetti when necessary. Be the change.