Almost There

Days 97, 98 and 99 of the 100 Days of Encouragement.

 This is day 99!!!! Wow!  I can hardly believe it. My life has changed so much in the last 99 days. I have to say that I am pretty stuck right now. I am still going to start another 100 days, but may be posting every second day for the next 5 or 6 weeks, until I am done this course, that is very consuming of all of my time.

 I am in the later stages of negotiations, and look forward to being able to share my new business idea with you in the next month or so. As tomorrow is day 100, it would be great if any of you would like to send in any comments about what it has been like for you to be on this journey.

 Regardless of how tough the struggle gets, I am not giving up or quitting.  I want all of you to know that I have made the commitment to change my lifestyle for the rest of my life, and with determination, will get there.  So…    Wednesday starts the new 100 Days of Encouragement.  Lets keep on keeping on, and get to the goal no matter how long it takes.

Positive Motivation

Day 16 of the 9^th segment of 100 days. Day 96 of 100 Days of Encouragement

  There are only 4 days left in this 100 day journey. It really has been a blessing to have all of you join in. It has also been a learning experience for me, and I am slowly adopting better thinking habits and perspectives of myself. Negative thoughts like, I hate the way I look and feel may be good motivational kicks to get you started on changing your lifestyle; BUT, it will not sustain you in the long run. I have learned that I am not on a diet. This is a lifestyle change, which includes positive thinking patterns and beliefs.

 If you hired someone and constantly used negative motivation, they may not perform very well for very long, nor would they stay. The same factor holds true for self talk and motivation. Things like “I feel good about having lost the amount of weight that I have” “I know that I can and will succeed” “I will keep on keeping on no matter what” are far more motivating.

 This last week has been a getting back on track week for me after having worked at a burn out pace for a while. Although I will continue to be busy for some time yet, I am learning to pace myself and adjust. This includes getting my eating back into portion control mode. There are only 4 days left. Can you believe that 100 days can go by so fast? This coming Tuesday is 100 days. Wednesday morning I weigh in and I have decided to reward myself for all that I have accomplished and for the amount of weight that I have lost. As my jeans are all fitting pretty baggy these days, I have decided to go out and get some new ones to inspire me for the next 100 day journey. So on Wednesday, day 1 of the next 100 days,  I will start out with a positive reward and mindset to get myself started on another new and exciting journey. I hope that all of you will join in. Be sure to send in some comments so everyone can be encourged.

 As Tuesday is a week day, I will have to refrain from partying, but I will celebrate by taking some time to watch a couple of movies. The first one is “The Secret” and the second one is “The Opus.” These are 2 movies that provide positive motivation, along with the tools to succeed.  If ever there are 2 movies that you absolutely need to watch, it is these. I may keep these playing in the background on a daily basis for a while as they have such a positive influence on my overall thinking. If any of you have not seen these movies, do watch them soon, and please send in your comments to offer encouragement to others.

 While we complete the last 4 days of this 100 days, we also prepare for an exciting and positive new journey of another 100 days. So… we will keep on keeping on and change our lifestyle for the rest of our lives. Imagine the joy and feeling of reaching your goal weight AND maintaining it for the rest of our lives!!!  Go Team!!!!!!!!

The Road To The Goal

Days 3 and 4 of the 9^th segment of 10 days 

Days 83 and 84 of 100 Days of Encouragement

It has been a beautiful sunny and warm weekend, as well as very busy. Although it has been a good weekend, I have to tell you that it has been quite a challenge trying to get back on track, with all of the changes and transitions that are happening.

 Transitions have a way of adding excitement as well as stress and uncertainty. It is during times of uncertainty that you have to walk by faith and not by sight. Well, it sounds easy enough to say, but walking the walk is much different than talking the talk. This is where the rubber meets the road, and I have to live in reality. Despite the trials and struggles, I have to say that I am thankful for all of the support I have, for all of the opportunities, and for an abundance of blessings. I am also very thankful for this great team. It is a pleasure to hear from you and I feel blessed to be sharing this journey with you in this life changing experience.

 One thing for sure is that when you decide to deal with something like changing eating habit and thinking patterns, you are going to run up against some emotional and psychological challenges. These may even play out in your day-to-day life, which is usually the case. It can seem like you’re going through hell.

 Today I heard someone repeat a famous quote made by Winston Churchill, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”  The only way out is to keep going. It seems like the challenges pile on top of each other and keep growing, but I will keep on keeping on, because I know that no matter how many times I fall down, I will get back up and get there. I know that if I can make it, anyone can.

Making a Difference

Day 2 of the 9th segment of 10 days. Day 82 of 100 Days of Encouragement

I tried to put this post up last night, but the server was down, so this morning I am happy that everything is up and running, even me. I took my little dog Mercedes for a nice long walk in the beautiful sunshine.

Do you ever feel like you aren’t making a difference? I want each and everyone of you to know that every effort you make in this life makes a difference. Have you said a kind word or done something special for someone, or maybe sent up a prayer because you know that person needs it?

 You need to know that there is always an angel watching over you, and every time you reach out to make a difference in a way, that you are also doing something special for yourself. Sometimes I hear people get exhausted from helping others and feel like they don’t get any help. Well, I know from past experience that the help is just around the corner. It will come back to you many times over. Just when you least expect something, the help will be there.

 So let us all take a little time to find a way to do or say something special to someone today. Let them know that an angel is watching over them, and that life is worth living.

Day by day, I have come to realize that there is always an angel watching over you. This morning I was busy and feeling a little stressed about my new business adventure. I took a minute to check my emails, and I had received some very special messages from wonderful people. Thank you for the uplifting words. You need to know that your efforts and genuine hearts are so appreciated. I will keep working away at the challenge, and hope that I have been able to reach out and help or inspire, even a little. We are a team, and we will get there together. So I am sending up a special prayer for each and every one of you. Let us keep on keeping on and making a difference.

The Power of Dreams and Believing

Day of the 8^th segment of 10 days. Day 81 of 100 Days of Encouragement.

I can hardly believe that 80 days have come and gone so fast. These last 10 days have gone by like a blur, and  it was a pretty tough 10 days. Part way through the 10 days I told you that I had gained a few pounds from all of the stress and fatigue, but I have since lost that weight gain. So that is the good news. The frustrating news for me is that I am at the same weight as I was at the last 10 day segment.

 BUT, I know that I am such a determined person that I will not give up until I get to the goal. It is quite the journey, loaded with challenges, yet, those challenges are actually opportunities to overcome obstacles and make amazing memories.

 I know about the power of dreams and believing, as I have many, many experiences with perseverance and dreams come true. In fact, I will have to write a book about them, as there are so many. It is from all of the collective experiences that I know that I will get to this goal and many others.

 I have to share some current experiences, because months ago, when I finally made the commitment to change my lifestyle and life habits, I could never have guessed that my life would change so much, so fast, in 80 days. This includes the joy of dropping 11 pounds, (and working on another 30 to 35 lbs), meeting new people, issues being dealt with, and ….

 Here is the big one; a change in career. For many, many years I have dreamed of starting my own business, and it seems that all of the stars have aligned and things are coming together. A number of years ago I created and copyrighted some very special dolls with incredible concepts built in. I held onto the dream and believed that one day this would happen. In April I met some people at a business mixer and was blessed with a complimentary pass to the Alberta Women Entreprenuers (AWE) convention, which is worth $600. The convention was amazing, as well as the business contacts that I made, knowledge and information that I gathered, and inspiration that moved me up to the next level. Everything that I needed so far has come together, and…  by the grace and mercy of God… I feel like I am “Living The Dream”.

 I am still putting some of the pieces of the new and exciting business together, and will fill you in on the details as they happen. As is the case with many things, there are risks involved, but my faith tells me that each day will bring exactly what I need to keep going forward. One day at a time I will meet my challenges and do my best. Without a doubt, I know that we will all “Live The Dream” of overcoming the obstacles that challenge us to build the character strength we need to live the most fulfilled lives we could ever dream of and hope for.

 So keep on keeping on, because we are going to celebrate victory. We will never surrender. We know that we can and will experience the exhilaration of “Triumph of the Human Spirit”.