The Letter "H" A-Z All About Me Challenge - Healthy

This week Love Kate’s A – Z Challenge, All About Me is focusing on the letter “H”

To me H is about being Healthy - physically and mentally healthy.  Healthy according to dictionary.com means, “possessing or enjoying good health; conducive to good health.

I try to live a healthy life-style.  I try to take care of the body, after all it is the only one I will have in this life.

I eat healthy – vegetables are the main stay in my diet. 
I know when my body needs rest – I sometimes have what I call is a down day. On these days I sleep all day.

The one area of my healthy lifestyle that I have not been faithful in is – exercise.  I love running but I have not had time in the last six months to run on a regularly.

I have lost my motivation. I say that because, even when my schedule was busy, in the past I would find time to run… morning, afternoon or night.  Now, I find myself thinking I never have time.
Love Kate’s challenge has given me an opportunity to re-evaluate my health. Now is as good as any day to make a new commitment. 

My goal this week is to run, walk, or ride my bike 3 days.

Stay tuned to see if I can keep my goal.

~ Connie ~
P.S.
The Big Man said H stands for Happy.  Yes, I am happy

The letter G - Grace. A to Z All About Me Challenge

This week on Love Kate, The A-Z All About Me Challenge we are using the letter G.
Of course I asked the Big Man, “If you could describe me with one word that begins with the letter G – what would it be”?

The BIg Man

He thought for a few minutes and said: Gorgeous, generous, and grace.  

As the weeks and letters have passed, I am consistently amazed that the Big Man sees me differently from how I see myself.  I wonder if others see me like the Big Man does, or does his love come with rose-colored glasses?  

I would never describe myself as gorgeous – Gorgeous is an adjective that is used to describe something; that is splendid or sumptuous in appearance.  At best I could be informally described as Gorgeous;  something that is extremely good, enjoyable, or pleasant. 

Generous – is an adjective used to describe someone as giving or sharing; large, abundant, ample, and / or something as rich or a strong flavor.

Grace, on the other hand is a noun.  Grace can be elegance or beauty.  It can be a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior (God’s Grace).  It can be mercy, clemency, or pardon.

My question to answer is – do these words describe me?

I am good, enjoyable and pleasant.  I have a big heart and I give freely. I give of my time, money, and talents daily.  I do this because of the Grace I have been given. I have received grace in my life, beyond my own belief.  I strive to everyday give or show God’s grace.      

How do you think others see you?  Can you see God's Grace in your life?                                        

~ Connie ~

Preventing Danger ~ Do More

Do bad things happen because those who can intervene do nothing?  

A friend posted the picture below on Facebook – immediately I thought about all the dogs out on the street alone, cold and hungry.  It breaks my heart to think about my how scared my four-legged babies would be out on the street.  I can’t imagine how lonely they would feel.  I often wonder if those left by their owners on the street ever missing hearing their owner’s voice or hugs.

Those that know me know I have a hummingbird brain.  My thoughts move quickly so while I was thinking about my four-legged babies I started thinking about how short life is - how little time we have to make an impact.

Then I got to thinking about the Texas police officer that was killed by a shooter yesterday.  My husband spent 28 years putting on a uniform and a badge to protect and serve.  He never left the house with saying I love you. I never let him walk out the door without a kiss.  I never worried that he wasn’t going to come home, but I knew any day he might not come home.

Brazos County Constable Brian Bachmann got up yesterday morning put on his badge and went to work. He and his family never expected yesterday to be the last time they would see him, hug him, or hear his voice.

Over the last several weeks innocent people have lost their lives due to dangerous people.  Could the shooters in Aurora, Colorado, Oak Creek, Wisconsin, & Bryan, Texas have been stopped if someone had done something?  Did these shooting occur not because of evil but because of those who look on do nothing? Did someone see these shooters as disturbed, angry, depressed, suicidal or homicidal and do nothing?

Can we do more?

Can I do more?
~ Connie ~

The Letter F - A-Z All About Me Challenge

This week the letter F is the focus of the A – Z All about Me Challenge.   Of course I had to ask the big man - “If you could describe me with one word starting with the letter F, what would it be”?
His response: Fantastic!  I think he is in love.  But, he is right I am fantastic. 

I have raised six kids – three of them for a period of time as a single mother. I have earned my GED  followed by an associate degree, a bachelors degree, a master’s degree, all but a dissertation for a doctorate and now I have returned to school for a second master’s degree. 

I failed at track in high school but I have learned to run as an adult – I have finished a couple of 5ks and I am training for a half-marathon.

I have failed at one marriage but found the love of my life.  

I can grade papers, have a discussion with a child and watch a TV show all at the same time. 

I have a big heart – I live by the rule: to those that much is given, much is expected.  I run a free health clinic.  I volunteer with the Humane Society and the Red Cross.

I am the mother to 13 wonderful, almost perfect four-legged babies.

Oh – and, I am an excellent shot. I love to make my husband work hard to beat me at the shooting range.

I am fantastic –

~ Connie ~

Finding motivation

I have not been consistent with posting on Training Thursday. My inconsistency in blogging goes hand in hand with my inconsistency in training. 

When my children were little, I thought – I will have time to be healthy when the kids were grown.  Well, the kids are grown.

When I worked shift work or 12 hours shifts, I thought– I will have time to be healthy when I have a Monday – Friday, 8 to 5 job.  Well, I have that job.

When I had to go to the gym to use the treadmill, I thought– If I had a treadmill at home I could use it every day and be healthy.  Well, I have a treadmill.

When it is cold or hot, I think – if my I could exercise inside where it is cooler or warmer,  I would be healthy.  Well, I can exercise inside. I have a free gym membership.

The being fat 24 hours a day isn’t working for me. 

I really have no one to blame.  Only more questions to answer.

How do I change my mindset?  How do I find my mojo?  Where is the motivation to put my running shoes?

I would love to hear from you - How do you find your mojo when you don't want to exercise? What motivates you to exercise?

~ Connie ~

A-Z All About Me - E for Energetic

This week’s letter is E. Playing along with the A - Z All About Me Challenge at  Love Kate  has become a weekly game with my husband (the Big Man).

Every week I ask the Big Man, if you could describe me with one word that begins with the letter what would it be.  The week's letter is E, wwithout blinking an eye, he said, “energetic, you run hard and play hard”

It is funny he sees me as energetic, especially after last week.  By Friday afternoon I was exhausted not energetic.  I came home from work and took a nap.  I even got a nap on Saturday. Slowing down has given me an opportunity to reflect on how much energy I am expending on things that are important and on things that are not important.

According to Brian Tracy
Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance.

I agree my energy flows from my thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values.

I  have come to the realizaiton that to maintain my energy I am going to have to start taking better care of myself. 
How do I take better care of myself? How do I maintain my Energy level?
8 hours of sleep
Regular exercise
Healthy Diet
Learning to say No

~ Connie ~

Making wise choices

It has been a long week ~ As I was catching up on Facebook tonight I found this post at Simplify101:

“Whenyou say “yes,” you’re ultimately saying “no” to something else. Choose your yeses and no’s wisely and you’ll create a life you love”.

I started to think about my life. 

My Week
Full time job 8 – 6, Mon- Fri (callback one-night at 10 for 2 hours) , Part-time job – teaching online (15 hours a week), running a free health-clinic, volunteer work and just the day-to-day responsibilities of a home, 13 four-legged children and a marriage has left me exhausted.

This schedule has also left me with no time to run or scrapbook. I feel out-of-balance.  

“When you say “yes,” you’re ultimately saying “no” to something else. Choose your yeses and no’s wisely and you’ll create a life you love”.

Is this the life I love?  I created it, have I chosen wisely?  How do I recreate my life?  Lot’s to think about – do you ever feel like you need to recreate your life?  Do you feel like you haven’t made wise choices?

~ Connie ~