Go. Be. Do.

My word for 2018.  Anchored. To keep from drifting. Representative of stability and strength. Connected. Held.  Grounded.  Positioned.  Fixed. Movable. Small, yet, essential part of a bigger entity. It is a standard by which to live; a goal for which to strive. Anchored.

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.  And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.  And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for ...

I reminded myself of this recently. It's not about me at all, this wellness journey I am on to a healhier version of myself. Not at all. Never has been, really. It is about the people who invest in me. My husband. My boys. My family. My friends. They all share themselves with me. When I am not at my best, I'm not giving them a good return for their investment. They get the tired looks, the lack of energy excuses, and the wimpy "maybe next time" cop outs. I have come to realize that those that take precious time to invest in me deserve better from me. I need to adhere to the direction given on any flight I've ever been on that goes something like this: make sure your own oxygen mask is properly secured before helping others. If I don't take care of myself first, my ability to care for others effectively diminishes quickly. My choosing clean eating, drinking enough water, and exercising on a daily basis is how I put on my mask first. Am I perfect at meetin...

Are you still working toward your New Year's Resolutions? Just last week was "ditch day", the day by which  most people have abandoned their resolutions...were you one of them? I've seen a lot of commericals for weight loss programs and gyms (one is playing as I type this now) and people posting their desire to lose weight/become healthier this year. Allow me to let you in on a secret... The only workout program that works is the one that you actually do. Three years ago I made a resolve to never be weak by my own fault again. Then, I put action steps into place in order to make that resolve into a reality. I had people in my life that I trusted and reached out to them for help.  I knew what did not work, so I decided to try something so different and so new to me that I did not have any idea what I was in for.  Hindsight being 20/20, it is probably best I did not know.  I would have talked myself out of it before even trying it, had I known. One mont...

So this happened last night... What started out as a cute moment with my neighbor dog who came over to play turned into a blurry selfie of a dog licking my cheek. You see, I'm not a dog person. I'm not going to be a dog person. Ever. I don't want to be a dog person.  They bark.  They smell.  They slobber. They require attention and food.  The list could go on and does. But, somehow...someway...this dog has worked his way into my heart. I love this dog.  He loves me. Maybe it's because he comes and goes aften a few minutes of play time.  Maybe it's because he doesn't try to take over my side of the bed.  Maybe it's because I have two teen boys and am used to more random smells and the constant disappearance of food occurring. Who knows the reason why, but this dog is special to me. So, last night when attempting a pic with him and I saw what was about to take place, I braced myself and allowed a dog kiss to be planted on my face.  I still jerked a...

More and more I am seeing this thought meme-ing its way through social media... "I wish it were as easy to lose weight as it is to gain weight." I beg your pardon... Whoever said it was easy to gain weight?   What part about gaining weight is any easier than losing it? I gained weight consistently over the course of the first 41 years of my life. I do not recall those years as easy ones where my weight was concerned. What is easy about being the heaviest person in your family? Or in your class? What is easy about having to buy clothes that are labeled as "husky"? Or later on in life, have to shop in a special section of the store for "women's sizes" or even in stores that only carry "women's sizes". What is that supposed to even mean...women's sizes??? What is easy about feeling as if you have no self control? What is easy about eating until your pants are too tight before you ever get up from the table? What is easy a...

I had a moment over the weekend when I remembered my car from my college days.  Something during Sunday's sermon made me think of it. Wish I could remember what it was that sparked such a memory, but I know I had to chuckle when the thought of that car crossed my mind. That car. Oh, that dear, seafoam green Chevy Impala from some year in the 80's...bless its heart. That car spent as much time not running/getting worked on as it did running.  Maybe more so.  When one thing would get fixed, another went awry. Some things I never even attempted to get fixed due to the cost. Things like the heater running 100% of the time. That included summer, folks. Summers in Indiana are more humid than in Georgia. When I would travel the four hours from Fort Wayne to home, I would buy a bag of ice and put it under my legs to stay cool. I did what I had to do to get by...and, it never left me stranded on the side of the road; usually just in a parking lot somewhere.  There is ...

Gravy and I have a history. It's complicated. If I had a dollar for every time I attempted to make gravy, I'd have...$5. (Yes, I can count on one hand how many times I have attempted homemade gravy.  If you only count how many times I actually put the gravy out for consumption, my return goes down.) Over the weekend, my husband mentioned he was hungry for beef tips and rice. So, when grocery shopping Sunday evening upon arriving home from a business trip, I picked up the necessary items to make him some for lunch one day this week. Today was the day. The previous four attempts at gravy were hard lessons learned.  No flavor.  Lumps.  Too thick.  Epic fail.  You name the disaster and my gravy consisted of it; sometimes combinations of disasters at once. So, I've watched videos.  I've consulted with my sister and witnessed her make gravy in front of me. I've read recipes.  I've made mental notes. This time it was going to be different. Nope. I mad...

If you’ve achieved any number of years, you will be, or already have been faced with constant transition, challenges, and change. Born out of these challenges is an opportunity for greatness. Everyone wants to leave a mark on the world, and everyone has something of value. We’re all on a quest to find that one thing that we can finally say “Ah, that’s why! That was my purpose for living.” ~Sandy Peckinpah~ Almost 3 years ago, I was tired of living life on the same old roller coaster.  Unhealthy habits, riding through the days one sugar high then crash after another, and having no sustainable energy led me to simply whisper a prayer for help. Help for what, you ask...help to find the answers to being healthy, feeling good, and making the outside match the inside of me.  Help to find what works for me to finally discover what I believed to be a "normal" lifestyle felt like. Through the course of some months' time, and through some unique ways, my prayer became answere...

It is a title I now hold.  It is something I worked up courage to take on as a personal endeavor.  It is a way for me to save money on some of my beloved and favorite tools I use daily to achieve fitness and nutrition goals. Many do not understand my journey to this "job"...nor do they understand the "job" description that comes with it. Most likely this is because there isn't one to be found. I write the description for myself. Every Beachbody Coach writes the description for themselves. This is a good thing because every individual who takes on being a coach has personalized goals...whys...for which they work.  You choose your whys.  You choose your methods.  You choose your targets at which to shoot. What being a Beachbody Coach for me is different than most.  Being a coach is a way in which I can promote the tools I have found to help me become most successful at my individual goals where my health is concerned.  The way in which I promote the...

With much trial and error, I am finding my way to a healthier version of myself more so than ever previously accomplished in this thing I call my life.  I have been pondering what makes this time around more effective.  The answer, while muli-leveled, is quite elementary. I gave up on being perfect and became willing to be perfected. My focus changed from arriving at a destination to enjoying the journey. The first, the act of arriving, leaves little wiggle room for error.  There's an expectation to meet.  Nothing shy of that expectation is satisfying. The second, enjoying the journey, means, as long as I am moving ... stumbling ... falling forward, I am making progress and, perhaps, even making time to enjoy the milestones along the way. It may not be pretty all the time; it doesn't have to be. This is the great thing about switching gears from being perfect to being willing to be perfected: what I do (or try to do) doesn't have to be perfect to be eff...

Two years ago today, I received a call no one ever wants to answer. I heard the results of my breast biopsy. Stage 0 breast cancer. Surgery and radiation therapy needed. Thankfully, I had begun to listen to my fitness coach, Kristine, and had begun to change my eating habits and was working out pretty consistently at the Y and doing crazy things like push ups and squats for fun. It wasn't Shakeology and Tony Horton, yet; that would come later, but I had made a decision to make small, consistent changes and was seeing some positive results. The fast ball that came straight over the plate. Cancer. Strike one. I dug in deeper with my workouts. I relied on sweat, more than tears, to clear out the fog trying to permanently set in. When I was at the Y, I was in a safe place. A place in which people did not know me as a cancer patient, but just as Janet, the regular workout girl. Then, the curve ball that caught me off guard. Radiation Therapy. Strike two. You see, however, by now, my wo...

Let's talk about FAILURE.  Yep.  It's the elephant in the room, so to speak. It is high time to just get that elephant moving on out of here. Did you know that failure is part of success. Now that you are really paying attention, consider what Winston Churchill said about our elephant named Failure... Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.  Sounds crazy, but I know it holds true in my life. I went yo-yoing my way through life always husky; a little less husky; then college added 75 pounds; kept gaining; lost almost 100; had kids and gained back. Lots of failures in there.  What worked in my 20's failed in my 30's, and what kinda worked in my 30's was not working as the 40's began. Until now.  What changed? My mind. I whispered a prayer in April of 2013 and God heard it. He used some interesting characters to motivate me that summer to stop eating sweets, and, all of a sudden, I discovered I could say no t...

For those who may not know, Game Day is one of the workouts in Shaun T's Insanity Asylum. Appropriately named, if you ask me. It is insane and you have to be committed to finishing it in order to finish it. Every day of this now 16 month journey that I've been on, prior to July 6th, Shaun T and I had an understanding...it's rather one sided, of course, since he has no clue as to who I am, but an understanding, nonetheless. This was the gist of it: I don't try his workouts; he doesn't yell at me nor do I fail. Pretty cut and dry. I was happy. Shaun T was happy. Why wouldn't he be? Everyone else loves him and his Insanity this, that, and the other. I feared the man and his workouts. So, what happened that I am now blogging about Game Day? I began Insanity Asylum. And completed it. Will get the T-shirt one day soon. Before I get on with Game Day follies, let me just say I extremely disliked hated day one. I do not use this particular word lightl...

May 31st, 2015 Awoke to the sound of waves crashing on the shore and my family wishing me a happy birthday. This was an awesome way to begin my 43rd year of living, let me assure you. The day began with a workout for me while Scott and the boys enjoyed a pancake breakfast. I enjoyed a blueberry yogurt they surprised me with and Shakeology when I finished my workout. The morning was relaxing then we loaded up the car and moved on to the best birthday activity of the the day...a bucket list item for me...driving on the beach.  I was so excited! I have dreamed of this for years...and it came true, totally unexpectedly.  A perfect ending to our time on Pacific Beach on my birthday! After that exhilarating drive on the beach, we headed out for another coastal city in Washington state. On our way, we spent some time exploring along the coastline of Olympic National Park.  So many cool places to see even on a chilly and, at times, rainy day. {Side note: Did you know we h...

May 30th, 2015 Awoke to another beautiful day!  Sunshine and clear blue skies made for a perfect backdrop showcasing Mt. Rainier. After breakfast, we all went for a walk/hike back up to where the boys and I had gone the night before. Oh, the beauty of it all...even more magnificent to behold in the morning light. We spent some time in the visitors' center learning about the Tatoosh Mountain Range. Once I took my eyes off of Rainier it was evident that there were other mountains around and that they were something glorious to behold as well. {smile emoticon} The boys took some time and completed their Jr. Ranger Badge programs. (Shh! Don't let them know I told you. They thought they were too old, but we convinced them to do it one last time.) The ranger didn't embarrass them too badly either, so we were all thankful for this. The park itself has so much to do and see within its boundaries. We stopped to walk through the Grove of the Patriarchs. Huge, old tre...

May 29th-30th, 2015 The afternoon sun was still shining bright when we rolled into Mount Ranier National Park Friday afternoon. The best thing about the park is that there is no tv, wifi, or cell phone reception anywhere. Nothing to do but enjoy the outdoors and family time.  As we drove into the park, on our way to the Lodge, there was this pullover spot to enjoy the view of Rainier.  Those clouds you see above the summit were part of a cluster of clouds that lingered, hiding the summit from view for a long time. We had to leave the first vantage point. Thankfully there was this view available a little further into the park once the clouds lifted. I am not for sure what it is about Rainier that captivates me so.  It's not like I have never seen a beautiful mountain before...I'm one of the lucky 30% who has seen Denali in all of its glory.  Maybe it is because I have seen and fallen in love with such grandeur that I just could not get enough of this view. Th...

Friday, May 29th It is difficult to put into words how it felt to try to recall what I had heard as an almost 8 year old living in Indiana about the eruption of Mount St. Helens versus seeing photos, reading personal accounts, and laying eyes on the remains of such a grandeur mountain as an almost 43 year old (at the time).  Not only were the events decades apart, they were worlds apart.  How in the world did I miss or forget that the north face of the mountain disappeared? The elevation of the mountain lessened by more than 1300 ft in a matter of minutes as the peak slid down the mountain, becoming an avalanche of rock and ice debris wreaking havoc on anything and everyone in its path, due to an earthquake of a magnitude of 5.1 on the Richter Scale.  Really, how does one forget that lives were lost, homes destroyed (as well as, highways, bridges, and railways), and forests were leveled/scorched in addition to feet upon feet of ash fell.  I remember hearing abou...

Thursday, May 28, 2015 Awoke to a beautiful day. Sunshine and warm weather makes me happy. So do roses. And mountains. And adventures. Adventures such as whitewater rafting on the White Salmon River in Washington State. All Adventures Rafting was an awesome, talented crew, who made the day on the river exciting, memorable, and the best rafting experience I have ever experienced. The great weather, gorgeous landscape, awesome rapids, being with the family, and everything else about the day was perfect. Our rafting photos are courtesy of All Adventures Rafting .

May 27th, 2015 It is high time to finish posting about my birthday season...we took a vacation to finish out the month of May, so I did not blog any while away.  Couldn't have in some places even if I had wanted to.  A few places remain where a cell phone will not work and there is no wifi.  And, we survived.   Gasp!   On the afternoon of Wednesday, May 27th, we flew from Atlanta to Portland. The view of Mt. Hood was stunning from the airplane! Shortly after arriving, we made our way via rental car to Multnomah Falls, located just outside of Portland.  Much to our surprise, the falls are just a short walk from the parking lot.  It was a beautiful evening to be outside and enjoying a waterfall. The drive to the falls and further on, then, to our B&B for the night, reminded us all of our drive from Anchorage to De nali National Park. We stopped to have a late dinner.  We noticed straight away that the small towns roll up their sid...