If I Were An Inventor

Because my blog is primarily about weight loss, I'm still struggling to get stress eating under control, and I had a lot of time on my hands while subbing yesterday (the teacher had the kids busy and nothing for me to help with or correct), I have composed a list of items that someone else should create because they'd be EXTREMELY helpful to weight loss.

1) Human Shock Collar: After reaching your calorie limit (or sugar or fat, depending on personal preference) for the day, you are given a not so pleasant shock anytime you try to eat more food. It would obviously reset each day.

2) Buzzing Fillings: Similar to the idea above except special dental fillings vibrate when you try to eat over your daily calorie allotment.

3) Anti Sugar Fillings: Continuing with the filling theme, create a filling that changes the flavor of sugar as it enters into your mouth into the flavor of cow's liver (or whatever your least favorite food is).

4) The SMART Retainer: A retainer that has advanced technology that analyzes all the food and drinks that you consume. It syncs with a phone app and records your calories, sugars, fats, etc. consumed. The part that I'm most excited about, the app screams at you, in German (of course), when you try to consume more than your goal.

5) The Better Belly Belt (or ring): A smart, yet fashionable belt that tightens the more you go over your daily calorie intake and loosens when you work those calories off. Belt will not unbuckle or loosen until excess calories have been burned off, seek medical attention if breathing or going to the bathroom becomes difficult.

6) The Bottomless Bottle of Water: It looks like a regular water bottle but it doesn't get all wet on the outside with condensation and is ALWAYS full of refreshing, ice cold water no matter how much you drink out of it!

**Full Disclosure**  I have absolutely no background in science or engineering!! Shocking, I know! But if you do and you decide to go ahead and create one of these absolutely amazing gadgets, please include me in the revenue stream somehow... I'm reasonable and easy to work with. ;)

The Step by Step Guide to Changing a Bad Attitude

Everyone has had a morning or two or three in which they wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Sometimes a bad mood creeps up on you after some road rage, telemarketers, bickering children, et cetera. Not that I'm speaking from experience, which I am, but I have come up with a little guide to help me alter my bad mood!

Here is my Step by Step Guide:

1) Acknowledge and accept the mood/ feelings, even if you don't fully understand them.

2) Find a quiet place for 5 minutes (put on cartoons for the kids, lock yourself in the bathroom and play relaxing music if need be)

3) Take a few long, deep breathes

4) Analyze the situation, what's bugging you? can anything be changed to fix it? Maybe writing a list of things to organize your thoughts? Finding a quick & easy recipe for supper? Sell a child? Assume a new identity, prefably in the Bahamas? (You get the idea)

5) Choose happiness. Sounds silly, but it can actually work. If you decide that you are going to be happy and look at each situation in a place of happiness, it can work (but you have to fully committ to that thought process)

6) Physically Smile. This, again, sounds foolish, but this goes along with #5. In other words, "Fake it 'til you make it!"

7) Create a mini plan to get you through the next hour that will make you happy.
Example, if your children are going crazy (thus driving you crazy), take them to the gym to run off some energy, throw some basketballs, or make them run around the outside of the house a few times (personal experience has shown this to work on occasion)!

8) Remember that YOU control your emotions and that you cannot control any one else's emotions or behaviors.

9) Lastly, remember that you don't have to wait until tomorrow to start the day over, don't allow your current negativity dictate your entire day

The next time you find yourself cursing at the car in front of you for driving too slow or yelling at your spouse for leaving dishes in the living room, take a moment to reassess the situation and choose happiness over a bad attitude.

Finding Joy in the Ordinary

Some days it takes all your energy to get out of bed, let alone make the bed, make breakfast, clean, dishes, laundry, etc. Other days all the daily tasks seem like blessings. How's that possible? Perspective, mood, a good nights sleep?

The past couple days have been completely ordinary and perfectly wonderful. After a couple weeks with lots of travel and visiting family and friends, all of which I loved, I am very grateful to be back home and in a routine.

I never thought I'd appreciate all the steps in making meals, helping with homework, putting laundry away,cleaning, and organizing things. I'm so grateful for the opportunity that I've been given to do all these things.

I've been trying to find joy daily with some of my newly established routines. I started writing in my journal each morning and evening. I start by listing the things I'm grateful for, even the mundane like making a new recipe that the whole family enjoyed! I also list prayer intentions for myself and others as well as what goal(s) I have for the day.

As well as journaling, I have been waking up earlier to start my new morning routine. I know this doesn't sound joyful, especially since I LOVE sleeping, but I have found great happiness in waking up, journaling, and then making breakfast for my family as well as preparing their lunches. Honestly not too long ago I found this idea as completely foreign and tedious. I was approaching the idea the same way that I used to when I was working full time, as another task on my endless list of tasks for each day. Now I see it as an opportunity to help lesson the load of all three of my "boys'" daily jobs.

I have found elation in organizing the game closet, vacuuming, sweeping, playing with playdough and painting with Natalie, and enjoying the 50 degree weather by taking down Christmas lights and cleaning up the garbage around the yard. How? I see the finished product, even if it's fleeting, I see the happiness in my daughter's eyes when painting or the thank yous from the boys when I make them eggs in the morning.

I aim to add meditation and more blogging into my routine. I also hope that I don't lose my ability to see the joy in the daily things and that my new routines will contribute to my success.

Life can be difficult, tedious, and feel like a constant struggle to complete tasks. We have to make an effort to see the joy in those daily tasks so that, one day, we see the joy effortlessly in all we do. The work is hard, the reward is great.

2017 The Best Year Yet: Goal Setting

Happy New Year!

A new year is a fresh start, a clean slate. Some find it cliché or, perhaps, silly to make resolutions but I think it's the perfect time. We can look back at the past year and decide what parts of ourselves we'd like to strengthen and nourish. We can also ask ourselves, "what would make me look back at this year with pride?"

I have come up with a list of things that sprung into my mind, feel free to use any of them that fit you!

* Volunteer more                *Lose X amount of weight (or get closer to my recommended BMI)
*Give up an addiction (sugar, alcohol, tobacco, pinterest-kidding, etc.)
*Take up opportunities for professional development                *Become more organized
*Spend more time in prayer/ meditation                                     *Lesson my debt/ become debt free


I know there are many more but what you/I need to do is focus on a couple of the big ones. My main focus for 2017 is to let go of my anger and frustration and concentrate on happiness and self love. I think it's important to find a thesis statement (of sorts) or commitment statement for your aspirations for the year. Now this will sound broad, because it is, however, it needs to be something that I can look in the mirror on December 31st, 2017 and say it in confidence. "I DID let go of my anger and frustration, I DID find happiness and self love!"  I know, cheesy, right? But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Let me give another example. Say that my goal was to lose 40 pounds. I cannot have a statement that says, My main focus is to lose forty pounds... well you can but, may I suggest instead to say, I will make a commitment to a healthier lifestyle and will see it reflected in my mind and body. If you need help developing a statement, I would be MORE than happy to help!

After developing your commitment statement, that's when the real work begins. How am I going to make that statement into reality? What steps can I take to ensure its fulfillment? What mini goals can I make to move myself into the right direction?

Let go back to the example of losing weight. In order to create that healthier lifestyle, there are many things that can and need to be changed. I suggest sitting down with a planner and journal (or notebook). In the notebook write down all of the things that you need to do in order to make a healthy lifestyle and the specifics that go with it.
Examples: HEALTHIER FOOD- more fruits and veggies, lots of water, healthy recipes, track foods that are consumed
EXERCISE- decide if you can afford a local gym or if you're going to work out at home, what exercises do you like or are you open to trying, when can you fit working out into your schedule, what clothes or supplies will you need to ensure you get up and moving without excuses
SUPPORT- will my family be supportive or do I need to find a group that motivates me (i.e. Weight Watchers, TOPS group, etc.), do I have a friend that would hold me accountable to go to the gym with him/her, is there a person I can call if I need a distraction from mindless eating

Once you have exhausted your list of all the things that need to change and ways to do it, then we break it all down into mini goals. Let look at the HEALTHIER FOOD category. It can be broken down into weekly goals, I will eat 3 veggies every day this week, or monthly goals, In January I will drink 60oz of water each day and consume 3-5 servings of fruits and veggies at least 25 days this month. The most important thing to do is WRITE IT DOWN, write your mini goals in your planner as a constant reminder. You should also record daily things, such as when you ARE going to workout or on this day you ARE going to try a new fruit... whatever the case may be. I also encourage you to check it off when you complete it and to be constantly making new goals. Let's say in January you worked out 20 days and you had made a goal of 20 days in February, why not switch it to 22 days?

The main idea is that you create mini goals and write them down, all feeding into your main commitment statement for the year. Never get discouraged and keep looking for new mini goals to create.