What You Allow Will Continue

Yesterday I wrote "What you allow will continue" on my status on Facebook.  This is my mantra for 2014.  Quite a few people emailed me privately or spoke to me in person about these 5 little words.  Think about it...    What You Allow Will Continue.

Eating fast food: what you will allow will continue.

People making comments to you that are a wee bit nasty, yet you laugh it off: what you allow will continue.

People taking advantage of your time: what you allow will continue.

Choosing to ignore your health: what you allow will continue.

Being the victim all the time.  It is always someone else's fault: what you allow will continue.

Sitting on the couch watching Real Housewives instead of working out: what you allow will continue.

Get it?  We choose our present. 

So let's turn this around.

I will do some sort of exercise 6 times this week: what you allow will continue.

I choose to get more sleep and not let the distractions of work or home get in the way: what you allow will continue.

I drink water over high calorie liquids: what you allow will continue.

I have no time for toxic people: what you allow will continue.

I choose to put myself first so I can be a better person for my family and friends: what you allow will continue.

I make healthy food choices: what you allow will continue.

I am the person I want to be: what you allow will continue.


You have the power to make a difference in you and in the people around you.  I challenge you to move forward and make a difference in your life.
 

What You Allow Will Continue!

Confessions of the Band!

Lately I haven't met a carb I haven't liked.  For the past 6 weeks, I have had every kind of bread, potato and sweet I could find!  Why might you ask?  Well, I got some fluid out of my lapband. 

My band has always been stress reactive.  The moment I am dealing with something tough, my band gets even tighter.  No big life changing events here, but a bunch of little events caused my band to tighten up and I wasn't getting sleep.  You can't go without sleep...it can quite literally make you crazy.

So, I did the smart thing and went to get an unfill.  Then I decided to have a little more taken out than normal.  I wanted to take a holiday.  I developed my taste for carbs again.  I loved every minute of it...until my pants got too tight. 

Reality check.  I don't want to gain back all my weight.  I can tell not only in my clothes, but in my breathing and in my workouts that I have too much weight on my body to be healthy.  So, I made the call and by the time you see this, the fluid will be back in.

I have had my band for almost 15 years.  I have been successful and of normal weight for 13 of those years.  I have worked in weight loss in one form or another for those 13 years.  So, why am I confessing this bump in my healthy weight and not just losing it and being 'the success story' without you ever knowing about this?  Because I am human.  I needed to do what is right for me.  The point I am trying to make is that it is ok to deviate from your path once in awhile, but always keep it in sight and be sure to get back on.  Don't get lost and lose your focus.

I am getting back on the bandwagon.  I am also paying attention to my hunger scale and only eating when I am hungry. 

Do you need to re-focus?  Let's do this people!  www.losinggracefully.com

Polyanna? Why not?

Since I have become a certified coach, I have really noticed a change in me.  I have made a conscious effort to lift people up.  I don't really see the good in being negative.  It is a waste of time. 

My husband says that I am becoming a Polyanna.  What is wrong with that?  I would rather look for the good in someone than focus on the bad.  For as long as I can remember, I have had an inner mean girl that hangs out in my head.  For the last few months, I have told her to go *%#$ herself.  She has been quiet and I have not been happier.  Coincidence?  I think not!

I put this picture with my post because it shows love.  That's what it is all about.  Take a moment to find the fabulous in everyone you meet.  Sometimes it may be a bit hard to do, but trust me, you can find something in every single person that walks this earth!  So, get on it!  Join me in Polyannaville.  It is a beautiful place.

Stepmoms Hurt Too

One of the hardest things I deal with, being a stepmother to 5 now adult children, is how to help when someone is hurting.  My mama instincts are to grab them and hold them just like my mother would do when tough grown up things would happen.  As a stepmother, most times, there is not an invite to do the mama bear thing.  You have to make the right choice.  Say the right words.  Listen.

Several of the kids have had some growing pains the past few months.  These are things that happen to young adults.  I clearly remember my 20's and how hard everything was.  The adjustment from school, where there were holidays, to work, where they expected you to show up all the time and on time, was just plain awful.  The real world is a rude awakening.   When my nephew graduated from college, he kept saying it was the worst day of his life.  We all thought it was hilarious, but I believe he was speaking the truth.  Reality bites!

Sometimes kids, whether you are the parent or the step parent, do not want to share what they are going through.  This is where you have to have patience and prepare to pray A LOT to you maker.  You know they are hurting but you can do nothing.  Rough place to be.  You might want to just check in with them and let them know you are around and available to listen if they want to talk.  Eventually they will tell you.  In the meantime, don't find a reason to eat a load of Ben and Jerry's while you are waiting for them to call. That will open up another issue!

Awesome Women!

I had the privilege of attending a working retreat the other weekend in Savannah, Georgia.  I am currently in a class with the women in this picture.  I had spoken with them on the phone, but had never met any of them face to face.

It was remarkable!  For three days I was with twelve amazing women.  We learned, we laughed, we cried.  I am bursting with ideas for business.  It is easy to come up with new things when you are in a supportive atmosphere.

The picture is one of the unusual exercises we did.  We were to write an uplifting message on a piece of poster board.  We had to take our message through a large (very active) park.  Then we were told to stand on a busy corner of the street with these messages and see if we could get cars to honk.  Yikes!  I am one to put myself out there, but not one to put myself WAY out there.

You know the feeling you have when you are driving and see people with poster boards?  I always think "Ugh!  Make it through the light, I don't want to deal with their posters and whatever slogans they yell or crap they are trying to sell."  When you think about it, usually posters are negative or they are trying to sell you the best thing since sliced bread.

Our posters were positive. We were not selling a single thing. I loved watching the faces of people who were driving up to our group.  At first, it was negative, the "oh no" face.  Then their expressions transfer to the "What?" confusion face.  Finally, once the messages were read, we saw lots of smiles and got many honks.  Often people asked what we were doing.  When we told them we were just spreading good thoughts, the answer was always positive.  It was fun!

I learned so much by standing on the corner.  People are not used to positive statements without cost.  That is hugely wrong.  We need to encourage others and often.  Maybe not on the street, but at every chance you get.  Then again, the street corner hit many people in a short period.  A positive thought will always make a difference.

Do you need help with positive thoughts?  I can help.
www.cynthiaokelly.com