Time Out

Haven't posted in  a while.  That usually means I'm hunkering down.  Either a teen, child, friend or spouse needs added time and attention or things around the house or at work are backing up.  In this case it was a combination of things.  In this case we had some kid crisis's and my husband had a big deadline at work I was trying to assist with.  Then two very fun surprises came up.  My brother and his wife and four children came down from Oregon during their spring break and my sister and her husband and six out of her nine children also came at the same time!! 

I love this kind of happy chaos, but it did take all my energy to be present and enjoy each moment.   I feel health and strength wise I took a small step backward.   I'm tired and will have to catch up, but part of balance is being flexible and resilient and I'm choosing where to divert my limited energy.

  The cousins were in heaven.  It was difficult settling my kids for bed on a school night, knowing their cousins were up playing on vacation, but we figured it out and ended up pulling my youngest boys out of school for half the day on Friday so we could all go to six flags.  We hardly ever get a chance to see these long distance cousins and family is of the highest priority to me so we made the most of it. 

We did get a lot of walking in at Six Flags and the weather was beautiful!! We worked out together and did sun salutations and danced to music.  We ate delicious food and shared love and laughs...  It was a rather nice visit even considering there were 8 adults in the house and 16 children!  Now it is just my sister and her three youngest here and we are recuperating from vacation mode and learning to hit a stride and get back into a schedule.  Exhausted, but content.  Good night.

KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!! (Personal Progress Program)

After doing our morning rituals yoga, food, etc...we sit and do our INTROSPECTION.   We read "7 Habits" book, or "The Illuminated Life",  Emotion/Body Code or some other inspiring resource to help us improve and know ourselves better.

Today we opened my daughters PERSONAL PROGRESS PROGRAM that she has been invited to participate in at church.  It is a great program!!  I remember doing it when I was in high school in a workbook, now it's online!!  I'll put the link in here because anyone can do it and it is a comprehensive wonderful program that you will come out a better person having participated in it.

I've decided to do the program again along with my daughter!! This will be so fun.  When I finish I get a gold honor bee medallion to add to the medallion I earned in high school.  We will work on it on Sundays and then during the week accomplish the goals in the areas of:

FAITH, SELF ESTEEM & INDIVIDUAL WORTH, (HEALTH FITNESS & TALENTS) KNOWLEGE, CHOICE & ACCOUNTABILITY, GOOD WORKS, INTEGRITY & VIRTUE

It incorporates every aspect of Body, Mind & Spirit Balance.


It's so much easier online where you can click on the scripture links and resources and add your notes and journal your feelings right there on the page.

I invite ALL WOMEN all over the world to give it a try!!!  <3 <3 <3

You can tailor it to your desires and needs.  It is Christian based, but if you aren't into that you can modify it and still gain from the practical goal setting and personal progress in areas you want to focus on.

Click this link to check it out:  PERSONAL PROGRESS PROGRAM ONLINE

WARNING!!! DOING THIS PROGRAM MAY HELP YOU LEARN TO LOVE YOURSELF AND KNOW YOURSELF BETTER & REALIZE YOUR INFINITE WORTH AND POTENTIAL!!!
 

Fajitas and Cilantro Dressing

Yesterday was a good day.  Started it off with Spiritual Meditation and Yoga. The sun felt deliciously warm and healing in the morning. I felt stronger when we were doing our morning sun salutations and circuit.   After starting the day with a good Body & Spirit invigoration it was easier to dive into homeschool.  We were able to accomplish so much yesterday!! Yay!!

During circuit I practiced my planks and holding my body weight up on the pull up bar.  I'm still struggling with doing a full pull up...lol   But I am determined.  I go as far as I can go and I hold it.

My daughter can do 2 now, but she prob weighs half as much!  I can almost do one.  I won't panic until it's 20 days until Easter... I need to at least do one a day to make my goal of 20... and in the last week I've only successfully done one.

The weekend juice fast felt good.  I can tell my body did some deep spring cleaning.  I am still doing a little fresh juice during the day, but I love starting my day with the Vital Balance vegan protein.

For dinner I made chicken fajitas that rocked!!  Fresh red, yellow, orange and green bell peppers sliced with onions and garlic and spices sautéed with sliced chicken tenders left from my Italian night dinner.  I had some tenders left over when I did the chicken parmigiana but not enough to serve alone so I sautéed them with franks hot sauce sliced them up and threw them in with the stir fry.

With the bulk of the veggies there was more than enough to feed my crowd.  We also had some of my husbands left over Dominican Style rice and beans made with brown rice.  I had my fajitas over a bed of shredded lettuce and the rest of the fam put it in tortillas.

I made an avocado cilantro dressing that was creamy and delicious that I poured on my salad... It was scoopably thick and tasted great on the rice too.  A sour cream, avocado, cilantro delicious topping.


I recognize a pattern of pushing myself hard and missing sleep or other needs to catch up.  I am trying to be more aware of this so I can make wise prudent decisions on the use of my time and what needs to get done today or what can wait.

 I realize I haven't been drinking enough water lately so trying to remember to slow down and be organized so things like that don't get pushed aside.  Feels great to be getting so much done, but need to pace myself for a marathon not a sprint that leaves me panting.  :)

Look for the Good

Tough day.  I don't know if it's the weather or what...  I feel like I took a step backwards in the pullup department.  I couldn't even do one today!!  And I came so close to over carbing after my teen mouthed off to me...  I'm so glad I didn't... the kids tend to be my trigger these days.  I ate a nutritional meal and treat,  I hopped on the elliptical for just a few minutes and was able to come back with a smile.


DAILY SUCCESS:
I kept trying on the pullups even though I was discouraged
I did a handstand today for ten seconds... (against a wall)
I was full after dinner but out of habit and stress reaction I had garlic bread close to my mouth and I stopped an unhealthy coping spiral,
   by having my thoughts be my friends respecting and supporting myself in my thoughts, putting down the bread and.  I put it down and walked away and got on the elliptical.

Not that one piece of bread would have killed me, but its not in my training plan for today and its a slippery slope when you get off course.

It's just the pattern of BREAKING THE COMPULSIVE CYCLE (great book)
When you get your trigger, whatever you do can either lead you to isolation, guilt, self hatred, addiction, regret.... or you can break the pattern and choose a healthy release that will lead to self mastery, and self love, empowerment, freedom, health and connection with others.

So instead of letting my thoughts beat myself up, I choose to focus on what I am doing well and what is good in my life.  I make rational plans to fix what went wrong or I have healthy go-to actions instead of acting on unhealthy impulses and then I feel more in control and not a victim.   It helps pass the ugly storms that try to take over my peace. 

Treat yourself kindly, do something you will be proud of, serve, exercise, create...
Pat yourself on the back for catching yourself and stopping the cycle!! Literally pat your shoulder or stroke your arm. GOOD JOB!!

If you have a certain habit you are trying to break and you catch yourself stopping the inner bully and give yourself supportive self talk  REWARD YOURSELF!!


Lately one bite of the delicious treats I've been making are all I need to feel indulged, pampered and empowered!! Especially because the treats are yummy, but totally healthy!!

I'll post pics.  They are all made with clean whole ingredients so not only do they look and taste good it's actually a gift to myself of nutrient rich fuel for my body to think and feel and move the best it can.  (gummy bears, cheesecake bites, lemon bars, chocolate truffles, ice cream, milk shakes etc...)

MY FIRST FULL PULL UP!!!!!

YAY!!!!!!!! I did it!!! I did a real full pull up!!  Hahaha I know, it was just one. Almost 2!!  I really have such a struggle trying to do one at all I wasn't sure how long it was going to take, but today I did nearly 2!! Ok, I see a little light at the end of the tunnel...  I know if I keep working at it and seeing my goal I will accomplish the seemingly impossible!!  

I feel incredible!!  I LOVE SEEING PROGRESS ON MY GOALS!!!!

Thank you for my amazing resilient body!!!



 Click to Learn more about S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Click for a great Mind & Spirit PERSONAL PROGRESS goal setting Program