How I Overcame Lazy This Week: I Ditched The Kids!



I ran across this pic at
The Great Fitness Experiment

My daughters are one of the greatest joys of my existence.  I feel so blessed to have them in my life and to be able to spend my days with them full-time.  I love my little family. 

And yet, I have to say, as Grandma chauffeured the girls off for a sleepover, I stood waving good-bye and was awash with a giddy feeling of… freedom!  What to do first?!  My initial action was to do a kind of involuntary happy dance; it just sort of spontaneously sprung forth.  Next, I ran inside and blared the music that I wanted to listen to without worrying a whit about its appropriateness for the five-and-under set. 



And then… I got down and dirty.  Oh yeah, folks, I went into a House. Cleaning. FRENZY!!!  The carpets hadn’t been shampooed for months, the tile hadn’t been mopped for days and I had nobody getting in my way, demanding sippy cups and potty breaks nor making me feel guilty for not paying attention to them.  I was in heaven!

Ugh.  I’m a full-fledged, boring “housewife,” aren’t I? 

In my defense, my very first fantasy was, in fact, to hop in the car and go on a shopping frenzy.  However, that yearning was quickly quashed by the fact we have no expendable income and K was at work with the car; hence my enthusiastic focus on the next available option.

As I came to a cleaning break, it hit me that, despite my lack of motorized transportation, I wasn’t tethered to the house like I usually am.  I realized I could go out and do any type of workout I wanted to do for as long as I wanted without having to worry about the usual 20-minute prep of sunscreening, pottying, packing snacks/drinks, etc.  Nope, I just had to lace up my sneaks and head out!  I went for a neighborhood run.  I was in paradise!

Then when K got home later that night, we were discussing what in the world we were going to do with our kid-free morning the next day.  We were glumly listing the errands and home projects that we needed to get done when suddenly, it hit me that I’ve been wanting to go trail biking.  K’s been able to go a few times recently with friends, but I’ve had to stay with the girls because it’s not a very-young-kid-friendly activity. It struck us that we were unencumbered with the kiddos and we would be remiss to not take advantage of this sublime situation.  We were in ecstasy!

Quick aside: Two words for my mountain biking experience:  Awe.  Some.  This will be a topic for another blog posting very soon here, but I’ll just leave it at that for now.  Incredible.  Okay, now I’ll leave it.  Exhilarating.  For real, I’m done.  FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!!!

What was a happy realization from all of this is that, when faced with the delicious prospect of some self-indulgent free-time, what I truly was most excited about was the option to do some lively, un-lazy activities that I haven’t been able to do recently and I actually got out and did them!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE relaxing down time that involves a good book or a good movie.  I LOVE indulging in some yummy treats that I don’t have to share with anyone else!  And I manage to do those things occasionally as well, but I like being in a place right now that, when give the choice, my first desire is to do something fun and active and to just jump in and enjoy life!

I also want it understood that I LOVE adventuring with my girls and even thrive on the challenge of ensuring their participation and enjoyment of our active lifestyle.  But, boy, it sure was nice and a bit refreshing to be a little selfish! 

So, my advice:  take a break from something that usually gobbles up your time and energy (kids, work, America's Got Talent re-runs, etc.) and do something un-lazy for YOURSELF!  It’s usually a win-win situation.

When we went to pick them up, the girls didn’t even complain when we smothered them with sweaty, stinky hugs and kisses.  They'd had a blast with the grandparents and I think they enjoyed their little break from us as much as we did!







Doggonit, People Like Me



"I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and
doggonit, people like me."
- Stuart Smalley



I’ve been tapping into the power of mantras lately.  Ever since I got a boost from a quote I had posted at the right place at the right time, (see previous post “Do It Anyway”) I’ve been reminded how powerful a few phrases - or even just a few words - can be.

So I’ve issued the challenge to my family to choose the inspirational quote or mantra that will help them keep steadily moving toward their health goals.  I told them to print it out, post it somewhere prominent and recite it verbally at least once daily this month.  (Hence the Stuart Smalley reference – as goofy as that guy was, he was on to something!)



Just a small part of my vision board.  There's more
on the other wall above the toilet paper roll.



I’ve had a hard time choosing my current favorite because there are so many that inspire me.  In fact, I have what mizfitonline (a blog I’ve been enjoying lately) refers to as a “vision board”.  It’s a collection of pictures and quotes and phrases that I find motivating and inspirational that I’ve posted somewhere where I will see them often.  Yep, as some of you know, for me that’s the bathroom.  By the toilet.  I’ve been doing it for years and I have to say I’ve really found it helpful many times.



So I’ve narrowed it down to the two that are most meaningful to me right now:  “Do It Anyway” and “It’s about progress, not perfection.”



My daily mantras on the mirror, along with K's inspirational quote.
Plus my monthly exercise log!
Pretty soon I won't be able to see myself.



However, I can’t help but add a few more that have struck a chord in me lately:

“Act the way you’d like to be and soon you’ll be the way you act."  –Leonard Cohen

“Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing.  You have to make the mind run the body.  Never let the body tell the mind what to do.  The body will always give up.  It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night.  But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired.” – George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian

“Putting on your workout clothes burns half the calories.” - Trainermomma (another blog I’ve been enjoying).

"NO EXCUSES!"

I’m sure I’ll be sharing more as they inspire me… and I encourage everybody else to do the same!