The past few days seem to have gone by in a flash....I continue to work on the cleaning and organization of the house. How in the world did I ever let it get this bad ?! There seems to be a never ending supply of things I don't need, use, or even like! I've resolved to be more mindful of my purchases this year.
Going through all of our things is a pretty solitary activity and so I've had a lot of time to think...about things. Like what needs to be purged from my mind and life as well. What thoughts, ideas and feelings have I been holding onto that I need to release? Maybe some old grudges, ideas about what I can and cannot do, my understanding (admittedly very limited) of who God really is and what His will for my life is. Just to name a few. Let's just start with what I believe about myself for instance. I use to believe that I couldn't exercise. I told my doctor I couldn't, it just hurt to much. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia about 18 years ago and since then I've pretty much allowed it to run my life. I was always to tired or in to much pain to do the things I wanted to and it was a convenient excuse NOT to do the things I didn't want to or in reality was afraid to try. I realize now I missed out on a lot of Life.
I began to make a change in February of last year. A very good friend and I made a covenant together to exercise and to make better food choices. Having some one to be accountable to made a huge difference. Also, I was under so much stress at work that exercising was the only way for me release it in an appropriate manner. I see now that God used those two things together to help me see that:
1. I can do hard things
2. I'm stronger than I think
3. Taking care of my physical body is important
4. I can do anything when He's there beside me
So now after almost a year....I love exercise. I look forward to it. I've lost weight and gone off two medications. I've decided to take the Apostle Paul's words as my mantra " I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should," 1 Cor. 9:27. I know I'm taking it out of context, but I'm tired of my body dictating to me what I will and will not do!
That goes for my mind as well. Too long have I let thoughts of not being smart enough, thin enough, young enough etc.. to rule my thinking. With Christ I am more than enough. It's a new way of thinking and acting for me this year!
So with that in mind, I did something that has excited and terrified me all at the same time. I applied for a job as a Flight Attendant with one of the airlines that has a hub in our area. I have no idea if I will even be called for an interview, but just submitting the online application was a HUGE step for me.
Whatever The Lord has in store for me I'm on board with!
I've also continued to enjoy reading The Happiness Project. One of Grethen's theories is that growth is important to our happiness and I believe that's absolutely correct. It isn't just the mastery of the new skill but the journey along the way that causes the growth to happen. Working on this blog has been a growth experience and happiness has certainly been a byproduct of that growth.
Learning to use an iPad is another opportunity for growth since I've never used an Apple product before. I was a little irritated with my husband for not wanting to go with me to make the purchase, but after I was done I realized how good I felt about myself for researching (took me a month to decide) it, making the decision to do it and then acting on that decision. I felt strong, capable.....smart! Who knew! Now I just need to master using it!
Here's to living life to the fullest this year!
Shan
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