Category: focus on today

Stop the Negativity!

There are times when I get down on myself and I get in my own way of trying to accomplish what I need to accomplish.

How do I get in my own way? With negativity!

Take this past week, for example.  I have been an eating machine!  After losing 85 pounds recently, it seems like I’m trying to negate all of that by just how much I’ve been eating.

Truth be told, I should have lost more than that 85 pounds by now, but I’ve slacked off a bit with my exercising, and I’ve increased my eating.  That’s not a good combination.

So, I started beating up on myself.  I focused on everything I was doing wrong, instead of the things I was doing right.  Last week, I increased my workouts, partly because I knew I was over eating. I took the first step to turn the tide.exercise

Did I give myself credit for taking that step, and increasing my workouts?  No… I only focused on what I was doing wrong.

Finally, with a little bit of prayer, with the weight of  all the negativity bearing down on me, I woke up determined that “today is a new day.”  I can’t go back and change what I did yesterday… or not eat all the food I ate yesterday.  So, it was time to focus on what I could do right today!

So, being that it was trash day, I went into my pantry and my refrigerator and threw out the unhealthy snacks I had started buying again.  It was time to start fresh.

I had a good week with exercising, so I was going to give myself credit for that, and then have a good, better day with food.

It was time to get out of my own way.  And when I took those unhealthy snacks to the trash — I realized how empowered I felt.  Instead of surrounding myself with all of the negativity and beating up on myself for what I had done in the past, I took charge of today!  It was up to me to change what I was going to do… only for that day.

So, the lessons learned:

1. Every day is a new day.  A new opportunity to make better choices.

2. Stop the negativity and give yourself credit for the positive.  Get out of your own way.

3. If you screw up, learn the lesson and move on.  Tomorrow will be a new day and a new opportunity.

4. Pray! Every day!

It’s time to stop the negativity and take one small step toward the positive.

What about you?  What ways do you have to stay positive?  I’d love to hear how you stay motivated.

Staying Present

I saw a quote this week from a friend on Facebook:  Whatever happened to being in the moment when you do something?

It got me to thinking.  Are we all so busy multi-tasking that we forget to be in the moment?  To enjoy what’s going on right this minute?

I know some of us are always thinking about tomorrow, about the step or even the next item on our list? We’re planning, organizing and thinking about the future.  

Believe me, there’s nothing wrong with planning and organizing.  Sometimes that helps us enjoy what’s yet to come.

But is your ear so glued to your cell phone, that even when you’re checking out at the grocery store, you can’t put the darn thing down to say hello to the cashier and thank the teenager who’s bagging your groceries?  Or even just to focus on the task of unloading your grocery cart with more than one hand? (Can you tell this is one of my pet peeves?)

How many of us are truly appreciative of today, of this moment?  In this moment, I’m doing something I love (writing on my blog).  I am in my beautiful home actually enjoying the rainy weather.  God is good, because I’m able to do this.

Even if you’re not at the perfect job, or your kids are driving you crazy, or you’re facing illness or problems… isn’t it time to take a look around? To be thankful that you have a job, that you are blessed with children, and that good doctors are all around us?

I’ve had cancer twice and God still wants me here.  So while I’m here on this earth, I want to be present in every moment.  Even in the routine, like going to the grocery store, I want to stay involved with what I’m doing. If nothing else, just to be courteous to those around me, standing in line behind me, or working hard as they ring up my grocery total and put my items in bags.

The reality is, no matter what we’re doing, it’s best if we only do one thing at a time before moving on to the next project.  I know I’m a better worker when I do that.

So, take a moment today to look around. Quit multi-tasking so much and enjoy right where you are, right now.  

Stay in the present.  Remember the quote from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

I, personally, don’t want to miss a thing!