Thoughtful Thursday

You can do anything you put your mind to. Often we will think, "I can't do this," and it's not true. All the trainers on the Biggest Loser are constantly telling the contestants, " you can do it." A marathon or a half marathon, I can do it. In the case of the book I just finished reading, "think and grow rich," we can have any amount of money we desire. We control our thoughts which will translate into our desires.

A study was done on housekeepers and a hotel and losing weight. (Don't make me find the study, I just read about it and was impressed.) The housekeepers were split into two groups. One group was told that their work was an excellent form of exercise. The other group was told nothing. The housekeepers who thought about how their job was exercise reported losing weight. The other group lost no weight. Interesting, since the work never changed but their mindset did.

All of this is to illustrate an important point. If you put your mind to it, you will lose weight, make lots of money, finish a marathon, or whatever else you want to do. The key is to have a burning desire to accomplish your goal and then do whatever it takes to get there. All people find failure. It's the people who stay positive and get back up that also find success.

I hope this helps you in your journey. I'm working on a funny (I think its funny) story for Saturday.

Baseball Thursday

I may not be good on my diet today. I may not have someone to join me. I am at a baseball game at Redhawks stadium. I have a great seat and I'm partaking of dollar beer night. This is a great diversion to keep my mind off of lonely feelings. I won't be lonely long. I love to be busy too so this is my turn to do stuff and have fun. I won't let the time go to waste. I will do good!

Dear Lord, thank You for Your blessings. Amen.

Disappointment

According to legend, the church down the street from my home had Martin Luther King Jr. apply for the pastoral position. He was declined due to his young age. Another disappointment made another stronger.

I have lost count how many times something has disappointed me greatly. To make the wound sting a little more, others make it sound so easy to deal with. "Like water on a duck's back." The opposite is true. Its a mental challenge and one has to be strong to move past it. I focus my energy and mind on things that don't disappoint like my cats or my family and friends. I also focus my time on positive activities such as writing, reading, biking, and playing the piano.

What was your last disappointment and how did you deal with it?

Day at the beach

I miss the ocean, the waves, and everything about the beach. Sand can be a bit of hassle in between my toes but I enjoy listening to the gentle crash of the waves. Seagulls will call out to one another and some waves will be louder than others.

Imagine yourself at the beach and listening to the relaxing sounds. That’s a great way to let stress melt away from your mind, body, and soul. Here’s to a fresh week, full of promise, and moments of relaxation.

Progress...not perfection

My current read is “Mind Over Money” by Brad Klontz and Ted Klontz. The best nugget of wisdom I found so far was this: The goal is progress, not perfection. As a first born, I am always striving for perfection. I know that is unreasonable but I still try.

The night of no sleep

Today’s rating is Positive.

After a night of tossing, turning, and constant thinking I was left with a day of headaches, nausea, and more thinking. I have learned that I am good at negotiating problems and finding solutions. I have a good partner in my husband too. The solutions we find may not be perfect but I believe that God is leading us in the right direction some how.

Tonight, in order to find a good nights sleep, I am going to take a hot bath before bed. I expect that will help relax my body and my mind. We all need sleep and going too long without can lead to more headaches, nausea, and poor decisions.

Epic Battle with the Economy

Today’s rating is Negative.

I am continuing my struggle with finding a job and with a deadline looming it doesn’t seem as if this feat is possible. The last time I was in the job market, I was hunting for ten hours a day, six days a week. Finding a job is a full-time job and yet I’ve been trying to accomplish this in part-time hours.

I am praying for wisdom, strength, patience, and hope. Its clear that I am not strong enough to do it on my own. I’m not alone with Jesus Christ on my side. I survey my situation and I can see that things won’t work in my timing. So, do I just throw the towel in and wait for God to put the job on a silver platter and deliver it to my door? I think there is a balance between the hunt and the providence of God. I wish I had that balance in my heart, mind, and soul right now. Thank you for your support.

Connections

Today’s rating is Positive.

As I think about the last two years of my life, I can see that it was incredibly stressful. What is interesting to me is that the stress hasn’t changed or left but I have been able to change my frame of mind. Generally, I am a positive person but I can’t maintain that focus all the time. If I lose concentration, things can go downhill fast for me.

The only change I’ve made is reaching out to friends and family. Literally, I forced myself to email at least one person or text a different person. I had to force myself to stay in touch because I found that I was too lazy, complacent, and content to stay miserable. Yeah, that doesn’t make sense. I still have challenges to overcome but I am able to make it through with my family, friends, and God.

Thank you Lord for the connections that you have blessed me with. I could not live without relationships.