Give me a PUSH

A little more than 21 days ago, I joined a small group of women in an accountability challenge. We were all looking for one thing in common: a way to make the habit stick. I have to admit, I joined this group because I wanted to get back in shape. I lost 4 pounds in 21 days, but I gained so much more. As we were posting motivation and talking about what helps us stay focused, a book was mentioned. I was on vacation at the time, and I happened to finish the digital book I was reading. I am a self-development junkie, so I decided to download it. I have to admit that it was full of MAJOR Ah-ha moments. Not just the kind that make you stop and think, but statements that profoundly redirected my way of thinking.
I know. Corny. But, true. I see it all the time, people posting things like “the dirty house can wait, the time with your babies cannot” and other ones that proclaim “sleep is for the weak.” Which is it, then? Can supermom really exist without sacrificing her own health…and possibly the wellbeing of her children? Is it really beneficial to my children that I CAN do it all if I get tired and cranky in the process? How much of MY stress do they absorb in a day? (I can just look at my oldest daughter sometimes and see it on her face. I’ve always called her my little sponge.)
I’ve written blogs about simplifying my life. I’ve written blogs about organizing my life. I’ve written blogs about trying to keep up with all my passions and hobbies. And now, I’m going to admit that it’s impossible.
I will admit it. All the activities that I do, I do because I love them. I don’t just seek out hobbies so I have something to do. I have a lot of interests, and I like to try new things. I want to be able to do it all. But, at some point, I need to take a step back and determine what my real priorities are. And when I determine what my top priorities are, I need to learn to let go of those things that contradict my goals. I am not saying that this is going to be easy. I do not want to give up any of my activities and projects. But, while I’m working on shedding the pounds, I want to shed some excess weights from my life, too.
So, if you see me hanging onto a ball of thread or a new book on gardening like I’m going to lose it forever, it’s probably because I’m trying to figure out if I should let it go. I expect the stress of breaking up. It’s never easy to do with anyone OR anything. But, once something is shed, the weightlessness that comes with it is so freeing.
I’ll be posting as I go along this journey, but I would encourage anyone who needs some direction in life to check out the book* that I’ve been reading. It comes from a fitness expert, but is geared toward life changes, not just weight changes.
I’m on the first step of setting goals and priorities for my life. It’s not too hard to come up with what is most important, but it is hard to see that I haven’t really been focused on it at all.

*PUSH by Chalene Johnson