Stay away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that. The really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great.

Purpose

I suppose I am here because something remains for me to do; I suppose I am yet to help break the chain;
--Harriet Tubman.

Marva Collins says in one of her books that a one thing a family can do to create a sense of union is to create a mission statement.  In her school, Westside Prepartory Academy, her students recited a mission statement every morning.  Big businesses do this as well.  The Army does it.  Why not a family?  Why not you?  If I were to create a mission statement it would read something like this.......

"I will live everyday like it is my last, developing healthy long lasting relationships with like minded,  God fearing, spirit filled people.  I will love until it hurts, balancing a healthy mix of laughter and tears combined with the realization that all things are possible if you believe them into existence.  I will lead with a compassionate fervor.  God has blessed me with two beautiful souls (my children) and I am humbled at how much I have learned from them.  They are watching me and they deserve to see the best that I've got.  It is okay for me to fail but failure is not an excuse to give up on life; it is a learning experience.  I know that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  God does not make mistakes and he broke the mold when he made me!  I am not behind, I am right where I need to be."

I do not think that a mission statement should be written and set in stone.  As you learn and grow this is something that should be revised over time.

Do you have a purpose?

Kiss Your Brain

Time flies when you are depressed. I cannot believe it.  I never wanted to be "that" person.  You know that person that cries for everything?  That person that is not in control of her emotions so that folks walk on egg shells around her because you never know when she is going to snap?  For appearances sake, and no doubt through the Grace of God, I am sure that I appear normal on the outside to most folks.  But in the inside.... I am screaming.  I am so angry that I cannot see straight and at times I swear I cannot believe I do not spontaneously combust.  This emotional roller coaster that I did not set into motion has left me walking tall on the outside.  But inside...when I am alone with my thoughts, when I think no one is looking, I am slumped over.  I drag my feet and I am still sleep walking through life.  Why am I doing this to myself?  What kind of quality of life do I have if I am not healthy inside AND out?

When I feel like this my diet is also totally out of control.  I have not made one green smoothie this week. Correction, I did make some smoothie but they are sitting in the fridge because I have not drank them.   I have taken to drinking coffee again which I am sure has left me somewhat dehydrated.  Its a wonder that I can make tears at all.  Are my emotions and my diet linked?  What came first, the tears or the grilled cheese with extra butter?  

It occurs to me as I am typing this that our insides have two parts.  One part is the physical part, our plumbing, all the stuff inside us that keeps us going.   The second part is the spiritual and emotional parts of us.  When I am teaching my little ones, I tell them to kiss their brains when they get an answer right or even if they did not get it right but they tried their best.  What have you done to kiss your brain lately?  My brain is thirsty and tired because I have not been nourishing it like I should.  Our inside parts cannot function properly if we do not give them what they need.  An interesting link to read is here

 http://www.thethinkingbusiness.co.uk/brainfoods.htm 

its all about the brain and how it functions and what is needs to function correctly.  

In one of the many books that I am reading, "Walk Tall: Affirmations for People of Color" the author, Carleen Brice, states that there have been times in her life when externally she has been walking tall but internally, her spirit was drooping.  Our emotional insides are made up of the things that have happened to us throughout our lives and the things that we do today that dictate our futures. Our physical insides are the same.  You are what you eat.  Straighten up that internal slouch, drink some water and kiss your brain!   

Power

The power to make everyday a positive day is within us.  Positive thoughts yield positive outcomes.  We can say that we are making positive changes and to the outside world we can look great.  But on the inside, where we are alone with our inner child, are we having a tantrum?  What does a nurturing parent say to a child that is throwing a tantrum or having a bad day? We talk them through it.  We make them realize that it even if a bad thing has happened to them, they have the power to react to that unkind thing in a way that makes the sun start shining again.   Never let anyone steal your joy.  Make it a great day!

It takes time Part 2

True well being happens within you.  Think about this.  We give our children the emotional support to be the great people they are to become.  We feed them food to help them grow big and strong. We adults also need that and I think we tend to forget that.  When our children are younger,  and we start them on solid food, they are started slowly.  This is because their systems cannot handle a lot of junk.  Junk will cause them to get sick.  We shield them from certain television shows, movies, and music because their little brains are not ready for certain things.  Those certain things are junk food for the brain is what I tell my own kids.  As adults we need to take a common sense approach to our well being.

Breakfast at Warner's

Kids made me breakfast in bed.  Brought me an appetizer (banana) and everything.  I am currently waiting for my sunny side up eggs, wheat toast, and strawberries. I am resisting the urge to tell them to turn the stove down because I can smell the eggs getting to crisp.  I did not even tell them that even though I am in bed doing homework on my computer, I have already had breakfast, a small bowl of Kashi Go Lean.  I probably will have to have a salad for lunch.

It is important that we give our kids time and room to grow.  It is important that they are allowed to be our teachers at times.  The best lessons are the ones that we did not expect.

It takes time....

I have seen the talk shows.  Woman is tapped out.  Woman hates her life.  Woman gets a make over to get an untapped out "look".  Woman goes home and maintains talk show "look". Credits run.  Show is over.  Life is great for woman again.  Woman might even come back for a "where are they now" show.  Woman still appears to have it all together.  Life is more than a 30 minute sitcom.  True make overs take time..much longer than 30 minutes.  True make overs are more than a new hairstyle or a even a wardrobe.  Now don't get me wrong a makeover is a nice! We all like to look good.  But do you really feel good?

Just say No....

Note to self:  JUST SAY NO to energy drinks after 7 pm.  Even though they are sugar free and you can get allllll the laundry done.  Just say no.....

Really?

Its not as if I was asking for stress. I really do try to avoid stress at all costs. Baby girl has the stomach flu, and baby boy? Yeah I made it to the bus stop but now we are in the ER with a possible broken finger. Gotta love I lifes ups and downs. I can choose to eat myself silly or go do a kick ass pilates work out to ease the stress of the day. The choices we make today affect our waistlines tomorrow. Now sing it with me....Waistline is connected to the heartbone, heartbone is connected to the....yeah I know there is no such thing as a heartbone but as a wise man once said to me, "what you eat at 24 you will be at 34." Eat to live do not live to eat.

What is your Trigger?

Asthmatics know what they need to stay away from so that they do not trigger an asthma attack. I am not an asthmatic but I do know that I have a trigger for over eating.  For me, anything remotely stressful sends me into an eating frenzy.  Today it was my daughter getting sick at her school.  My emergency contact was not available and there I was wondering what I would do with my 21 kindergardeners for the the rest of the day while I tried to find a substitute not to mention my son gets off of the bus in a few hours and who would be there to receive him if I took baby girl to the clinic?  I immediately felt that familiar rumbling in my tummy.  I grabbed my green smoothie and tried to quiet that urge to overeat but it was not enough. I felt hungrier with every passing moment....and I was envisioning myself in the drive through of the closest fast food place where there was no doubt that I could get something warm and cheesy.  I did not let the urge overwhelm me but I did make a sandwich when I got home.  Still not satisfied, I had another half of a sandwich and finished off my smoothie.  And yes I still felt "hungry".

None of us are perfect.  When you have a void to fill, you will find ways to fill it even if its not the healthiest thing for you. It is important to surround yourself with healthy people, food, relationships, things, ideas and ambitions so when you are triggered to backslide, you can still reach out for something that is good for you...even if it is warm and cheesy.