“i can do anything good”

Why hello there beautiful!

If you’re visiting through either of Caitlin’s blogs (Healthy Tipping Point or Operation Beautiful) thanks for stopping by 😀

First thing first, have you picked up your copy of Operation Beautiful yet?

I want to be honest with you about my health. My weight is phenomenal. I’m learning to appreciate a good workout and incorporate exercise into my daily routine. My muscles are slowly becoming defined and I’ve definitely got natural curves to my body!

However, there are some barriers I’m still struggling to overcome. Specifically, when it comes to my idea of safe foods, my tendency to restrict, and most importantly, how I view myself. I am my biggest enemy and supporter in my quest for wellness. This seemed like the perfect platform to share my most recent recovery adventures. Here are a few ways I’ve adjusted my lifestyle. I’ve started to-

Lend myself to others (without stretching myself too thin)
Taking time each day to focus on friends, family, or being courteous to complete strangers calms me. It is a great reminder that I’m not the only person on the planet. In fact, the world does not revolve around me.

“When you’re struggling with something, look at all the people around you and realize that every single person you see is struggling with something, and to them, it’s just as hard as what you’re going through.”
— Nicholas Sparks (Dear John)

I feel like I’ve always been the go to person (middle child) among my friends and family. I am always willing to lend an ear. However, I’ve become cautious of exactly how much time goes into making others feel good. So…

Cut the crap
Being blunt is the only way for me to explain this (to myself at least 🙂 ).  I’ve had friends in middle school, high school, and in college that have sucked every resource from me and kicked me down when I had nothing else left to give. Lending money, taking on other people’s problems for them, and always putting myself second are tendencies of mine.  I’ve had to be honest with myself and consider how many people would have my back in the same way. Let’s just say it’s not every friend on Facebook. The great news- within the past six months I’ve  let go of some toxic relationships I never thought I had the courage to split from. Some of these ‘friends’ have told me I : am too fat, need a boob job, could use some liposuction, am a pushover, will never be able to run long distances, should whiten my teeth, need to go to the tanning salon, won’t make it in the psychology field, have too many stretch marks, and the list goes on.  I’m all for constructive criticism, but there is never any reason to be cruel. In cutting out negative friends I’m discovering myself all over again. So long unhealthy mindset!

And more crap…
Diet food. You know it, I know it. Whole and natural foods> processed low calorie garbage any day. Finding new ways to nourish my body is overwhelming but surprisingly rewarding! I have a new objective when it comes to checking nutrition labels too. I’m training myself to check the ingredient list first before checking calorie content. I’m learning to balance my food choices out and take things one meal at a time. This might seem daunting to some of you. I haven’t reached the point where I can let go and trust my instinctual nourishing capabilities. I’m not quite at that point yet. For now, meal by meal and moment to moment it is.

Inch by inch, life’s a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard.

Avoid celebrity buzz
The majority of celebrity news is negative and usually just speculation. Think of the most recent trending stories…what are the most popular issues right now? The last thing I need in my life is a bombardment of cheating rumors, DUI updates, detailed plastic surgery reports, a shortened jail sentence scandal, etc. At the end of the day, I have to ask myself how it’s all benefiting me. Besides having another hot topic to gossip about with friends… no other ways I can think of.

Trust me, I’m a girl who loves her Pink is the New Blog and a good rerun of whatever the Kardashians are up to at the moment. This doesn’t mean I dodge magazines in supermarket lines or took a sledgehammer to my television.  But limiting my exposure is turning my attention elsewhere to find role models. P.S. If you’re a confident mamasita with a healthy lifestyle, you’re one of them! 😀

(I don’t know when another opportunity for this photo would present itself. Television smashing…computer smashing…A few summers ago my bro worked for the school district and took home useless monitors. We had our own little Office Space backyard party.)

Aim to be that role model
When I was young I emulated what my mom, cousins, friends, and older brother did. I’m working on setting a better example (health, attitude, and choice wise) for my younger siblings, relatives, and friends. There is no way I’m watching my every step fearing it will be imitated by someone I might influence. But, I’m actively maintaining a more positive outlook. I’m hopeful the steps I take could inspire someone else to make changes in their lives.

Who’s to say you can’t be that girl? You know…the one accomplishing her goals, facing her fears, and rocking it out! Aim to be the one to get a book deal, cooks more diverse dishes, discovers a new passion, travels, takes up a dance class, and make the steps necessary to be the best  possible you. Learning to say ‘yes I can’ to challenges I’m presented with is terrifying. But, I’m ready to face them head on!

Learning to forgive
Me. Replaying mistakes I’ve made in my mind is counterproductive. If I want to take a nose dive back into disordered eating and a depressive mood, I can achieve that. If I want to focus moving forward from previous struggles, I can! It is so easy to evaluate exactly what’s gone wrong, how I messed up previously, and what I was thinking at the time. Writing in my journal, communicating these concerns with close friends, and being honest with myself have helped me move forward. Beating myself up for what I could have done different is such a waste of precious time. I’ve got too much going for me to look back now.

As promised, the video that helped my outlook. My mom says I behaved just like her when I was a little peanut. Who says I can’t get that confidence back? Trust me it’s worth watching.

xoxo, Annie