~When Life Gives Me lemons...!~

 

The recent past few weeks have been a test of endurance for me in so many ways, from life-changing, split second happenings enough to make one want to dash to the nearest fast food joint and indulge in processed so called yummy badness, to challenges and disappointments caused by others, that are tests in my patience which have implications on both how the body and mind react, to physical injuries that again have tested my abilities to perform and those that have had my mind in a rut that could see so many aspects of my life spiralling out of control. 

I am unsure if it's an admirable quality that a combination of all these factors have seen me firm in my resolve to accept these challenges and embrace them within all the positive energy flowing through my body and mind, or if it's pure craziness that this thing called Life through the lifestyle changes that I have worked hard at maintaining, has become effortlessly a part of my ego-free, happy, resilient, making-the-most of-every-breathing-moment life, that is happening to me?

Taking charge of my health is paramount for me - it's a no holds barred stance that has seen me reap the benefits of a positive mind-set, a mind that is preoccupied with so many distractions that could result in undoing the months of hard work, also a fear of resuming old habits that will see my health suffer once again.  This is possibly what sustains me during the trials that Ms Universe throws at me?

As I end month 11 in my journey in a few days, I reflect on what the past 11 months have meant to me, for me, ALL the time.  My goal is simple - a healthy me with no hang ups about my weight - said no woman ever!!!  But seriously, that's what the ultimate utopia and dream is for me - and while I am this stage, out of both the obese and overweight parameters of the standard body mass index guide, were in the beginning of my journey, that very scale didn't have a word for my morbid obesity, I no longer fixiate on fitting into smaller sizes.  Being a size 34 is a dream that I have realised, a dream that took me years to realise - the last time I fitted into that size was at puberty so if this is not the inspiration I need to stay this course, nothing else will work!  And it's these very facts that allow me to turn the lemons that life throws at me into maybe a decadent lemon chocolate,  keeping me on track in my journey to me...

The opportunity to share with others and to add inspiration and motivation to their journeys is also what is keeping my lifestyle spirit alive, and yes, I should develop a recipe for lemon bars that are Paleo friendly if Ms Universe keeps flinging dem lemons at me! :) ...in assisting others, I too am assisted and this works well in keeping the mind-set going.  We are all on a similar journey, some slower than others, some in leaps and bounds, some falling on the wayside BUT dusting themselves off and giving it a bash again and correcting the former bad habits through moving on past them and it's through these times that we to keep our eyes on the bigger picture, knowing that it is only ME that can do this for ME!

And so, to those following the same lifestyle change as I am....the picture below is rather apt...as they are fresh off the tree kind of lemons, not the preserved, shop bought variety!  Celebrate your achievements and don't allow negativity to sway you off your path in the road to you...this is what works for me!

Aluta Continua....