Updating
My 5-year-old son leans his long, lanky frame against the wood kitchen door. He closes his big eyes with the long and dark eyelashes that women fawn over ("I paid hundreds to get them and he is just born with them! It's not fair!"). He stands perfectly still. His little sister stands next to him, curiously looking at him and wondering the same thing I am: What is going to come out of this mouth this time?
"Mom, I can't move right now," my son says, not moving or opening his eyes. "I'm updating."
Through my laughter, I thought about what he just said. As I mentioned before, I took on Shonda Rhimes' "Year of Yes" challenge and have been saying yes to anything outside of my comfort zone. I must say, since I started saying yes, I have been involved in more fulfilling things. I'm part of this literacy group through the George Kaiser Family Foundation at my church that teaches parents that positively talking to and reading to your children can teach them so much. I also volunteer in the church nursery, so I help the wee little babies and toddlers learn about Jesus. I have reached out to friends more and starting working out twice a week with a trainer.
I read my post from January and took myself back to how I was feeling then: Frustrated, depressed, overweight, pre-diabetic. I felt like a hamster on a wheel trying to reach that elusive carrot. It was amazing how fast the extra weight built up and I never saw it coming until I couldn't fit my clothes properly. The constant pain in my right hip and ankle were also signs that I was too heavy for my bones and ligaments to support. I was sick and tired of feeling run down. With three recent deaths, including two moms the same age as me with kids the age of my kids, I realized that life is way too short to be spent miserable and unhappy. Changes really needed to be made and changes have been made! I'm not tracking weight loss, but my arms have toned and gotten smaller, my clothes are baggier, and I overall feel so much better. I have a lot more energy. I'm not as tired as before. I look forward to working out. I'm amazed at what happened to me and how my thinking has changed.
I will begin classes for a graduate certificate in non-profit management. I have an idea that I started a year ago and would love to make it a non-profit company. I'm excited for the program and the future of that. I'm also working on a business idea with my brother. Stay tuned!
Another routine I have added is to meditate twice a day. I am reading Russell Simmons' book, "Success Through Stillness." He really breaks down meditation and how simple it is to get started. Meditation has helped lower my anxiety, made me way less irritable and things don't affect me like they used to. Things roll off my back now compared to before I meditate. If I'm having a crazy day at work, I will go home at lunch and meditate for 20 minutes. I meditate again for 20 minutes before bed.
Meditation is what led me to start writing again. I noticed everyday, someone was asking me what was up with my books. I took it as a sign that I need to get back to writing. I had let go of the one therapeutic thing that got me through most days. With that said, I finally started writing the 4th book in A Series of Choices. So stay tuned for that on my Facebook author page! It will feature the same twists, turns and human relations that we all love.
I initially thought my son misunderstood what he meant by "updating," but he was actually correct. We're always changing and growing and becoming better than we were before. So, have you updated yourself lately?
