Motivations of an Unmotivated Motivator

Monday, April 27, 2020

I AM Aligned

I AM

Aligned

My thoughts, words, and actions reflect my truth.

Once upon a time, a long time ago I actually got into playing golf. Weird right? Well, for me it was, back then anyway. I always thought golf was something retired people do and never imagined it would be something I would actually enjoy, but I did.

Learning to tee off was interesting. Insert all the golf bloopers here!

You see, your body has to follow a certain flow and alignment in order for you to even make contact with the ball, let alone put it somewhere playable. I must have swung and missed 300 hundred times in all before I finally got my alignment memorized. I had to teach my body the muscle memory in order for me to be able to hit the ball. One of my biggest issues? I would lift my head/chin. When you swing a golf club you have to keep your head down, chin tucked from the start of your swing to the follow through. There is no in between, you lift up, you miss the ball. It took hundreds of swings in order for me to feel comfortable, then there was an issue with my hips that I didn't know about. My hips are our of alignment, they are twisted a bit, and because of that I would slice the ball every time I made contact if I lined up with my feet perfectly parallel, like you see everyone else doing. Because my hips were off I needed to learn to open my front foot a bit so that when I swung I would get more of a straight drive. Even then I'd miss the ball and feel silly in front of players who'd played for years, but I was learning.

I think it's the same when it comes to our thoughts, words, and actions. At first we have a thought, in my case, "I want to play golf." Then we let our thoughts become words and next we are acting on them. Out to the driving range I went! For me, I needed to figure out my truth. I needed to learn my tendencies to make mistakes, me pulling my head up. I needed to learn I had something out of my immediate control that I had to adjust for, my hips. Then I had to take those truths and align my body properly in order for me to hit the ball. And remember, even knowing those truths I would still miss.

Being aligned is a learning process. Learning our truths take time. Don't fret because you miss the ball. Keep aligning yourself and trying again. Practice, practice, practice.

XO,
Shelon

#workout #fitmom #girlmom #wife #sister #daughter #fitness #encouragement #faith #jesus #cancersurvivor #barreblend #beachbody #shakeology #fitkids #healthy #fitlife #affirmations #love #strength #wisdom #laugh #learning #process #smallsteps #progressnotperfection

Friday, April 24, 2020

I AM Intentional

I AM

Intentional

I move forward calmly and with purpose.

Being intentional is one of the words that I used to form my resolution this year. I wanted to be intentional about moving my body everyday and about what I eat everyday. Intentional simply means done on purpose, deliberate.

Do you ever think about why you do things? Why do you overeat? Why do you not workout? or...why do you workout? Why do you eat a plant based diet? Why? This all feeds back to our motivations or motives for our actions. Everything is connected, there is no isolation of our actions and thoughts. We act based on our thoughts. I have to be intentional about what I think and what I do if I am to reach my goal of living a healthy and fit life.

Another part of being intentional for me is who I surround myself with. Who do I listen to or watch as an example for me. Who do I turn to when I need help. Being intentional about those things will either build you up or tear you down. Be careful who you keep company with.

For me the biggest struggle in this journey is not the physical one, but the mental one. Moving my body everyday is the easy part. Changing the mental strongholds I have in my mind so I can move forward with purpose...that's the hard part and it takes far more strength than I ever thought it would.

Do I have it all together? Absolutely not. One day I can write something like this and live it! The next day I'm flat on my back watching YouTube videos snacking on potato chips. But I'm intentional about trying again the next day and not giving up because I had bad day or one bad instance. Heck...not even if I have a week of bad days, I'm going to be intentional about trying again. The analogy of the flat tire is one of my favorites. When you get a flat tire on your car, do you slash the other 3 so it can't drive at all? Of course not! You change the flat tire and get back on the road towards your goal. Same goes for when we miss a workout or overeat at a meal. Don't just give up because of those bad moments or aka flat tires. Change them and get back on the road!

XO,
Shelon

I AM Powerful

I AM

Powerful

My thoughts, feeling and actions create my future.

Perception is reality. This is both true and false. Everyone has core beliefs shaped by something and it's those beliefs that shape how we perceive things.

If we constantly have one way of thinking, then yes, that translates into our reality, which is why we are told as Christians to guard our hearts and minds, and to hold every thought captive and compare that thought to what God says is true.

Our feelings constantly change, moment to moment, hour to hour, day to day. We cannot base our reality on something that constantly changes...but we often do. In a moment of anger or sadness we let those feelings dictate what we think and what we do about whatever made us angry or sad and the same goes for whatever makes us happy.

We are very powerful because of this. But this is the ultimate battle we all face...what side do we choose? Good or evil?

Will you let your power change your future for the good or will you let it change your future for the worse?

Even when bad things happen we still have a choice about how we think about it, how we feel about it, and what we will ultimately do about it. When we let whatever "it" is dictate how we think, feel, and what we do then we give our power away.

What do you give your power to?

XO,
Shelon

I AM Resourceful

I AM

Resourceful

I use creative methods to construct the best life possible.

Definitely not something I feel like I am. When I look up the definition on Google I get, "The ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties."

I don't know about y'all...but this girl can be stubborn and finding quick and clever ways to overcome my difficulties is definitely not me, LOL! Must be my Scottish heritage coming out.

So how do I apply this affirmation to my life? Maybe it's the ability for me to create my best life with what I have in this moment, not wishing for this thing of that thing. To be able to create something from nothing.

So many times I can get hung up on wanting something to happen first before I create. That can be something to happen first between my husband and I before a create a nice evening at home with him. Something with my children before I play Barbie with them, which is usually to pick up their play room. Something to happen first with God before I obey him...ouch...

If I believe God's word and I do, then he has provided me with all I need to create. Nothing has to happen first. I just need to see what's before me and use that to construction my best life possible.

XO,
Shelon

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

I AM Adaptable

I AM

Adaptable

I accept changes and can adjust to any situation.

Accepting change...something that some people love and other absolutely hate. Then, there's the group that's all about it until they realize how much hard work it's going to be.

I tend to fall into that last category, but there have been times when I've absolutely hated it.

Since this journal has sprung from a place of taking care of myself physically by working out daily and doing my best to eat healthy, let's look at that.

It's January 1st, you've just committed to following a diet, and a workout plan until you lose that 20 lbs of unwanted weight...ever been there? I certainly have!!!!

Something I've noticed that I do...a lot..is not look at the big picture. I don't stop and look at what I'm gonna have to change or adapt to reach that goal I'm picturing in my head. Not to mention how much of that work and change is gonna have to stay if I want to maintain that picture. Me not having a firm grasp of my motives for making these changes is why I believe I have tried and failed many times...although...I have not truly failed because I haven't quit trying. I just have many missed attempts or as Thomas Edison said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

Lord, I hope it doesn't take 10,000 tries for me to finally get it...Amen.

I've had to adapt my way of thinking, my way of eating, my schedule, the things I allow myself to read or watch, the time I spend reading or watching something...all of these things in my life needed to change. Some are still in process...

So after losing over 50 lbs this last attempt at being fit and healthy and gaining 30 of that back...yes...30...I have some decisions and changes to make yet again.

Yes I can follow an intense diet and workout routine and get results and that's fantastic, but I need these changes to come naturally for me. I don't want to constantly yo-yo between programs and go on and off of following my meal plans. I want to adapt my way of thinking, and my actions so the results happen naturally. I hope that makes sense. I want to train myself to reach for something nutritious before I reach for something less than. I want to, want healthy food over junk food. I want to, want to move my body with purpose daily. So how do I adapt and get to that point?

First things first...my head. I got my motives back in check and started focusing on what really matters to me about living a healthy and fit lifestyle. I accepted that my body is damaged...meaning my pelvic floor. My girly parts are not where they used to be and have been causing me issues and pain. I've known for a while that I need to do something, and I finally accepted it and started adapting my routine because of it. Back in November I asked myself, "What would it look like if I pushed play on a workout everyday for 365 days?" Notice I didn't say what would my abs look like or what would my booty look like, no...I said, "It" as in my life as a whole. What would making that change look like in my life 365 days later? When I find out the answer I'll let you know...today is currently 111 of 365...NO...366, it's a leap year!

So for me this past January 1st was a focus on healthy living in a more gentle way. I didn't have some intense plan that included a bunch of changes for me to adapt my life to. All I said was I was going to be intentional about moving my body daily, and I said I was going to do low impact and focus on the strengthening my core and pelvic floor muscles. That's it.

Change doesn't always have to happen quickly, and for the most part, at least for me, when change happens slowly I adapt better to it and it sticks around longer. Right now we're all adapting to a new "normal" that's very difficult for some of us. So maybe step back, take a deep breath, and focus on what really matters to you and your family. Then adapt one thing at a time and see what happens.

Shelon

Monday, April 20, 2020

I Am Fearless

I AM

Fearless

I dive into life with boldness and freedom.

I definitely don't feel fearless, but in God's word in 2 Timothy we are told that we are not given a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

What does that look like in my day in day out life? What does diving into life with boldness and freedom looking like?

Maybe it's trying a new workout move that I've never done and being willing to fail...or maybe it's trying a new food that I've never tried before...letting my kids make choices I know are not the best...letting my husband make choices I know are not the best...letting my schedule be flexible enough to be interrupted...

Have you ever prayed and prayed that someone would be changed by the Lord? I not talking salvation, I'm talking about a trait that is not the most honoring...does that make sense?

What if the Lord doesn't step in? What if he allows that trait or habit or whatever to continue? What if that "thing" is meant to change you instead of the other person? What does being fearless look like when you're facing something like that? How can you be bold and free in that moment?

Maybe being fearless is letting go of the control "I think" I have over my life and letting God lead me down paths I've never been down. Embracing what you're not certain of, letting yourself be surprised, and letting your family see those emotions in you.

I don't know...but I do know that each situation we face calls for a certain amount of fearlessness. Even just getting out of bed in the morning.

And maybe being fearless is knowing who to run to when we do feel fear and admit it. #jesusistheone

XO,
Shelon

Sunday, April 19, 2020

I AM Motivated

I AM

Motivated!

I take an enthusiastic and proactive approach to life.

I want to know the actual meanings to words that we use all the time that, like my previous post mentioned, might have lost a bit of their meanings through the decades. Motive simply means a reason for doing something.

I very often hear people tell me that they wish they had my motivation. To be very blunt...no you don't. The motives I have for continuing to strive towards a healthy and fit life are rooted in fear. Fear of not being here for my husband and children, and fear of getting cancer again, and not being able to handle what comes with that because I'm not healthy.

Back in 2014 I gave birth to our little Annabanan. This was an amazing time for me. After Gem was born I was diagnosed with melanoma and then thyroid cancer. Both cancers needed surgery to be removed. Thankfully I did not have to do any other treatments beyond the surgeries. The day I left the hospital in 2014 with our little banana was exactly a year to the day that I had my thyroid cancer removed. God truly did a miracle for me to have that little one after all that I'd been through. He first gave us our little Gem from God after two losses, then he gave us cancer twice, then he gave us Anna Grace. That's where she got her name. Anna is from Hannah which means grace, so her name is literally Grace Grace...and that's exactly what God extended to me having had cancer twice and still being here to have another arrow in our quiver.

When Ann was 4 months old my Daddy passed away. He was plagued with diseases that are for the most part preventable. He did not take care of himself. Heart disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes...high blood pressure and cholesterol, you name it he probably had it. Losing dad sent me on a downward spiral of using food to comfort me. I was not eating good at all. Fried foods, processed foods, tons of sugar, tons of fat...bad decisions for my body with my history and my family's history. Then almost exactly a year after losing dad we lost my aunt. She was only 52. When we were up north at her funeral we went out to eat. It was just me and Anna since Tim had to work and Gemma was going to day care. We all went to a local pizza place, and I ate an entire medium everything pizza on my own, and then ate a brownie and ice cream sundae.

Now, it wasn't the food that turned the light switch on for me, it was the fact that I didn't feel horrible after eating all that, when in the past I would have been miserable had I eaten that much food. In that moment I realized that something was different and if I didn't get a hold on what I was putting in my mouth I was going to have a bigger problem. That's when I first saw a post that invited people to a clean eating group on Facebook. From there I went on to join a group that introduced me to the 21 Day Fix and Shakeology. I found the vehicle I was going to use to put my gas into to get healthy and fit. My gas being my motives or motivation.

Somewhere in the middle of this new revelation for me I lost my true motive and I started to focus on what I looked like more than why I truly wanted to be healthy and guess what? I lost my steam and gained some weight back. BUT...even though mine was bigger now, that's not the end of the story for me. Because my motive had roots that are deep and unmovable I was able to get back to doing my best to live a healthy and fit life. I just had to do some mental cleaning and put what truly matters back in front of my eyes again. Like to affirmation says, "proactive approach", I need to be diligent in keeping distractions away from my true motives.

Do I have a certain aesthetic that I'd like my body to look like? Yes, but that can't be the reason that I keep doing what I do each day. It could be a goal but not my why, not my reason/motive.

What is going to keep you motivated when you're 50 or 60 or 70 to keep living a healthy and fit life? When I'm 70 there's no way a bikini or fitting into a dress is going to be my motive.

Dive deep, ask hard question, and find out what truly motivates you.

XO
Shelon