As part of the Health for Life class, one of the first things I was tasked with, was writing a vision statement. They were very focused on being positive and not beating up on yourself. The example provided began "To be healthy, fit and enegetic so that I can enjoy life to the fullest and have enegergy to pursure my goals..."
I thought it sounded kinda cheesy, but its been almost two months and what I put on paper and shared with the group really resonates with me and it has served as an inspiration when I have a tough day or week. Here is what I wrote:
Vision Statement
I found this great a magnet that says "live the life you have imagined" (a variation on a Thoreau quote) I bought it and put it up same day... it was the only thing on the front of fridge.
Before my car accident 2006, I was doing just that. I had been overweight for more than a decade and that magnet was my call to action! I decided to change. I worked really hard and went from a size 16 to a size 6.
I smiled at that magnet every day, almost as much as I smiled at my reflection. I enjoyed shopping for clothes and I had a lot of energy. I enjoyed food too. I didn't starve or deprive myself. I felt healthy, slept well and being active was part of who I was. Being happy healthy and content spilled over into other parts of my life. I was more creative, more social and more successful. The accident was a setback. It's been a long road to recovery and finding the willpower, motivation and strength to get back to that place has been a challenge. I have also come to understand that the only thing stopping me, has been me not starting :)
I am older and I won't have the same shape as before, but that's not important - what matters is the feeling I had about myself and my achievments.
I made me smile.
So now I have to look at the magnet with fresh eyes and just start living the life I have imagined, being the me I have imagined...
Last year was a blur. I realized that while I had made a lot of professional achievements, I hadn't made many personal ones.
I had been in decent shape quite a few years ago, then I was involved in a car accident. It tore up my knee pretty good and it took quite a few years of therapy, and ultimately surgery to get my knee into usable condition. I still can't wear all my fabulous heels, but I still have hope...
After the surgery, I didn't want to ruin the work that the docs did and my knee was holding so I didn't want to mess with a good thing. So I just let it be. A couple more years passed and there I was, back up in weight, not working out in any fashion, and my blood pressure was starting to feel the effects of my sedentary lifestyle.
I was mad and depressed. I stopped looking in the mirror and was beating myself up for letting it get so out of hand.
Then this little voice, tucked deep in my soul, pointed out that I wasn't dead.
I could wallow, or I could do something about it.
So I didn't make a resolution or anything, I just decided to make 2013 all about me. I decided to put me first, be selfish or at least honest with what I wanted.
I joined a gym and enrolled in a 10 week healthy living class and I made a commitment to eat to fuel my body, not my emotions.
So here I am at now at a point where I am ready to start sharing the journey I have been on. I hope this added level of accountability will help me achieve greater success. I hope documenting it, will help me apreciate it all the more.
As Ferris Bueller said "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
