Merry Christmas From Lifestyle Design With Monica. New Book and New Website!!

Well, Hello to all the special people/ blog readers of Lifestyle Design With Monica!! Long time, no talk, huh??!! 

I can hardly believe how long it’s been since I’ve written a post here, but as you will see, there have been may reasons I haven’t, not one of them being that I’ve stopped writing. At all!! In fact…..

I am just about to release my book, The Weight Loss Mindset!! Promotions and marketing are running high here in the real world and lots of exciting things are happening, which is why I decided it’s about time I returned to my blogging roots and to thank ALL you wonderful people who have read and subscribed to my blog some time ago. So, THANK YOU!!! Without the support of people like you who took the time to read, comment and encourage my writing I may have come as far a I have (so to speak!!).

If you would like to continue to follow my journey (and I would sincerely LOVE you to!!), please drop by my new site, www.theweightlossmindset.com.au to find out more.

My new site will soon have a blog on it too, but even now you can sign up and I will stay in touch via my bulk email service. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about my book and also the newly associated products and services that will eventually be available on my site.

Because YOU are one of my early blog readers, YOU’LL BE THE FIRST TO HEAR!!

In the meantime, I would also like to wish you and your family a beautiful, safe and happy Christmas and New Year. There is so much untapped potential in us all and I wish for YOU, this festive seasons, your own feeling of abundance, success, joy and awakening possiblities in the NEW YEAR.  It truly can be a great one for all of us, if we choose to make it so, no matter what else happens in our lives.

With Much Love, Peace and Happiness,

Monica xxoo

PS To reply to this post, please just leave a comment. I WOUL LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU’VE BEEN UP TO, AS WELL. Any successes or recent triumphs you have experienced with you blog or life?  PLEASE SHARE!!

How To Find Out What’s Driving Your Chosen Endeavour, Plus Easy Ways To Make Purpose and Meaning Your Answer

Have you ever stopped to ponder why you do what you do? Why you are working toward a particular project? Why you follow a particular hobby or passion? Why you do a particular job or parent your kids the way you do?

If it is because you feel excited and purposeful in doing them and that these experiences are creating real meaning and opportunities for you, then my head is nodding and my hands are clapping, ‘cos I love your answers!!!

If, per chance, your response is any of the following, then perhaps there is a  discussion to be explored here.

1) I do what I do, because of the money.

2) I do what I do, because that's what or how my parents did it.

3) I do what I do, because it's what I've done for a long time.
It makes me feel comfortable. Safe. Bored.

4) I do what I do, because that's what most people my age or
 in my peer/social group are doing.

5) I do what I do, because I'm afraid if I made a change,
it might be hard. Or not work out. Or. Something.

My intention in putting these ideas to you is simply to ask you to think. Or maybe to stop thinking in the way you may have been and ask yourself some different questions. Questions like:-

1) What really makes me happy, excited, inspired, gives me energy and purpose? Could I do that instead? Or at least try it?

2) Is what was right for my parents, right for me?

3) Is doing what I’ve always done really working for me? Is it providing a truly fulfilling and purposeful life for me?

4) Are there other people, in my age and peer group, who are doing something great with their lives? Something I admire them for and would like to emulate?

5) Is refusing or choosing not to change or not to stretch myself to learn and experience something outside of my comfort zone really working for me? Perhaps there is some value to had in trying new things and getting out of my comfort zone.  

Life is short. It is also full of possibilities. Established careers, jobs and ‘traditional’ roles don’t have to dictate who you are or what you do. If you’re not satisfied with the way yours is, why not create a new one for yourself using the above questions as a starting point? Maybe you already have?

Maybe you have already explored those questions and moved on, beyond the ‘expected’ role or label society has stamped you with. Or maybe you’d like to.

I love exploring these type of topics and certainly do not profess to have all the answers. Maybe I’ve got it wrong. Maybe there is more I need to know or discover.

What do you think?

Are you purpose driven in your endeavours?

Does what you do or are striving to do really excite and inspire you?

Is wanting to help improve the lives of others or just reaching out and connecting something you think is a purposeful goal?

What other ways can we inject purpose and meaning into everything we do?

Blog Posts and Teachers That Changed My Life (So Far) or How To Recognise A Dare To Be Great Enabler

 

The only difference between where you are today, and where you’ll be a year from today, are the books you read and the people you meet. – Charlie ‘Tremendous’ Jones

For the relevance of this post, please substitute the word ”books” for “posts, comments and emails” in the above quote!

 

Dare To Be Great

During my final year of primary school, I was lucky enough to be taught by the only catholic nun in Australia, who didn’t hit kids in the 70’s. But that’s not all she did right.

Sister Mary Therese was also a great encourager. She had a passion for writing and instead of the textbook poetry and essays that the educational curriculum dictated she use, Sr Therese instead, shared her own writing. Powerful  and original stories and poetry about nature, colour, God, love and whatever other subjects that 12-year-old catholic children needed to expand their horizons in, Sr Therese wrote about it.

Her creations were glued into our workbooks alongside our own poetry and essays – note: they were pasted alongside our creations.

This is where this wonderful person’s teaching became great. 

As you may have surmised, my grade 7 class admired and looked up to Sr Therese (me, in particular for her writing) and when her praise or encouragement was given via a comment on our work (pasted alongside her own) the impact was so uplifting that not only did our grades improve, we were also happier more positive students. Personally, Sr Therese was the catalyst for my first writing submission to (and subsequent publishing in) one of our cities major newspapers.

I was a published author (so to speak!) at 12 – all because of the love and encouragement given by a person whom I admired and looked up to. 

Sr Therese therefore, is always first on my (self-created) list of Dare To Be Great enablers.

Blog Posts and Bloggers

Many years later (after 2 kids, a career in nursing and a stint of tertiary education) I am still meeting Dare To Be Great enablers. These people have not only garnered my loyalty but also encouraged me to keep writing, through their praise and positive feedback and sometimes, just through their own willingness to share their valuable time, energy and wisdom.

Doing some of these things was possibly, to them, like leaving a drop in the ocean, but the impact they had on me, was much greater.

There are many I could mention that I have discovered just recently, but if I was to go start with one significant person, it would be Craig Harper (at www.craigharper.com.au) .

 I was lucky enough to discover Craig’s blog way back in its early stages (before his 45,000 subscribers came along!) and it was then that Craig offered (in response to a comment I wrote) to read some of the articles that I was then preparing for magazine submissions.

His email reply a day or two later left me ecstatic, because yep, he praised and encouraged me. He wrote the words – “Your writing is good. Really good. You’ve got to get published”. I couldn’t believe it. Someone whom I truly admired and looked up to had (again) encouraged me!

Craig was the catalyst for the work I then did in writing and publishing my first e-book (something I’m not sure I would not have ventured into had it not been for his encouragement).

Craig is next on my personal list of Dare To Be Great enablers.

So why am I giving these two teachers of mine such a poetic title when perhaps just ‘nice people’ would do? Because some people rise to  a different level in their willingness to help and support others. Some people do more than just be nice. Some people understand (and practice) the simple power of words, spoken or written, with a positive attitude and given freely for the benefit of others.

These people, in my mind, are Dare To Be Great enablers.

One More Surprising Teacher

I was reflecting yesterday upon these people and the way they have so positively impacted on my life, when something else happened to one of my kids, that I know will have a long and lasting (and very positive) impact on her.

In a way, I view this little episode in her young life, as the universe’s way of poking its tongue at me, her mother, and going “Na, na, na, na – nah!”, but I digress… here’s the short version of her greatest (so far) moment.

My daughter has a You Tube channel which is solely dedicated to her admiration for one popular young artist called…(I have been so sick of hearing this name) Justin Bieber. Like many young girls she talks, sings, dreams and (so I found out) writes and shares comments with her growing number of friends on the channel about her idol. She also frequently visits his channel.

Now to a mother all this can at times, be a little tiring, somewhat concerning and at other times, down right annoying!! Should I have her de-progammed or something? Should I make her close her You Tube account (oh and by the way, this interest has not and is not affecting her focus on school and/or other accomplishments/she is a great student). Yes, all these questions plague me at times, but lately I have weighed it all up and decided to accept and not fight this passing (I hope) stage.

And then yesterday my daughter had one of her uplifting and memorable moments when the young artist himself dropped by her You Tube channel and personally wrote several, very nice lines, full of positive, kind words offering her encouragement and inspiration.

Of course, she cried!

Now whether the person who posted that comment was in fact her idol or whether it was a publicist or another Bieber employee, isn’t relevant.

What is relevant is the wonderful impact it had on her. She felt (and I understand that feeling) so positive after reading it, that I dare say she’ll be dancing and smiling for the rest of the year! Her very first Dare To Great enabler (from a very unexpected source) has paid her a visit and changed her outlook for the better.

So my question to you today is this – Have you yourself ever given praise or encouragement that has changed someone’s life (or day) for the better?

Do you think it is possible that we can all be Dare To Be Great enablers, if we choose to?

Who has impacted upon your life or business in a memorable and encouraging way?

I would also like to encourage you yourself (and I’m going to do this too) to offer some praise today – to your kids, your spouse, a work colleague or friend.

See what impact you have.

Even if we ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean, the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.
(adapted from Mother Theresa)

Achieving Weight Loss Through A Healthy Respect For Your Body

 

Life outside of the blogosphere has been a little busy for me lately, so my post here today will be kind of brief (at least I’ll try to keep it that way, however no matter how I try, I never seem to meet that goal of staying ‘brief’. What can I say, I love talking!).

Anyhow first up I just want to say thanks to the people who commented last week and congratulations to Talitha from pursuittoflagom.blogspot.com who won a free copy of Reframe Weight Loss. The book is soon to be shipped further into cyberspace and soon will be reaching a number of online retailers. So congratulations Talitha and safe travelling to my ebook!

Some Food For Thought

Apart from the above news, the other snippet I thought I’d share today is an extract from a book called The Power of Intention. I came across the particular paragraph by accident and immediately thought of sharing it here, due to it’s relevance and hopefully usefulness, to those of you on your weight loss journeys.

I have paraphrased it a little but basically here is the paragraph as taught by Wayne Dyer. It is taken from a section in his book on self respect, specifically on respecting your body.

Respecting Your Body

“Regardless of it’s size, shape, colour or any imagined infirmities, you have been provided with a perfect body to house your true self….

You don’t need to work at being healthy; health is something you already have if you don’t disturb it. You may have disturbed your body by overfeeding it, under exercising it, overstimulating it with toxins or drugs, that make it sick, fatigued, jumpy, anxious, bloated or an endless list of maladies.

However you can begin to live a life of self respect for your body anytime. You know what to do. You don’t need a new diet, a personal trainer or another workout manual. Go within, listen to your body and treat it with all the dignity and love that your self respect demands.”

I hope these few thoughts from Wayne Dyer give you some food for thought today. Take care of yourself and hope to see you back here in the blogosphere soon.

What are your thoughts on the idea of health being something you already have if you don’t disturb it? Does this resonate with you? Do you have any thoughts about the book, The Power of Intention, that you would like to share?

Reframe Weight Loss, The Book, Is Having An Early Bird Sale!!

 

Dear Friend,

Have you given up on reaching your weight loss goals?

Don’t!!

In fact, never give up! 

Instead, why not give yourself a HUGE BOOST, a kick-start to the new you?

Why not give yourself ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY to keeping trying  – only this time with the help and motivation of a new companion tool to guide and support you – a copy of the new e-book, Reframe Weight Loss?

 It is NOW AVAILABLE!! And you can purchase a copy at  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/26227

The book is full of tips, strategies and tools to help you on your weight loss journey with a strong focus on issues of  heart, mind and body.

It will give you all the motivation you’ve been so looking for, lots of new strategies for combating and overcoming everything from mood related binge eating to understanding food labels. 

Hundreds of people have already grabbed their copy of the book and are already enjoying the benefits of this new and dynamic book.

And now is the time to buy!

Why? Because right now, TODAY, you can use this special coupon that I am about to give you and receive 20% off the RRP.

Right now, Reframe Weight Loss: How To Activate Your Mind and Spirit To Create Weight Loss For Life, can be purchased for just a crazy $7.99 by entering the code EL85R when ordering your copy here.

And that’s not all.

The Truth of It

Look I’ll be honest about this.  I have asked many other e-book authors about pricing and ALL of them say I should be charging at least $29.99 or more for my book. They say I’m mad to offer it at a penny less than that!

But I don’t want to.  No, I don’t want to because I believe my book should be sold at a price that makes it accessible to everyone. Why should anyone miss out on getting a huge boost on their weight loss journey, just because of money?

So no, I don’t really want to ask any more for it. But who knows? I may have to increase the price if only to cover my own publishing costs, eventually.

I can’t be sure. All I can say is that, for now, the price is set at a very affordable $7.99, but it may not stay that way.

In fact, this current offer of 20% of the present RRP will expire at midnight tonight.

So be quick! Don’t miss your only opportunity to get this dynamic and life changing book at this early bird discount price!

Go on !! What are you waiting for?  Act now, before the price goes up!!

Visit http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/26227 now to take advantage of this very special opening offer.

Just think, in one week from now, your friends and family could be admiring and talking about the ‘new you’. The more motivated, determined new YOU.

Wouldn’t that be great?

Of course it would!!

Don’t forget this offer expires at midnight, tonight.

Just click on over to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/26227, use your special coupon and grab yourself a copy, while the offer lasts.

I know you won’t regret it!! Guaranteed!

Weight Loss Books and Other Good News: My Ebook is Published!

 

Weight Loss and Other Motivational Books

Read any good books lately? OMG, that was probably a pretty lame segue wasn’t it? Oh well, I’ll roll with it anyhow. The truth is I don’t know if there is any particular or appropriate etiquette for giving your own e-book a plug, so thought I’d go with that!

To be a little more straight forward however,  MY EBOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE for purchase at www.smashwords.com/books/view/26227.  The book is available now on the site and will shortly be shipped to all good online retailers including Barnes & Noble and The Apple Istore.

An Early Bird Discount Offer

Furthermore, as a BIG THANK  YOU to my loyal readers and subscribers, I would also like to offer you an early bird discount coupon. The coupon code to enter in order to receive your 20 % discount is EL85R. 

Smashwords requires you to spend a few minutes to open a free account and then you can enter the code. I hope you are able to take advantage of this opening early bird special. 

It won’t last!

More Thoughts About Motivational and Self Help Books

‎I have posed the question before on this blog, about whether or not weight loss and other self-help books can make a difference to your behaviours, your choices, your attitude and thus to your eventual success with weight loss and/or other endeavours? 

In my humble opinion, YES, they can.  If that we’re not true for me, you would not be reading the words on this page right now ! 

A Personal Experience 

I personally have been motivated to do several things, such as:

1) Lose weight to begin with (over 20kg).

2) Maintain  my own weight loss and dramatically improve my fitness.

2) Create this blog.

3) To write and publish my first book and start work on my second manuscript.

4) To offer people an experience away from their own weight loss groups, through which, they can further their personal growth, be supported on their road to positive change and be more inspired to reach their weight loss goals.

Achieving My Goals

I have wanted to do all this since achieving my own weight loss goals, but if it were not for some very powerful and insightful authors and books that have really resonated with me and touched my heart, I would never have taken action. 

So for me the answer to the above question is a resounding YES.

My hope and sincere belief is that REFRAME WEIGHT LOSS can also provide YOU with the same motivation to achieve your goals.

It is written in a very easy to read, conversational way and is pack filled with information, knowledge, ideas, tips and tools which will refresh and revive the most determined “But, I’ve given up!” reader. 

I feel very excited to be talking about it with you, at last.

Thank You

Thanks for reading today and I would love to hear your feedback, if you do obtain yourself a copy of my book.

You can email me, contact me on Facebook or Twitter or just leave a comment, right here. I’d love to hear from you.

Don’t forget to use your early bird discount coupon, EL85R, to receive the special opening offer!!

The Last Word

Also if you yourself are the author of a weight loss blog, please feel free to pass on this discount coupon offer to your readers also. You don’t need to contact me first (but please do if you’d like to),you can just go ahead and pass on the special coupon to your readers.

Thanks for your support and I hope you enjoy the book. 🙂

MON xoxo

Eating, Weight Loss, Cravings and Addictions – A Self Determined Way Out

 

The Yo Yo Lifestyle Syndrome

Do you struggle with cravings, emotional eating, or dieting ups and downs?

Many of us have or will in our lifetimes. Which is okay, ‘cos it means that we have been presented with a challenge and  (apparently) learning to overcome difficulties is what leads to positive growth in our lives. At least, that’s what I’ve heard.

And, these days, it is what I have come to believe. Some spiritual followers even ask for such challenges to be thrown their way – so that they may learn and reach a higher level of functioning and living.

Self Limits

To us mere mortals, talk like this, can sometimes sound like complete claptrap.  Airy, fairy – pie in the sky kind of stuff.

But for me, I think there is some wisdom in there. I mean, basically if we leave the spiritual aspect out of it, why wouldn’t we want to learn new skills, achieve better habits and behaviours that can transport us out of the continual cycle of overeating  and the pain and regret the follows that behaviour. Who really wants to live in self-imposed misery? Of course, the answer is none of us do.  And each of us must search for our own ‘way out’.

The BIG GOAL Effect

I know there are many ‘paths’ we can take to overcome these challenges and each can be effective and motivational in their own way. But today I just wanted to share with you the one main reason that I follow a ‘good health plan’ (for want of a better description and I’m sure there is one).

Basically (and I can’t believe that I am actually going to write this thought down, but anyway, here it is)…. I want to live forever.

Huh? Okay, so I do know that the ‘forever’ bit is probably stretching it a bit, but I figure why not go for the BIG GOAL to keep me motivated and adhering to a life of good habits.

Old Age or New Awareness

The reason I have chosen this as my BIG GOAL is that I have observed so many people in older age that seem to live unhappy and restricted lives, that I know beyond a doubt, that I don’t want that. Whilst I have the deepest compassion for these friends who do suffer frailty and disease (I worked for several years in a rehabilitation ward), I know that some (maybe more than we realise) of the fragility we  habitually associate with aging, is actually avoidable. 

The Plan

So this is what I’ve decided:

1) When I am 80 I still want to be active – maybe not in the ‘let’s go for a 5km run’ active, but who knows?

2) I also know that when I am old, I don’t want to be under constant medical supervision, because of a ‘lifestyle disease’ that was totally preventable had I taken the appropriate lifestyle interventions decades before (bear in mind, I am talking about ‘lifestyle diseases’ here, not something that is totally out of an individuals control).

3) Lastly, I also want to be intellectually stimulated and still contributing to the world in a positive and meaningful way, when I am old, rather than sentenced to an existence of ill-health and struggle.

In short, I want a full life. An abundant life. An interesting life. And I want it to go on for a very long time.

Call me crazy, but I kinda like it here on the Big Blue Ball.

Longevity and Well Being

So that in brief, is my main motivation for wanting to learn, explore, develop and live a life that is centred around healthy eating, an active lifestyle and a conscious awareness of all that I can be and do.

Some people call it ‘living out your potential’, others call it ‘discipline’, others may even call it ‘obsession’. Whatever….labes aren’t important. Loving and living life to the full is all that really matters to me.

***********

Do you have ONE BIG GOAL that keeps you motivated and achieving your goals? Do you think ‘a healthy lifestyle’ is all it is cracked up to be? Maybe the adage ‘we’re here for a good time, not a long time’ is more apt to the way you think and live? I would love to hear your thoughts.

You certainly don’t have to agree with my musings to share a comment or thought. We’re all different (and what a boring world it would be if we weren’t) so please feel free to share whatever thoughts you have on this topic. Love to hear them 🙂

Musings on Seeking (and Finding) More Happiness and Peace

  

“You are only one thought away from a good feeling.”

Happiness! It’s something we all want but  struggle to find.  We could be happy we tell ourselves, if only we had fewer thoughts to analyse, fewer reactions to tame and no bad habits to change. Basically we’d all like to be more in charge of our lives. Maybe then we could be truly happy.

But perhaps all of the above just kind of ‘goes with the territory’ of living? Maybe we’d better just get used to it, ‘cos perhaps it is an inevitable part of the whole ‘being human’ thing ?

A while ago in my life I had to ponder those questions myself and if I wanted to stay on track with my weight loss efforts, I had to get some answers. What I found was that staying healthy psychologically was a real boon to staying healthy physically. We are, after all, not one-dimensional, but multidimensional beings, with many parts to heal, restore and transform.

So today’s post is about a few of the ideas that I’ve discovered and found to be effective (for me) . I hope they are for you too.

You Can Be Happy

I’m talking here mainly about a few principles I have learnt and now practice myself and that basically all come from a little book called, YOU CAN BE HAPPY NO MATTER WHAT. Great title, huh?

The principles are simple, but once you start to practice them, they can be quite powerful. Okay so here they are briefly described.

1) Stop taking every thought seriously. I think the average human mind produces about 60,000 thoughts a day, so not every one of those thoughts is something you need to take notice of, particularly if the thoughts are negative. Instead you can simply acknowledge them, choice to regard them as temporary and move on. In other words, don’t get caught up in analysis paralysis.

2) Feelings are like thoughts. They will arise, sometimes out of nowhere it seems, but they will pass, if we allow them to, simply  by giving them less of our attention. Giving  your mind’s full attention to your thoughts by ruminating over things, hanging on to regrets or ‘if only’s’, is only going to make you more frightened by your own thoughts and….lead to more bad feelings. Sometimes we just have to let things go.

The book also suggests that we view our feelings as our built-in warning system, a system that alerts you via your uneasy feelings that you are heading down the wrong track with your thinking and may need to make a slight mental adjustment or at least, to give your negative thoughts less of your attention and focus.

Stress Reduction

All sound a little hard? Then perhaps you need to become less tolerant of the stress you are under. By that I mean stop being so hard on yourself and take a break. Book a massage. A tank float. A pedicure. Whatever it is that will relax and revive you – and distract you from those continuous and annoying thoughts. Another great tip suggested in the book is to remind yourself that your thoughts are harmless – they are just thoughts. Stop focussing on them, on each and every detail of them and you will be on the road to better psychological health and fewer destructive habits. The opposite behaviour – thinking about something all the time, which I used to do, only makes a problem grow in our minds and  make it appear more formidable.

We all deserve more happiness in our lives. Do you have any techniques or practices that have helped you become a more relaxed or happier person ?

I would love to hear about your own experiences with seeking happiness. Is feeling peaceful an intermittent thing for you – something that comes and goes? If so, what do you do to restore your inner calm? Is it effective? Or perhaps there is another practice or technique that you would like to share?

 

 

 

Weight Loss and Society: Who Has A Vested Interest In Your Progress?

 

Life As A Tug of War

Do you sometimes find yourself in a ‘them or me’ situation and don’t know what to do? Many of us do from time to time. It can be difficult sticking to decisions when you feel yourself pulled in another direction.

For example, a friend of mine recently confided that each time she decides to start a new exercise program or join a class, something bad happens to her (her words). Things like, one of her kids getting sick or a friend calling at the last minute and needing her help.

My friend had a complete list of reasons and events that had conspired to stop her from trying something new. Something which deep down she really wanted to do. So she gave up trying.

I’ll never get there, she finally concluded at the end of our conversation about people, circumstances, reasons, excuses, events, bad luck and the general negativity that surrounded her.  ‘ It could have been fun, but too many people want me to do too many things, ‘ she noted finally. I’m not sure whether she was still talking to me at this point or had begun talking to herself, but it didn’t matter. Her mind was made up.

Conflicting Goals

Funnily enough, my friend was right. She will never get there. At least not while she was continually sabotaging her own efforts by continuing to blame everything and everyone around her for her lack of action. In her defence, these events did actually occur. A close relative was ill and she had been visiting them often.

Kids also do need their mothers and friends do need a listening ear. However when we find ourselves keeping busy by being all things to all people, I think it’s time to stop, take a deep breath and reflect a little.

What We Believe

In contrast to what we are sometimes tempted to believe (that nobody really supports or helps us and everybody is conspiring against us) I actually choose to believe the opposite – that inherently other people are good and  that they really do want to see our lives work out for the best. Yes, they may have needs of their own but primarily, they also want the best for us and would love for nothing more than the chance to see us achieve what we set out to.

I guess what I am trying to say is that where my friend sees a contrast between what other people want from her (and is frightened of disappointing them) and what she wants (and is less worried about disappointing herself), I see no such contrast.

A Torch In The Dark

In my view, we  are all in this together.  Yes, we all need the support of friends, loved ones, family and sometimes from distant weight loss bloggers! As actress Whoopi Goldberg has said, “We’re here for a reason. I believe a bit of the reason is to throw little torches out to lead people through the dark.” 

My sentiments exactly, Whoopi.

However it doesn’t have to be a tug of war between ‘us’ and ‘them’.  Imagine how you would feel tomorrow if you stopped making the needs and wants of others an excuse for not doing things.  Picture yourself going to the things you want to – those workshops, those classes, a run/walk in the late afternoons or whatever it is you want to achieve and then imagine bringing all the fun and excitement back to those loved ones who you thought were stopping you.

It’s our choice: we can keep blaming others, society, our friends and family or we can understand that everyone has a vested interest in our progress, because we are all in this together.  It’s not you against the world, it’s you against you.

We care about your progress. Do you?

love,

Mon

PS  If the above post leaves you feeling a little bit uncomfortable or annoyed, that is a good sign!  I only ever made big changes to my lifestyle and habits when I got uncomfortable and also altered my beliefs, attitudes and habitual thoughts.

PPS  Hope you can join us in a couple of days, for Fun Friday. We will lighten the mood and get ready for a great weekend 🙂 See you then 🙂

Weight Loss, Society and Following The Rules (Part One) – How To Be An Individual and Survive.

The golden rule is that there are no golden rules.

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Irish writer.

 

 

 

Still Going Strong or How To Revive A Tired Blog

 

Er, hello?  (I cough uncomfortably).

Remember me?  The beautiful, blonde, super model blogger from Australia? (Oops no sorry I forgot, that’s just in my dreams)

Anyhow, I’m back and am here to breathe life into this somewhat neglected little blog spot.  It seems that recently I may have inadvertently broken all the ‘rules for blogging’ which happen to include regular posts and updates.  BIG OOPS!  Having never been a very good rule follower though, it is not surprising to me that I’ve broken a few. I seem to do that often.

In my (humble) opinion, there’s too many rules governing our lives anyway. And who is it that keeps making them, imposing them, defining them, applying them?  If someone happens to personally know an official ‘rules maker’ please notify me, asap, as I would love to have a chat to them.  We all just wanna be happy, right?  So what’s this with all this ‘ rules we must all follow’ hype that seems to follow me everywhere I go?

 

More Musings About Rules

 

The dictionary defines rules as the following: ordinary course of procedure; usual way; common state or condition of things. Hmmm, okay, but rules are meant to be broken, are they not? Apart from the few rules that ensure our collective safety and wellbeing – look both ways before crossing the road, don’t put your hand on a hot stove, etc…I have begun to wonder what other rules might be surreptitiously governing our lives without our permission?

Ask a person covered in tattoos or piercings (I have nothing against either, by the way) and I bet they would say ‘plenty’.  Perhaps these are the few that are saying to society – ‘you won’t catch me conforming to your ordinary course of procedure’.  Perhaps their individualism and their own concept of what is usual, acceptable and common is more important to them than some arbitrary society rule which says we should all leave our skin intact. No graffiti artists allowed.

Interestingly though it  is quite usual and acceptable to spray tan your body, sun tan your body, paint (or even fake) your fingernails and dye your hair .  All quite commonplace and usual. Not so with tattoos and various piercings which are often viewed as being ‘out of the norm’.

 

Reading The Rules

 

Maybe it all comes down to this : how you read the rules. What message do you receive? What filters are you using to interpret them? Did your family always follow the rules?  Were you punished severely as a child for not following the rules? Are you too scared or frightened to be different, act different, look different?  And lastly if you did break a few rules, what are the perceived consequences?

 I may be playing the devils advocate here, but having stretched my mind around these concepts a few times myself, I thought I would put some feelers out and see what you think about these ideas.

 

Just Me

 

Maybe I’m the one whose got it all wrong though. Perhaps we should all be following the rules. After all they are there for a reason. Society could not function without them, right?  Anarchy would result and society would become dysfunctional without them. No dysfunction in society right now though – oh, mmm, okay maybe a little!

 

The Last Bit

 

Anyhow, that’s my musings for today. Not too much there about weight loss, per se, but plenty I think about acceptability, conformity and happiness, which are all issues that are very relevant to us on our weight loss journeys. 

Love to hear from you today. If you have the time I’d love for you to share some of your own experiences with breaking the rules.

How did you feel?

Were there any positive benefits or outcomes?

Is expressing yourself your way and taking things as they come more important to you than rigid rules and commandments?

 

The Second Last Bit

 

I think you know what my views are, but as I said perhaps I’m just an outspoken lefty whose got it all wrong. Let me know what ya’ think, friends.

Also, stay tuned next week for Part 2 of this post: Weight Loss, Society and Following The Rules: Who Has A Vested Interest In Your Progress?

Ciao All. Have A Happy Weekend,

Mon

xo

PS Oh and why the picture of the palm trees and beach? Because it’s two weeks until my beach holiday and I can’t wait!