Tag: goals

Reflecting on the whole NEW YEAR NEW me TREND

It’s interesting, really—I’ve always been a bit of a fanatic about the New Year. The anticipation of the whole “New Year, New Me” craze used to be the fuel that kept me going year after year.

I think it was last year when my brain finally decided to grow a brain of its own. I had this sudden realization: Wait a minute… starting something new in the winter feels kind of absurd. When we look at the natural cycles of life—plants, vegetation, growth—we see that most seeds are planted in the spring and harvested in the fall. So why on earth do we think we can plant seeds in the dead of winter and expect them to be thriving by the next year? Something about the whole ordeal just started to feel off to me. I decided not to participate. I was experiencing my own Bah-humbug (New Years style!)

Honestly, the more in tune I become with the shenanigans of this present world, the more I question the validity of many popular traditions.

With all that said, this year I felt far less of the New Year’s bah-humbug this year and decided to set goals—but not for the entire year. Instead, I leaned into winter goals. Seasonal goals. Goals that actually make sense for the season I’m living in.

I fully plan on changing some of them when spring rolls around—and honestly, doesn’t that feel more realistic? Wouldn’t this mindset help those of us who fall off the New Year’s bandwagon after week two or three? Instead of giving up for another year, we could simply reset with the next season.

Wouldn’t it also make sense if our goals matched what our bodies are already adjusting to? The slower rhythms, the inward energy, the need for rest? Maybe if we considered that before going all in, we’d spare ourselves the shame, self-judgment, and harsh inner criticism that tends to follow when we “fail.”

I don’t know—just something I’ve been pondering this morning.

Do you have New Year’s goals or traditions you keep every year? Have you started to question whether the whole “New Year, New Me” mindset is a bit of a scam? I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts.

Flex it Friday- before pics-new goal

 

 

progress

 

So I decided to take some “Flexing Selfies” so my readers would know that I do actually go to the Gym 4-5 times a week and lift weights with my oh so attractive Husband! :0)~

I have to admit…flexing selfies…make you feel funny when you share with the world!…..No? Not you?…okay just ME then!

I have no clue what is going on with the flash and my hand up there by the way!

I took this photo about 2 weeks ago. I remember because my kids saw me trying to get it to fit on to my instagram and made fun of me! Apparently to teenagers, I am lame! Ha They never made it to instagram though, for the record! ( I am pretty sure it was because they laughed out loud at me.. oh my …and I am actually going to post them here instead!!…gulp!)

These past two months I sort of ran into a little funk and stopped my cardio! GASP! I even got lazy and stopped paying close attention to the foods I was eating. I know, this is BAD, and I do not encourage it at all! But the truth is, I am a Mom, I have 4 children, and I work, even if it is only part time! AND ITS COLD OUTSIDE!!!!!! AND I LOVE Chocolate, PIZZA, and COOKIES!!

But it’s time to get off the Excuses train and back onto Self Control Express!

I took this picture because it is going to be considered my “before” picture. Even though I could care less about the scale..I am currently weighing in at 137lbs, I am 5 foot 6inches.

I have 14 weeks until my big 3 0 Birthday gets here! My goal is to turn 30 looking and feeling better then I did in my 20s.

I have created a little 14 weeks accountability chart to fill out at home. It is nothing fancy. I made it on a word processor on my notebook. I am logging my meals, my works outs, and my cardio. I am trying to stick to clean eating with the exception of a cheat not clean meal once a week, if I desire. I am looking to get a minimum of 5 (FAST) miles of running in each week, as well as hitting the weights 4-5 nights a week. My prayer is that I have enough strength to not give up, but give it my all for these 14 weeks! I think by making this an official blog post it gives me some accountability! We all need a little accountability in our lives!

I would like to finish this feeling healthier, stronger, faster (improve my mile time in the cardio department), and appear to look leaner-dropping body fat.

If you would like to journey along side of me, follow Leigh Leigh Speaks on Facebook. Click HERE! We can encourage each other!

xoxo

Leigh Leigh

 

Jump back on

Monday equals fresh start to the week! If you jumped off the band wagon over the weekend why not start back today?

I have learned that when I stop doing what I am suppose to be doing to keep my body in check doubt creeps in my mind! When I am busy keeping up with my running and my work outs, there is no room for doubt!

The more you do something, the easier it gets. The less you do something, the harder it gets!

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Let’s do this!
Leigh Leigh

New Years Resolutions

 

Isaiah 43:18-19

18 “Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.

I have always been one who takes New Years Resolutions pretty serious. I enjoy the ideal of new beginnings and tend to use January 1rst as a reason to change some bad habits picked up during the previous year.

I have not made my “official” New Years 2015 resolution list yet, but I have been reflecting back on my list I made this time last year. I plan on making my resolution list in this post, so keep reading to find out what makes the list!

2014 was a year of excitement, change, new beginnings, and accomplishments.

We fostered 4 children in our home.

The new gym opened up.

My dear step daughter made Cheerleader and now is an official teenager!

Went on a beach vacation to a new location never previously visited.

My son played his first year of Popwarner football and scored his first touch down!

I started a new position that was created over the summer at the preschool, Specials Coordinator.

My husband took on a new job position at his work place.

My daughter started preschool and turned the big 5.

My step son turned 16 and is now a proud owner of a drivers permit.

I met some pretty new amazing friends over the summer.

We started attending a new church which plans on planting in February 2015.

I started running for the fun of it. (Over 120 miles to be exact off and on over the year.) I really didn’t get serious about it until August.

We got some new pets.

I got to see and visit most of my family a lot more then previous years. 🙂

Looking back now I see so many blessings God showered over us in 2014.  2014 was a GOOD year!

Often times I felt like a crazy woman trying to keep up with it all, but in the end it all worked out the way it was suppose to. So did I keep my resolutions? Actually yes for the most part I did. I am seriously thinking about keeping my 2014 list and maybe expanding on it this year.

So instead of rolling out my journal this morning and writing them all down, I decided to blog about them instead. Here comes my *top secret 2014 Resolution List only printed in my journal! 🙂

Be in God's word more. Seek Him first always.
Learn others needs and help them. Show them agape love and do it by choice and on purpose.
Remind my Husband every day how special he is to me and how much I love him and need him in my life.
Strive to be a better Mom always meeting the individual needs of each one of my children.
Become a better runner, make healthy eating choices, drink more water, and hit the weights.
Call my family members more.
Believe in myself and know my worth and value in Christ.
Be thankful More and complain Less.
Mind my own business.

I would like to add for 2015…

Ease up on social media with the exception of promoting my blog of course! ;)
Don't Sweat the small stuff.
Don't worry about things that are not in my control!

So there you have it! My raw resolutions list for 2015.

Do you make a resolutions list? Do you keep it or do you end up tossing it out the window a month into the new year? I would love to hear some things you have on your list for 2015! Please comment below!

I pray that your New Year is the best one yet! I also pray that you have the endurance and the faith to keep any resolutions you make for yourself!

mary@kissesfromheaven is the copywrite of the featured image
mary@kissesfromheaven is the copywrite of the featured image

Blessings!

Leigh Leigh

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