Tag: goals

Packing and unpacking

As I pack for this beachside trip this weekend, I find myself having to unpack all sorts of stress. My clothes are an odd combination of styles, when it comes to the clothes that actually fit me properly, and I am struggling to build outfits that aren’t simply workout-type clothing or fall weather clothing. The cute bottoms I have have no cute tops to go with them – just an abundance of matching/complementary cute sport bras, which isn’t the same thing. It seems my mid-range of formal clothing never really got replenished with my new age and style and size these past few years, but I had still gotten rid of everything that didn’t bring me joy. And, given my lifestyle the past couple years, with even most of my work requiring a workout gear wardrobe (and my actual workouts, of course), I have little that fits beyond the workout gear, some formal dresses, and the few teaching outfits. Even my swimsuits don’t quite exist. I just have a couple old one-pieces – like from my mom from before I was born – and one modern one-piece that is actually a touch small on me. None of them fit quite the way one wants to dress on a beach vacation.

Anyway, so, I’m having to deal with various emotions and thoughts around myself and my life as I work on this packing… the should-haves and shoulda-dones in which I do not believe in believing have been strong today, reminding me of how I could have done things better, differently, etc…

I trust that I will work it all out tomorrow, but it is definitely a touch uncomfortable still now, having only begun to unpack the emotions and what lies behind them, as well as having only gotten first-round outfits put together (meaning that I don’t love them and am not super excited about them yet, so they need some work to reach that point tomorrow).

Dear God, please, help me to fulfill your will through being my best possible self and through loving fully those in my life, with your love. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

Male-patterned baldness

I mean, sure, I have an absolute preference for a man with a full head of hair. However, in the grand scheme of things, it is merely a preference. Whether a man naturally has hair on his head or not does not come from a personal decision or certain morality or attitude toward life – it’s just how God made him. Why be mad at the way something was made? What is the benefit?

For example, I love strawberries. They are amazing. But they also make my body not feel its best, and eating them does not honor my body fully. So, I go without them most of the time. I don’t get mad at strawberries for causing stomach stress within my body. I don’t get mad at my body for not being able to process strawberries perfectly and easily. That’s just the way we both were made.

It was definitely an adjustment when I first learned that they were behind the discomfort I was having. But feeling amazing by not having them wins out, leaving me not minding so much that I don’t eat strawberries anymore.

Therefore, if a full head of male hair is not in my future partner’s future, then that’s okay. Because my future partner will be the person for me and I will be the person for him. Hair is merely an esthetic detail.

So, my Love, my Life, and my God, bring it on, please. They will be done. In your name, I pray. Amen. Hallelujah. Praise be.

Post-a-day 2022

Pants

Do you know this commercial?

We just recently rediscovered it, and fell in love. Like, a week ago.

Now, I’m getting blue jeans from Boot Barn. I had to pick a couple sizes to see which would fit, since they don’t carry any of the jeans I want in the store. So, online purchase and return just for sizing it is!

I just opened my e-mail and saw the confirmation of shipment from Boot Barn. I said, “Oh! Boot Barn shipped my pants…” And THEN I said, “OOOHH!!! THEY SHIPPED MY PANTS! THEY SHIPPED MY PANTS!”

It was a lovely time. Thank you and amen!

Post-a-day 2022

Saturdays

I absolutely love having something to do on a Saturday. For sure, yes. But having a lot to do on a Saturday is just rather overwhelming for me. I want one to three things… gym first thing, then one or two other things to happen throughout the rest of the day before a normal bedtime for me. Tomorrow, we had three things on the list after the gym, and it was all quite doable, because the third thing was so late. However, something came up that filled Sunday. So, now we also have to go to church Saturday evening, since we don’t want to have to get up super early Sunday, when we know we likely will be getting back to town and getting to sleep late Saturday night. So, four things. And then a call came up today that has to happen tomorrow… and prep work that has to happen before that call. We’re at six things now. And then, I get a message from my sister about my niece’s final softball game… tomorrow. (She hadn’t said anything about any previous games, and I hadn’t even known about the softball at all, but for a comment from my dad the other week. So, I figured her mentioning it meant it was important and would make a difference for me to attend.)

And there we have what was once a three-activity Saturday now turned into a seven-activity Saturday. Talk about stress and strain… I like buffer time. If I end up doing seven things, that’s great. It’s because I had so much open time and energy. But planning ahead of time for seven things… that’s just too much for my level of comfort.

But I am trusting God in this whole thing, and I ask for His guidance in fulfilling His will tomorrow and always. Dear God, hear this prayer, please. In Your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

P.S. Happy Earth Day, y’all!

Muscle aches

After reaching my goal of workouts in a year l, from April 8 to April 7, though excited about reaching the goal, I was delighted no longer to have such a strict regimen in terms of gym attendance. I no longer have to go so many times per week, as I was doing, but I have the choice about going once again. And the chiropractor agreed with me that it would be best for my body for me to step back a bit from the workouts. I was pushing myself too hard with them and with their frequency.

So, now, I have been going the past week and a half half as often as I had been doing – three days per week instead of six – and it has felt great. My overall stress has gone down in terms of scheduling and sleep, and my body has started to receive the rest and relaxation it needs for real recovery – these workouts are not easy. The workout today had a repeat movement fro the past few weeks, and I was able to do it significantly more easily than I had even one week ago, the difference was immense. My muscles still ache, but I am now able to work on the lack of range of motion in my arms, rather than simple being able to move from the buildup of lactic acid and such from the workouts.

Thank you, God, for this much-needed rest and restoration of my body; and thank you for the fitness that this gym offers and provides for me and others. Please, bless us with continued and improved health and well-being, that we might better fulfill your will. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

Dedication and Insanity

“Your dedication to this stuff is insane,” he says with genuine awe, referring to my evening stretches, reading, and writing.

And, you know, he’s right. Even when I am ill and feeling terrible, I’ll still do my daily routine of stretches and reading and writing. Regularly, it will take me over an hour to get ready for bed, mostly because of all the stretches. And yet I persist. Yes, it is a bit crazy how I always do them all, every day. You see, not doing that, for me, would be odd… If I’m going to do something daily, then I am going to do it. And, I guess, there are loads of people who not even show up to it as half of a person…

*God is a part of my life*

Post-a-day 2022