Best Wishes to All!

Hi Everyone, 

I found it very rewarding to be in this group, and thank you all for your participation.  I appreciate the attempt to make this Blog an effective tool as well.

Thank you, Bruce and Kym, for sharing a heart-felt and experience-honed intelligent system for creating and sticking with positive changes/choices.  I learned so much that will always be of benefit to me, and I am inspired to make the most of it.  

I wish us all the courage, perseverance, and inspiration (including support systems!) to make the daily choices that bring our highest visions of ourselves to life.  Work it, we are worth it! 

Noel

Time to go

Hi everyone.

I think it is time for this incantation of our blog to shut down. It was always my hope that it would be used as a tool to help each other, but it doesn't seem to be. I know many of you are working on some great stuff and have your own (I hope!) support systems. I will still be working on our Prize Club concept, but I need to figure out the most appropriate format.

It is our intention to create a blog on One on One's website. It will be different from this, but I hope very worthwhile. We will let you know as soon as it is up and running.

Thanks for your courage and inspiration. If there is ever anything I can do to help you, please let me know. It would be a pleasure.

Bruce

anyone up for a fun run/walk?

Last spring i decided to run a 5k to "see how i'd do" and support a worthy cause. Well, it's that time of year again and i'm running again. actaully, i'd forgotten that it was coming up, but when i got the email reminder on saturday it inspired me to hit the treadmill yesterday for 5k. Not too bad for someone who hates running, but there's much room for improvement by the 4th. last year was 29 minutes (yuck, but i did beat the turtle), so i've got to beat that this year.

Saturday April 4, Noon start

5k run or 3k walk

http://www.psuautismspeaks.org/

you're welcome to sign up as an individual, join an existing team or the prize club could create a team. i'm running for Team David.....David is the son of one of my employees who has austism.

Personal Mission Statement

As I was working on my personal mission statement this morning, I realized more than ever how very important it really is.

My Prize of feeling good enough about my body to wear whatever I want and not feel overly self conscious with my shirt off shows up nowhere in my mission statement. What does show up is (to name a few);

-my commitment to be an inspiration to others;
-to care for my spiritual, mental and physical self;
-to be a patient, loving human being;
-to be a good example for my children.

How can I be that person if I don't feel good about myself? How can I be that person if I;

-eat for every reason other than nutrition;
-am not willing to take care of my body and health;
-am not willing to take the time to be proactive and live abnormally;
-make excuses that I know aren't real but make anyway in order to protect my ego;
-have low self esteem and allow it to go even lower by doing nothing.

When I am not WORKING to be the person I aspire to be, I slowly become anything but inspirational, anything but patient, anything but loving and anything but a good example. It is insidious...it doesn't happen all at once. It happens slowly over time. I drift downward. I become miserable. It would be nice to be one of those people that drift upward, but I am certainly not one of them.

I strongly recommend that each of us take the time to create a personal mission statement. A "creedo" of sorts. I am fond of saying that if you don't know where you are going, you are going to have a heck of a time getting there. I am also fond of using Steven Covey's term "begin with the end in mind". What kind of result are you looking for? What might you want to have said about you at your funeral? How do you want to be remembered?

Let's all take some time and think about these questions for Wednesday.

Looking forward to Wed. Meeting

Jean, I hope you are doing really well today!  You are in my thoughts for a quick full recovery.

Everyone--I will be at the meeting on Wednesday, and I look forward to working on commitments.  I'm ready to work towards a couple of more intermediate type goals with the Prize Club strategy.  Aligning my everyday thoughts and actions with my highest purpose (Prize) moment by moment is my goal.  I need some help in "linking" strategies to re-connect and realize my purpose with my everyday and every moment actions.  Then I think the commitments I make will be most effective and do-able. 

This is exciting to take stock, re-evaluate, and decide on more effective way to work the Prize Club philosophy!  We have more understanding, more experience, and success to guide our choices.  The best is ahead!  Hope to see you Wednesday. 

Meeting on Wednesday night?

First of all, I want to let you all know that Jean was hospitalized last week with a blood clot in her lung. I am pleased to report that she is doing well and due to be released today. She said she might even be able to work out tomorrow! We all wish you well, Jean.

Would anyone like to get together on Wednesday night at 7:00? I am going to plan on it, assuming there is any interest at all. I would like to focus on commitment and accountability, but would like to hear from you. What do you need and what would you like to focus on? As I said last week, I want to kick my personal growth program up a notch. No more "business as usual", no more "rollercoaster".

Please let me know if you can join us on Wednesday.

Happy First Day of Spring!

What a good feeling!

Thanks everyone for the support. Several of you have taken the time to speak with me personally which has been really uplifting.

Yesterday was great! Eating was good and exercise was really good. I did some strength training in the morning and could have skipped our Group Training class in the evening, but my conversation with Lorrie the day before and our renewed commitment motivated me to do exactly what I didn't feel like doing. Man was it worth it. I really felt great while I was doing it and even better afterward.

I also got a good start on my Mission Statement. As I was working on the it, I realized that I essentially have one in the front of my journal! I jotted down my core values and beliefs a couple years ago, but never labeled it a "Mission Statement". That's OK, I have more to add now that I have addressed it again and more formally. My main purpose for doing this is to help align my behaviour with my beliefs. This is part of my strategy to be the person I aspire to be...not to leave it to chance and "hope" I turn out OK and am happy. Being proactive...that's where it is at.

I think another meeting sounds good Stacey. However, I want to give a little thought to the objective. I think it is important that we be there to support each other, but I think it is even more important that we do the leg work necessary to achieve our Prizes. I would like to hear from all of you. What do you feel like you need right now? What would you like to do at our meeting? I see what several of you are doing, and see the success you are enjoying as a result. Is the extra work worth it?

For those who are doing things as you always have, either feel good about it or make a change. Don't live in a world of regret, guilt and powerlessness. You have choices and should be choosing to do what makes you happy, whatever it may be. I like Kym's concept of living abnormally. My "normal" living got me out of shape and miserable emotionally. It is truly "abnormal" for me to eat the way I am eating and exercise the way I am exercising.

Comments?

This is for those of us who use the excuse that we are just too busy to exercise and don't have the time! 

Make time for your self today!

Does anyone feel like making a push towards greater success right now?

I CERTAINLY DO!

Our trip was wonderful, but I still feel a little unsettled. There are many things going on that are discouraging, but even more things happening that are encouraging. Why am I having trouble focusing more on the positive?

This is what I am coming up with;

-I am not working to improve my conscious contact with God through prayer or giving my time to others. It is my unselfish walk on a daily basis that leaves me feeling close to God. I am not there right now.
-I feel overwhelmed and am not taking steps on a daily basis to chip away at what is on my plate. I am only doing what is urgent, not what is truly most important.
-I have not given any thought to my Prize over the last few days. This is extremely disappointing. The discipline I have exhibited for the last 6 months has been integral to my feeling successful. Now is when I either take a stand or get back on the rollercoaster I have been on all of my life.

I feel a little depressed, which makes it harder to attack these negative behaviours, but I won't stop feeling depressed without doing so. It is a vicious cycle that takes action to break.

Starting today;

-I will begin to work on a formal mission statement for myself. I know who I am and what I stand for, but I believe there is power in thoughtfully writing it down.
-Although I have done well with the one sweet per week, I have not done so well with having a well defined beginning and end to my meals. I will focus on that, as well as being grateful to have any food at all.
-On a daily basis I must think about my Prize and how much more satisfying it is to be fit than to indulge myself in food and laziness. Exercise and eating like a normal human being should will be my priorities.

Does anyone else feel like recommitting and making a push towards physical, spiritual and/or emotional growth growth with me right now? I could use the help and support. There is strength in numbers.

Thanks everyone.

Babysteps are hard!!!!

I have wanted to post for awhile but had trouble finding the time since it's spring break. Talk about slipping, Lorrie, I flat out fell hard. My dad has had lots of health problems and was recently diagnosed with his second unrelated cancer. I handled that pretty well. Then last week he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Didn't handle that too well. But I took some time to let it consume me and my thoughts and now I am back. I've processed it and have learned to handle it. Most days. I did turn to food to comfort me and it just made me feel so much worse. I have had so many life changing events happen in the past ten years and I need to get out of this poor me frame of mind. This is life, bad stuff happens. I know that I have to take it slow and take babysteps, it is just something that is never easy for me. I am such an all or nothing person and I know that is how I got to where I am now. Not a good place, but certainly much better than I was a year ago. So my commitment for this week is to actually make a commitment to babysteps! One step at a time. I will make one commitment per week and keep building on each one. Thank you everyone for being here. You are definitely a special group of people and reading your posts inspire me more than you know!

keeping it simple

Thanks for the reminder to keep it simple.   I have been slipping this past week.  Not eating as well as I should exercising a little less and I know where this is heading.  Back to the old ways.  So today I will just keep it simple.  I am going to eat well today, no excuses. And I will get a good work out under my belt.  I know what I do today will catapult me into tomorrow.  If I keep on the downward slide today it will continue into tomorrow,  If I dig my heals in and tackle just today, tomorrow will surely follow in a positive manner! 

Commitments this week

I'm letting this "Less is More" concept of the Prize Club grow some deeper roots with me.  The main way I'm doing it is by limiting the number of commitments I make per week.  I don't want to seem as if I'm slacking off, but one or two basic, important commitments to keep me focused and on track towards my vision is working better that a list of them.  

Questions I'm asking myself to get to what is highest in priority:

- What's most important for my overall vision? (this can vary over time)

- Instead of focusing on what's most urgent for the week (I must see my doctor Wed., my driver's license must be renewed, my husband is sick and he needs medicine immediately...), 

-What is most important, but doesn't seem urgent?  (To be in touch with my spirit and my connection to what is holy, To get enough rest, good nutrition and exercise, To communicate honestly and connect with my family and those with whom I interact.)

- What is going to make me feel best about myself at the end of the week? To REALLY feel best...

If I'm good at getting the urgent things done, but poor at doing the important, but not urgent activities -- I don't feel that good about myself at the end of the week.  Therefore, I'm sticking to the high importance, basic activities at this time.  Somehow, I always seem to get urgent things done.  But they never advance the cause.  They allow me to survive -- at whatever level of survival I'm at.  But I want to thrive and make more of a difference.  I need to go back to basics and establish habits or "discipline" in fundamentals.  

So without apologizing for how simple or basic they are, these are my two commitments for this week:

Spiritual Time Daily

Go to bed and get up on a regular schedule 

There are more and different ways to come up with individualized "Less is More" commitments-- how do you make it work?  I, for one, would like to hear about it.  It is helpful to me and I bet for most us.  

Keep pressing for your prizes!  

TGIF Everyone!

Have you been outside today?  It is so lovely!  This morning I went out for the paper (in my pj's, robe, and coffee (yes coffee in a mug is part of my morning wardrobe!!).  It was so pleasant with birds singing, geese honking, and a gentle warm and moist breeze that I strolled around my yard for a while.  Just appreciating life.  I was thinking that sometimes the circumstances and weather are harsh and seem to be merciless in their pounding, yet there is ALWAYS a return to more gentleness no matter how long winter really lasts.  I hope you all get to breath in some of the sweeter side of life today, especially you Bruce and Kym.  

I've had better days!

I feel like a boxer that is getting pounded one after another...right,left,right,left. It is amazing. I am leaving for vacation today, and couldn't feel much worse. Family issues, business issues, and about a hundred little bull*%#$ issues.

I keep thinking about you guys and what I said to Jean at our last meeting. "When you are feeling low, you need to reach out. Don't just let yourself spiral alone in your own head." That is what brought me to my computer. It is time for a little home cooking! I am noticing, even now as I consider what to write, that my perspective is changing the tiniest little bit. This is good. Now I need to spend a little time asking for some help from above.

Thanks for being there everyone. Internet service where we are going is spotty, but I hope to be in contact while we are away.

Be sure and take care of each other.

Focus on the Prize

My prize keeps me focused if I remember to be focused on the prize! Dylan's picture makes me smile and then I remember. Although Dylan was the focus of my original prize, I have recently acquired two new step granddaughters ages 8 and 10 who require a lot of energy for their summer activities as well.

Although the week is almost over my commitments were and are:

• Drink more water. I accomplished this and next week I'm going to commit to even more water.
• In spite of some daunting challenges at the scale, I committed this week to sticking with my nutritional plan. I was rewarded at the scale and will continue to persever through next week. I need to learn how to handle setbacks and not consider them the end of my resolve.
• Track food intake. I was successful here but will continue to keep as a commitment until it is second nature.
• Exercising 5 days a week was a commitment last week that I could not keep. I'm pushing through physical pains and 5 days seemed too much. Next week I will keep three scheduled sessions and work on stretching exercises at home on the off days.
• A new commitment for next week will be working on positivity and spirtual peace.

There are so many things that I am grateful for that I am going to start journaling each morning about the day before, and what and where I want to be the next day. I'm new at this journaling thing so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I will acknowlege what I am grateful for, i.e., today was a warmer day and the rain on my face felt renewing; my family is healthy and my one sister who isn't is on the mend; the smiles I receive when entering the gym and words of encouragement; supportive family; manageable burdens; and children who never give up.

I want to focus on the positive and disregard those things I can't change. For example: (1) Today I was depressed that I couldn't finish my work session -- an emotion to disregard. Instead, today I went to the gym when I didn't feel up it and did the best I could. (2) Today I kept all my Prize Club commitments - isn't that "My Prize" picture cute! (3) I felt badly that I didn't accompish my chores today due to physical ailments -- another disgarded emotion. Instead, I blogged on the Prize Club. I was upset that I couldn't be with my sister in Spokane who is in the hospital - another emotion to disgard. Instead, I talked to her in the hospital for two hours. And so on ... Lastly, I will organize my thoughts and attitude for the day. I have rambled on a bit but it has been very helpful to express myself to others who listen and understand. THANK YOU.

Mission Statement

Hey everyone!

My commitment for this week is to compose a mission statement that I can live by daily. I am excited to actually get something in writing and place it somewhere in which I can review it and continue to live my life the way I desire.

I am also committing to prioritizing 'the big picture' on a weekly basis and creating specific tasks to accomplish throughout that week.

It is certainly step by step for me, but with each step I become more inspired, focused, and I have a sense of accomplishment.

Have a great rest of the week everyone!

~Robyn~

Meeting news?

Hi Everyone, this is Noel out in Big Sky, Montanna, after a big day of skiing.  It snowed last night and today while we were on the Mountain.  It was my first time skiing in "powder" and my 6th time ever!  I'm really having a great time with it, especially because I get to be up close with these magnificant peaks.  Tomorrow we are going to Yellowstone for a day long "snow coach" tour to see old Faithful and a ton of sights.  

So, enough of my news, how are all of you?  Looking back on the meeting what do you each recall that has stuck with you most?  I'd love to know.  This is a week of gratitude for me, and I include all of you in my appreciation and have thought of you much.  Based on Lorrie's posts, I know you discussed organization of the blog and see that we can post pics!  You picked a great one, Lorrie!!! I would be posting one right now, but we didn't bring the correct cable for our camera to connect to Tom's computer!  Maybe we can borrow one, and I'll send you a Mountain View.  

My commitment this week was singular -- to pray daily.  The way I see it, if my spiritual life is my priority, it makes everything else in my life more positive, meaningful, and balanced.  It's working beatifully for this vacation, but I also believe that back in my "regular" environment, it's going to remain number one.   I plan to find ways to enhance this sense of peace that comes from tending to my spirit with care and time daily.   

I am far less anxious.  Yes, I know vacation is supposed to do that in and of itself.  But I find that many things about travel and so-called "taking it easy" have often made me and others with me a bit anxious! (anyone else?)  I'm noticing that little things like waiting longer than we "should" for something just doesn't get under my skin like it used to.  I'm also not feeling this internal pressure that I should be the one who takes care of everything when in a group of people (as if I could or anyone wants that!!).  It's really nice.  I'm in a wonderful geographical and spiritual place at this very blessed moment.  I wish the same for us all.  

I'd love to hear back from some or all of you regarding what's working for you or not, and what's primarily on your minds whether in relation to the meeting or just this week.  Miss you and look forward to seeing you soon!  Noel

The Prize Club: Great Meeting!

Thank you everyone for joining us on Tuesday Night. Yvonne, we missed you and hope you are feeling better. Noel, we missed you and can't wait to have you back. Stacy, it was great having you for the first time.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed our time together. We are having varying degrees of success using the Prize Club concept. The fact that any of us are having success means there is some power here. I hope those whom are struggling are inspired by those having some success. I, for one, am there for anyone that needs help.



I want to mention again that small, manageable commitments are important. They should be easily doable and should be moving you closer to your Prize. Commitments can be tough without accountability, and we are here for you should you choose to ask for our help.

Lorrie, once again, laid a great one on us. Her comment "I realized that, if I'm not happy now, when am going to be happy? I am healthy, my family is healthy, I am in a great relationship, if not now, when?" How powerful! Taking stock, focusing on the positive and making a decision about who she is and how she is going to approach her life is just spectacular stuff. Thanks for sharing, Lorrie. I can't tell you how happy I am that you are where you are. I must say that a large part of the reason you are where you are is because of the choices you made. Wouldn't you agree?

It would be easy to say, "Well, sure, if I were in her situation, I would be happy too." The reality is that Lorrie made her bed. She quit a job she had become disillusioned with. No easy thing to do. The path of least resistance would have been to keep it for the security. But she took the risk and left. She has always exercised, but not like she is now. Her choice was to train more often, harder and longer. She has always eaten reasonably well, but made a decision to be more conscious of her diet. Her Prize has clearly become more important than the short term, so called "treating myself". She is down for the real thing, her Prize. As I have said before, it is soooo worth it!

My personal happiness is based on the choices I make.

-I am not trapped.

-I am not a victim.

-My ego is unimportant and needs no protecting.

-I cannot see into the future, I can only do my best today.

-Making the most of today matters.



Getting out of myself and making a small difference in the lives of others is the key.