Ode to the days of the YMCA in Vandalia and Lynn's step aerobic class. This class was so much fun. Good workout. Fun people. A great way to get fit and also enjoy the music and the people. After I left Vandalia it was never quite the same. History showed an aligned program with Jazzercise and me for a long period of time. Then came the days of administration and time was crazy. And so exercise ran by the wayside. And then the onset of the M word,,, yep... menopause and the stagnant, too tired, effects of not exercising and the body going bonkers.
Job changes. Moves. Meeting the needs of living in California with the highest cost of living in the US sans New York and fulfilling one's dream. Let me see. What were my other excuses? Dissertation. Long commute. Crazy politics at work. Relocating. And that is the truth. We all know the drill. The only one responsible for my success is me. And of course God. But I know that God wants me to be fit so I have to take him out of the equation.
I have a gym membership, belong to WW online, and have no excuse not to follow a plan. I live across the street from the San Francisco Bay and I have a walking and biking path in my front yard. I no longer have a commute. I have flexibility in my job, and I am looking to move to a place that is more economical. I have NO excuse left.
Ha. Recovery literature tells us that we come to our greatest growth when we can stop making excuses, looking outward for blame, and are left with ourselves. And I say this lightly. I am glad I am here. The stress is gone. I have the time and the resources to pursue growth. A new phase. Intellectually. I can retire in five years if I want. I don't plan to do so, but I have the option. I can go back to school and obtain a certificate as an addictions counselor. I can go back to school and obtain a certificate in special education administration. I can go back to school and obtain a certificate in HR administration. I can go back to school and obtain a degree in Applied Behavior Analysis.
I still have my mom. I have my health. I have a good job. I have a happy family. I have reconnected with the relationships of my past. I have no excuses. I can go to San Francisco and see every Broadway musical I wish to see. I can write my blogs everyday. I know that pride comes before a downfall so I know to count my blessings and not get too big for my britches. I have a support system. I know that to effect change one needs to step out and I know that to do so appropriately one needs to follow the Chain of Command and build a team. I know resilience and trust and failure and the pain of putting oneself in a place where one does not belong.
So, now I must do the work necessary to establish an exercise routine that is balanced. And to maintain the pieces of the pie that I have taught to kids for years: spiritual, emotional, physical, mental, financial, and social goals. And to give. It is about giving. Giving to others and reaching out to support, not control.
So my Fit Bit is my reminder, on my wrist everyday of the blessings I can encounter and the blessings I have. My reminder to slow down, be empathetic, listen, understand, and reach out to others. To give back. To be creative. To never take people, time, or blessings for granted. To know that in a minute things can change and I need to always appreciate and show appreciation. Not out of fear but because of what has been granted to me. To learn to trust that all things come as God directs and that we always end up on our feet if we have faith. Or if you have another Deity then to apply the faith concept there. It is about faith and giving back to others. Not resting on our laurels but doing what we do to help make life better for others.
Who would of thought that the 99.00 purchase can be such a life changer? But it is.
