Just Jump

One of the (many) things I learned in Guatemala is that I am mentally and physically capable of far more than I ever imagined. So when I got back from the trip, I started to mull over some personal and professional goals that I’ve been thinking about but have yet to take action on.

Last weekend after we dropped our son off at camp in Maryland, I vocalized a few of these goals to my husband. And he responded “just jump”. He went on to say something like this. “When faced with a pool of cold water, do you choose to jump in quickly or ease yourself down the ladder? Either way you do it, the water is still cold. You might as well just jump. Do it, get it over with. You’ll feel so much better once you do”.

My response “well, when I was a kid I didn’t like to get water up my nose so I’d have to wear nose plugs and even then I wouldn’t jump in. I’d probably just sit on the edge”. Yep, that pretty much describes me now, certainly not a risk taker. I’m cautious and over-analytical, sometimes to my own fault.

Yet this past year, and especially after Guatemala, I feel the need to be more, do more. To take action, make an impact. So after my husband and I had our goals talk, I jumped.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, one of my goals is to be a Weight Watcher’s Leader. Once I hit my WW Lifetime goal again, I filled out the paperwork and it sat on my desk.  I have wanted to be a Weight Watcher’s Leader for 15 years, yet I’ve never taken the final step to make it happen. Sometimes, I get locked up in my own “what ifs”.  What if I don’t know enough? What if I’m not good enough? What if people don’t respond to me? What if I fail? Have you ever been so caught up in yourself that you don’t do something you really want to do?

So I jumped. Last Monday I mailed my Weight Watcher’s paperwork and by Thursday I got a call that the Lansdale office has a potential opening. Holy cow, this is really happening! I have an interview set up for August 18^th and if I make it through, training starts September 8^th! Buckle your seat belts baby, it’s gonna be a wild ride.

Here’s the question folks, are you sitting at the edge of the pool, too worried about the cold water to make your move? Jump! Have you had a goal that you’ve been thinking about but are too afraid to take action? Jump! Maybe it’s a new job or a change in career? Jump! Pursuing a new friendship or re-kindling an old one. Jump! Facing your finances or a difficulty with your spouse or children. Jump! Trying a new activity or hobby. Jump! Tackling a project you’ve been putting off. Jump!

Maybe it’s walking through those Weight Watcher’s meeting doors for the first time? Or getting back to your health and wellness plan? Jump!

The reward of what can happen certainly outweighs the fear of what may.  

Ask for help. Make the choice. Commit to the choice. Continue with courage. And jump! J

Hugs and friendship,

Tara

Guatemala Reflection #2: Abundance

It’s really hard to explain what third world poverty looks like to someone who hasn’t been there. Back in 2005, I had the opportunity to fund raise for a group called Stephen’s Children that provides education, moral guidance, spiritual development and medical care to the poorest of the poor in Cairo. These families live in devastating circumstances in the garbage dumps. I also had the opportunity to visit and interact with the families which changed my life forever. I wished that my husband and kids had been with me so they could understand the change that happened deep within me.  

This is why it was so important for me to take our entire family to Guatemala, to not only witness the change you can bring to someone’s life, but to experience that change within their hearts. The experience of the trip far exceeded my expectations. Given what I felt in Cairo, a part of me it couldn’t be beat. But I guess it’s just like parenting, there’s always more love for one more person.

What hit me on the head over and over again during the trip is just how abundant our lives are. The people of Guatemala that we built the home for lead simple lives. They lived in a corn cane hut, with a tin roof, dirt floor and no windows. Their running water came from a hose. To get hot water, they boiled it. Their kitchen consisted of an open fire. They had no refrigeration. Any furniture was hand-made with scraps and burlap sacks. They had minimal clothing, no dressers or walk-in closets. They grew or raised a lot of their food. And the bathroom? Let’s just say it makes the port-a-potty at my son’s baseball games look promising.

The families were extremely poor, yet something about them made me see how rich they were. They were always smiling. They understood the value of family. They lived within their means. They weren’t afraid of hard work. They appreciated everything. Their children were with them during the day. They were kind to each other. An education was something to be treasured. They were generous and courteous neighbors.

Witnessing widespread poverty like this can sometimes be overwhelming. You think to yourself, with so much need, how will it ever be met? It is comforting for me to know that while they might need everything, but they wanted for nothing. They had something that eludes so many Americans, happiness. And I also know that God changes lives, one person at a time.

It’s this belief that now has me collecting donations for some proud parents in Guatemala. These parents have children in the Morning Glory school marching band. We had the pleasure of watching this band perform and man OH man, they were rock stars.  They played their hearts out all while having HUGE smiles on their faces. And they have such a gift. They not only won National’s in Guatemala, but they are now going to Central American finals. These children are in need of band uniforms, without them, they might have points deducted from their performance. The school needs 118 uniforms at $60 US dollars each. ONE band uniform costs TWO month’s salary for these hard working families.

Over the next week, I will be taking donations for the band uniforms. If you’d like to give any amount big or small, please mail a check made payable to NIMA to: Tara Watson- 2021 Sandstone Terrace-Phoenixville, PA 19460.

Remember to count your blessings today, they are abundant!

Hugs and friendship,

Tara

Guatemala Reflection #1: Joy

After having one of my most life-changing weeks ever, how could I not write about my experiences in Guatemala? So for those of you who are looking for some weight loss tips and tricks, hang with me over the next few weeks because I have about a gazillion and one thoughts racing in my head that I need to get on paper. How can I possibly make sense of the thoughts and emotions that come flooding back with a sound, smell or an image? Well, I had to start somewhere, so I jotted down a few words- joy, strength, beauty, abundance and gratitude and we’ll see where it goes from there.  

This morning, as I was trying to muster up the energy to get out of bed to start my work day, there was a mourning dove cooing outside my window. I just love the fluid, long and low sound of their call. Contrast that to the high-pitched, gawking crow of a rooster. Every day last week in Guatemala, I awoke to the sound of not just one rooster, but multiple roosters crowing to each other. It’s like they were saying hello to each other over AND over again. At first it was kind of cute and funny, but then I was like “enough already”.

Not too long after the crowing roosters, we were greeted by early morning fireworks. I’m not sure of the local tradition of this, but here’s how it went down---there was an explosion of fireworks, followed by the whoops and hollers of the Guatemalan people, ending with lively singing. It was absolutely nuts, and it’s one of my favorite memories. Why? The sheer joy of it all.

When was the last time you hopped out of bed to greet the day whooping and hollering with joy?  I know you’re shaking your head right now and saying really Tara? Really? Do you have any idea the challenges I face each day? The responsibilities I carry?

My experience in Guatemala made me think of a portion of this verse from Matthew 6:25:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?”

If we gave God our worries, would we have more time for joy? And could starting each day with a joy-filled attitude help overcome our daily challenges and seemingly overwhelming responsibilities?

When I first heard the Guatemalans singing and laughing at 5:30 in the morning, I thought to myself, they are flipping bananas, especially because mornings are NOT my friend. But as the week went on I realized they’ve got it right. When you begin your day in the right mindset, focused on what really matters, surrounded by people that energize and love you, appreciating the gift of a brand new day, knowing that God’s got your back, how can you go wrong?

Ask for help. Make the choice. Commit to the choice. Continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara

Simple Abundance

Fellow blog readers, this week I'd like to share with you a poem I wrote about my experience in Guatemala. Over the next few weeks I'll be reflecting on living a life of simple abundance.

Make the choice, commit to the choice and continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara 

Dawn breaks, the rooster crows and we greet God’s promise of a new day.

A quick breakfast and a moment of prayer and team CCV is on the way.

Families waiting, anticipating, a dream of hope that is here to stay.

Tools unloaded, instructions given and we become God’s hands and feet.

Foundation is poured, walls complete. We take a rest to beat the heat.

Friendships growing, teamwork showing, faces glowing.

Joy-filled faces watch from quiet places as the house begins to unfold.

Side by side we work together on tasks most grueling and tedious.

Yet we keep on working knowing that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

The corn cane hut with the tin roof no longer stands.

In its place is a solid home that God built using our feet and hands.

Though we are worlds apart our needs are still the same- food, shelter, family, love and a God that   knows our names.

Friends of San Raimundo who are in our hearts no matter where we go; you have blessed us far more than you’ll ever know.

This life of simple abundance anyone can achieve. By seeing that God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and grace is available to all who believe.

Ready, Set, Goal!

This week I got back to my Weight Watcher’s lifetime goal weight. Not only did I reach my goal, I’m now one pound below my goal! I have not been this weight since 2003.

It’s been a slow and steady road to get here and I I thank you for being with me every step of the way. I am proud to be a Weight Watcher for life.   

In March 2011, I decided to make my weight battle public by starting this blog. Some people choose to lose privately, some publicly and there is no right or wrong way. For me having a way to express myself through writing was very helpful. I wanted to share my successes and even my failures with you.

I also set a few goals:

1- Healthy Thinking- I will have a positive long term approach to my weight loss. I will surround myself with people who support my goals. I will make small changes that lead to big results. I will help others along the way.  

2- Honor God With My Body- I will appreciate this one body that God gave me. I will treasure and take care of it. I will value this gift of life. I will make choices that bring glory to God.

3- Moving More- I will become an active, healthy adult. I will explore new activities and adventures to help me get fit. I will see exercise as a privilege and not a chore.

4- Goal weight 141- I will set a healthy, maintainable goal weight for my body type and frame. I will achieve my goal within a year.

5- Weight Watcher’s Leader- I will become a local Weight Watcher’s leader and will nurture a community of healthy, balanced, positive and compassionate members.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be reflecting on my first four goals and how I got there. I’ll also be sharing with you my steps to become a Weight Watcher’s leader-goal number five!

I hope you’ll stay with me on this next leg of my journey. I can’t wait to share it with you!

Ask for help. Make the choice. Commit to the choice. Continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara

Little Engine That Can

A few weeks ago, I wrote about being stuck at Complacency Crossroads and that I needed to get my train to jump tracks to the Can Do Expressway. So what happened? Apparently as my train was jumping the tracks, it became derailed.

It’s been a mixed bag kind of a week. One day I felt energized and focused and the next day I felt distracted and tired. This whole week has been magnified by a revisit from my pesky little friend, my facial neuralgia. I’ve had some type of pain every day this week. When it’s hot out, I have pain on the top of my head and my front facial nerves and eye spasm like crazy.  Sunday was one hot bugger of a day, and I tried to stay outside at my son’s baseball game, but I paid for it later. When it’s cold, damp and rainy (and boy we’ve had plenty of that), I have my worst pain, it’s a shooting pain behind my ear that radiates up the back of my head. This week’s crazy up and down temperatures have been a killer. When I’m stressed or tired, my face spasms and droops and I have nail-tapping like pain on the top of my head. Fun for days!

The good news? Acupuncture is still working. The pain I experience is far less severe than it ever has been. My pain can be controlled fairly quickly so I can get back to living my life.  The bad news? My chronic pain is SUCH a trigger for overeating. I’m sure many of you reading this can relate. We all have something that triggers us to overeat. Many of us self-medicate with food to help heal our mental and physical hurts. When we’re knee deep in pain, sometimes we simply don’t have the wherewithal to stop and think “eating is not going to solve my problems”, we just eat, and eat, and eat. And oh yeah, then eat some more.

I mentioned that it’s been a mixed bag kind of week for me. Why? Because I’m fighting a battle and thankfully the healthier me is winning. As I’ve written before, usually when I have neuralgia pain, I turn to food for my comfort. But this week (and every week going forward), I refuse to let food win. When the pain came, I fell into my old ways, grabbed my favorite comfort foods and started to dig in, but something really cool happened- I stopped. I did have it within me to stop my overeating, even in the middle of physical pain. I stopped. Here’s what I did instead---

I journaled. I started a food mood and face feelings journal. There I began to capture how I was feeling about food and what I was going to do about it. I also noted my levels of face pain to keep myself grounded that things could be worse. I exercised. Exercise not only reduces my face pain, but it gives me that energy boost and focus that’s needed. Even if I only have time for 20 minutes, I get my body moving. I talked it out. My husband is an awesome listener. After 23 years, he knows me better than I do. Make sure you have someone you can talk with about your struggles and have that person hold you accountable for your actions. I prayed. When I felt overwhelmed, I stopped what I was doing and grabbed my bible. I always feel at peace after a little chat with God. He is my comfort and strength.

I’m so happy to get my little engine that can back on the right track. Will you join me?

Ask for help. Make the choice. Commit to the choice. Continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara

D.I.Y.O.

I spent most of last weekend working on a DIY project. I bought a credenza at an estate sale and it needed some serious TLC.  It was so glorious to sit outside, bask in the sun, getting my DIY on- LOVE it! As I sat there, I began to think about how my weight loss journey has been very similar to a DIY project. For me, DIY projects have a few things in common- 1) they always take longer than I imagine they will…2) there is usually more work involved than I planned on…3) I want to fast forward to the end, skipping the hard labor to enjoy the beauty of the finished product.  

Usually, a DIY project begins with a less than perfect object that has potential. Well that was certainly me at the beginning of my journey. I needed to take a hard look at myself to see that I am FAR from perfect, but filled God-given possibility. The first thing I did with the credenza was clean it off, it was filthy. Got me some old rags, some warm soapy water and went to town. This made me think about my decision to begin a healthy lifestyle. Once I recognized that I had the power to change, and made the decision to change, I needed to clean up my act, starting with my bad habits.

After I got the credenza spic and span, I began to sand it. Sanding is one of my least favorite jobs. It’s hard manual work and there’s no way to get around it. And to do a project right, you should actually sand a few times, in between the primer and pain coats to get the best results. Sanding down old habits can be just as tedious. Just when you think you’re done sanding- whammo- you find another thing you need to change. Sometimes we get splinters, making lifestyle changes can be painful, both mentally and physically. Much like how I feel about sanding a piece of furniture; recognizing, acknowledging and changing my habits has been the most tedious and laborious part of my journey.

Even though sanding can be tiresome, there’s nothing like starting with what feels like an almost new piece of furniture. I used some wood filler to fill in the rough patches and now it’s nice and smooth.  Filling in the gaps between the old and new me is when the fun began. Finding new activities I enjoy, trying new healthier foods, stepping out of my comfort zone, building new friendships.  It feels so great to fill myself up with things other than food!

Coming to the end of the DIY project, I layered on the primer before the gorgeous final top coat. As we make positive changes in our lifestyle, we begin to layer our healthy habits to build something lasting and substantial.

And finally, the sweet reward! I love putting on the final coats of paint and adding personal details to make it my own.  The same thing can be said for my weight loss journey. I’ve taken the Weight Watcher’s program, tweaked it to fit my lifestyle and made it just right for me. One of my favorite things about a DIY project is the beauty that comes with reinvention. Years from now, someone might find my credenza, see its potential and start to give it some much needed TLC.

D.I.Y.O (doing yourself over) is a life-long process and investment that require some serious sweat equity, but the end result will be SO worth it! Something beautiful is waiting to be created in you!

Ask for help. Make the choice. Commit to the choice. Continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara