The power of LOVE - Part One

What do I mean by this? Not the love that you think.  Not passionate love with another person. Yes. That is wonderful and having it makes life even more amazing.  But, what I am talking about loving yourself. This is something I recently understood as actually being the foundation in this journey to health and fitness.  Self esteem. Integrity. Self love.  I now BELIEVE this is essential to living a remarkable life – one filled with love, health, fitness, spirituality, and all the things that make life worth living. I had been so focused, especially in the beginning of my quest, on what I ate - counting calories or counting points, or counting carbs, getting protein in my diet (I’m not a big protein lover), staying away from sweets, taking my vitamins, taking my supplements, (no love there) and of course exercising. And, I mean intense exercise. I spent many hours working out, lifting weights, doing cardio machines at the gym, walking up Euclid, doing the Mud Run at Camp Pendleton, going to The Biggest Loser Resort (three weeks worth), doing Pilates, Yoga, running, jogging, and on and on and on.  And, all of these activities are wonderful and great for the body - don't get me wrong.  But, not inspiring self loving when every time you do something you never think it is good enough, long enough, hard enough. Where is the love there?  Yep, that is what I realized I was missing - one key element from a place deep in my heart.  LOVE!  Loving myself just the way I am right now.  The way I am. I am good enough now. That is the key.  I am still working on this. But, I am making vast progress.  How many of you can truly say that you love yourself just the way you are no matter what?  This is humbling for me because I never really thought I didn’t love myself.   I always thought I did love myself, but now I realize I didn’t really love myself totally unconditionally. Now I am working on not being so hard on myself, but at the same time having Integrity.  Doing what I say I will do.  Eating healthy foods.  Loving, nurturing and nourishing my mind, body and soul.  It may sound corny, but I finally figured out that LOVE is the key.  More on love next post – love of food (Yes. Love of food. It is not the enemy!) and love of humanity.

I'm back!

I'm back! I've been on a writing/blogging and fitness/health hiatus for quite awhile now, but I realize that it is time for me to start writing about all the crazy wonderful things going on in my life and the Universe. Yes. That's right - crazy and wonderful, and not necessarily at the same time.   And, I KNOW it is time for me to revitalize my stalled fitness/health journey.  And, I am ready! 

Today I was reminded of something that I always say, but don't always do. And, I was actually challenged a bit in cyberspace on my words. Yes - my words.  As some of you know I always say that our thoughts become the things and events of our lives.  And, that thinking positive loving thoughts will bring positive loving results, and on the flip side thinking crappy, negative thoughts will bring about all the things you don't want in your life. Yes.  I say this, BUT do I do this? I can say I do some of the time, but definitely not all the time.  I preach this amazing universal law to everyone, but I realized recently that I don't always practice what I preach.  In pondering this I recognized that therein lies a major growth opportunity for me.  And, what I BELIEVE will be the unveiling of something extraordinarily profound and amazing! I have so much to share - so much to write about.  But, I am going to spread out my thoughts and muses as I begin to blog again.  So, stay tuned for more of my reflections on life, love, fitness and health.