Posts tagged ‘goals’

This past weekend I attended to a memorial service for an extended family member.

A normally, sad event, for me it was an uplifting and extremely touching experience.

Why?

The eulogy was delivered as a compelling story, a joyful narrative that wove the man’s history and life experiences together into an engrossing tale of adventure and love.

The essence of the man as I knew him was captured in both the eulogy as well as in what people came up to the microphone and said about him afterwards….

Here’s my second video blog, this time on Vision Boards.

I’m loving this video blogging thing!

I LOVE the show “Project Runway.”

Last night, I watched the finale.

Unlike prior seasons, this time popular previous contestants were invited back to compete in an all-star round for some outrageously good prizes.
While usually the winner walks away with $100K, this season’s winner received a LOT more. The package was crafted to transform the designer’s life, making his fashion dreams come true.

The winner received:

• A special boutique within Neiman Marcus to sell his merchandise
• A photo spread in Marie Claire magazine and a position as a guest editor for one year
• $100K in technology and office space to grow his business
• A sewing and embroidery studio
• $100K in cash

As the TV show host said, “That sounds like a life-changing package to me.”

Well said. Every time the rewards were mentioned, you could see the contestants’ eyes light up. The package represented an open door to the lifestyle they all craved.

Why am I telling you this?…

I’ve always been a tad overweight.


Not hugely, and I hide it fairly well, but I carry around an extra 10-ish lbs that just won’t come off.


I’ve tried different diet programs over the years, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, South Beach, Nutrisystem, and some things have worked for a while but obviously not permanently.


It’s been pretty frustrating….


This past year I have gotten back into exercise with a gym membership I’ve actually used. I’ve done this for a few reasons:


I love to dance
I spend a lot of time in my head and need to get into my body more
I want to lose weight


At the beginning of the year I met with a personal trainer and he told me that to lose weight, I really need to be working out five days per week.


Yikes. That’s a lot.


He also encouraged me to do sit-ups. Yuck.


So, it’s not walking-the-dog exercise that’s going to get me where I want to go. Darn.


Well, I’ve been at it all year going three-ish times per week to dance class (yes, I know it’s not five times a week yet), and I feel fitter and stronger. I certainly have more stamina…

Recently I visited a well-known cosmetics store.

Normally I avoid these types of establishments in favor of CVS’ cosmetics aisle and the Nordstrom Clinique counter. I am someone who simply buys what the lady at the counter tells me to (or what my mom recommends). When I run out, I go back and buy the same product over and over again, unless they stop making it and then I get someone to recommend a substitute.

This time, though, I was on a mission:  I had hired a professional to shoot a series of educational videos for my business and wanted to look the best I possibly could on camera. I was low on “camera ready” cosmetics and, more importantly, I had a gift certificate burning a hole in my pocket.

So, off I went to the mall….

My husband loves sports cars. My daughter, 3 years old, has been watching him with curiosity, taking mental notes.

I know this because she recently said to me, “Someday, I’m going to drive a race car with no top on it.”

So, the kid wants a convertible. Oy vey.

A few weeks ago, she accompanied me to a yard sale that featured a bunch of kids’ stuff. We went there seeking gently used toys.

When we walked up, I saw it first….

Yesterday I barely made it to Zumba class.

As the 5:30pm class time approached I kept glancing at the clock.

At 4:45pm I told myself that I needed to get my workout clothes on.

I didn’t move.

At 5:00pm, I reminded myself to get up and get dressed because I needed to leave in 15 minutes. Instead, I continued to be rooted in my chair, trying to figure out how to get some video files off my camera and onto the computer. Not an urgent task but one I wanted to finish in order to feel a sense of completion for the day.

At 5:15pm I told myself if I didn’t leave this exact moment I would not be able to find a spot in the class.

I still did not move.

At 5:25pm I realized, with a mixture of relief and regret…

I have a weird story to tell you.

Last weekend we took a road trip and stopped at a gas station for some fuel. I went into the little gas station store to buy some drinks for my family. As I approached the cash register, I noticed a guy in front of me.

Normal stuff, right?

What was interesting was what he was doing….

Time sure seems to be in short supply these days. The hours whiz by and my To Do list is always longer than what I can possibly get done in any given day (or week). It’s a bit demoralizing, to tell you the truth.


I have a tendency to measure my sense of accomplishment based on how productive I am. Can you relate? Somewhere along the way I developed the (faulty) belief that my value increases with the amount of stuff I get done. My inner self knows that it’s not true, and I am working on changing this mindset. Looking at life from this perspective certainly has its drawbacks. One thing is for sure: it is a measuring stick I always seem to fall short on.


Why am I telling you this?