300 miles in 3 months challenge

I was on FB today and one of my friends told me about this cool challenge. It is a physical activity challenge that would require you to walk, run, swim, etc. approximately 25 miles each week. To further break this down, if you exercised 6 days out of 7 days, giving yourself a day off each week, you would have to do approximately 4 miles daily. Get yourself a pedometer and count all your walking throughout the day. I know, for sure, when I was working in the ER, I must have easily put 2-3 miles on each shift. On average, if you walk 2000 steps, it is about one mile. You can do this!

The challenge will start on October 1, 2001. Get your pedometers and your walking shoes ready to roll! Go to my facebook wall and accept the challenge! (This is an optional Task. I do highly recommend it, however. Don't forget to keep track of your miles / steps!)

Let's do it together! It would be very rewarding and the added benefit of health and weight loss, well...just plain ROCKS!

Much love!
Melissa

Pulling It All Together....one step at a time.

The last post I shared was a doozie! I know it was a lot to think about. I can not stress the importance of really giving some time to thinking about what your BEST SELF looks like. Take your time creating a vision of her in your mind in a physical sense. That is the easy part. The more difficult task is feeling who she is within. Remember, she is already in existence, but has been hidden away.

You are on your way to creating a vision or a "why" you are willing to work hard at changing some of your behaviors. It is not easy to change behavior, especially for those of use that have arrived in the "mid-life". We can do this, one step at a time. Remember to keep a journal to stay on task and have a record of your progress.

My hope for all of us is to embark on a journey that will encourage self-recognition, self-acceptance and self-growth. Growth is at times painful, but even more so it is rewarding. The end result is an amazing metamorphosis.

You are not alone. I am here for you and with you. My heart is full of nothing but good intentions for all of you who chose to come along in this very special journey to your BEST SELF.

Much love,
Melissa

Who is your BEST SELF?

Ever since we were little girls, we have had dreams. When we were young it was fun to day dream about the woman we would someday become. Let's do that again. Take some time to imagine your best self...picture her physically in your mind. Once you do that make a journal entry exploring the following questions. Write down your answers in as much detail as possible.

Task 4: Journal Entry to discover your BEST SELF

~ Describe her physical attributes in detail. (Go ahead, shoot for the stars. This is, after all, your very best self.) Is she thin? I she curvy? Is strong and muscular? Describe her face, her skin, her hair, her smile. Describe the shape of her body. Look at her arms, her shoulders, her posture, her chest, her waist, her hips. How about her booty and legs? What does she look like? How does she appear to you? Is she confident? Is she friendly? Daring, kind, engaging, interesting, interested? Does she glow when she is inspired? What inspires her? Does she illuminate the room when she appears? Who is she? Really deep down inside. What are her hopes for her life? What is really important to her? Her family? God? Her friends, her job, what really matters to her? Is she a doer or is she a dreamer? How will she be remembered 100 years after she leaves this earth. How does she wish to be remembered?

There are so may facets to your BEST SELF. Take your time with this. Revisit this exercise often. Feel free to change your description as she evolves. She is rare. She is unique and she is waiting to be born.

This is an exercise of true love of self. We may not always love what we see in the mirror or what we hear our voices speak or a minds think, but we are totally free to be whoever we want to be....she is in there. She is aching to meet you when the time is right.

Truly yours with love and kindness,
Melissa

One Step Closer to Meeting Your BEST SELF...

For today I leave you only with this thought to ponder.


"Every day do something that will inch you closer to revealing your Best You." One great way to immediately see your inner beauty is practicing acts of kindness. When you are kind to others, that inner glow instantly shows through. Try it. You will love it!


A Kind Reminder~

Don't forget to get organized. Pick out the perfect pretty notebook or journal. Take your measurements and just start moving...every day. Set a section of your BYBS journal to jot down how you feel before your workout and again after having completed it.

When In Doubt, Just Keep Moving!

That pastry is only as good as your next workout. Balancing calories in with the right amount of physical activity is the name of the game. However you chose to look at it, exercise is as vital to physical health and sanity, in my opinion, as oxygen is necessary to life. Don't stress if you can't find the time to do your normal workout, just do something, most days of the week. Always take one day off from vigorous exercise to rest and regroup. It is a proven fact that if you exercise regularly and it is part of your lifestyle you are more apt to make better food choices. Exercise have a huge impact on your mood, your choices, your energy level and in general how you view yourself. You are more than worth the time it will take to get a quick workout in?

Task #3 Keep a journal of your workouts. Also log how you felt before you got your workout in and how you felt right after you finished. I would be willing to bet that in no time at all you will be seeing a strong correlation between exercise and having a great attitude.

Don't make me come drag your butt to the gym or outside for a walk to adjust your attitude. You can do this! You will see!

Much love,
Melissa

Time for Tea....

Do you set aside a small space in your day to just be with yourself and your thoughts. I suggest having a daily "tea time" to ponder what you are grateful for or what inspires you. Take a few minutes to be mindful and present with your thoughts. This is a great way to turn around any negativity that may have gotten hold of your good intensions.

I had my tea time and on my Yogi Tea bag I saw this. "You can run after satisfaction, but satisfaction must come from within."

BYBS (Become Your Best Self) Challenge

Task #2

Facing the Music....this is the one we ALL loathe. Break out the measuring tapes ladies! It is time to discover the baseline YOU.

Supplies Needed:
1 notebook (preferably something pretty)
1 measuring tape
A camera for the dreaded "now" pictures (optional, but recommended)
Oh, did I mention a scale (also optional, especially if you obcess over your weight)

Measure the following:

Chest
Waist
Hips
Right Thigh
Left Thigh
Beginning Weight

Ok. I know this is a bit painful for some of us, but really, no one is judging you. We are all joining in to love and support one another. I am so proud of you for taking this first step. Come now, put your hand in mine and let's do this together.

With much love of wellness....
Melissa

Become Your BEST SELF Challenge!

Task #1. OK ladies...Make the decision to invest in you. You deserve this special attention. It not going to be a simple task for any of us who live busy lives. It is easy to put everyone and everything else first. It is actually less difficult to invest in others. This is your time. Are you ready to join in? Please inbox me and let me know you are in! I want to hear from you sooner than later. Go to my facebook page to let me know you are in. If you and I are not yet established FB friends, just request my frienship and attach a note saying I AM IN!

Look for more to come....There will be a step by step plan for your success in becoming your BEST SELF! We will be addressing nutrition, exercise and of course, my favorite, nurturing your inner self.

Revelation

Did you know that you have the power to do anything you are determined to do? All you need is already within. You are equipped with all the tools and no further education is required. Stop thinking, "If I only had that degree or certification." In this world, there is way too much education and knowledge but very little wisdom. Stop waiting for this and that to arrive. You have arrived. Accept the fact that you can do anything. Use that revelation for the better, not only for your life, but for others. People need you and your skills. That is what makes the world go round. Serve others and you will always be served. Tired of feeling inadequate? Stop that. Realize you are you and you are gifted and able. Stop wasting your time and use your gifts. They are there. Look within. The world is waiting for you to arrive, healthy, strong and willing to shine.

Take Care of Yourself

If anyone knows about the act of caring for others and skipping right over number one, it's me. I love to please everyone, but sometimes it steals my PEACE! Recently, I have found myself bumping into tons and tons of reminders that taking care of ME is the only way to offer my best to others. Balance is where it's at! What we all need is to treat ourselves well. Eat well, exercise, rest regularly, sleep enough, have some fun on a regular basis. Try it and see what can happen in your life. For me, it broadens my view of life. It makes me aware of all that plays into what makes life so rich. Doing small, but regular things for myself allows me to see way past the craziness of my schedule, the piles of things I have committed myself to and allows me to see all the small miracles in my life every day. My kids, my husband, my friends and family are all more visible to me. They are the gifts that have always been there, but have somehow become clouded by the "stress" of life. The diversions that I put in my life, allowing my focus to stray from what truly matters. It is simple, actually, just meditate on the fact that you can have PEACE in your life too. You already have it. Choose it. Make it the rhythm of your existance. When things happen to muddy it up, it will not matter nearly as much or last half as long. Make a decision today to have peace and start enjoying what you already have. Nothing else really matters.

Isn't It Time to Forgive?

We all have our moments of anger and frustration. That is the result of having emotion. Some people have more passionate emotion than others. I have been guilty of this alot in my life. The thing I have learned and want to get across is it has never served me or anyone I know to hold onto anger and frustration. It only hinders prosperity. When you harbor ill-feelings, it rots in your soul and the result is not peace and it certainly is not joy. It is ok to forgive someone who has hurt you. It is not ok to allow that hurt to continue to determine the kind of life you are going to lead. You have a choice to let things go. Put it up to a higher power to deal with. Let whatever it is, no longer be your deal. Living free from anger is a wonderful way to live. It helps to remember I am not perfect and I have qualities that, at times, are less than desirable. I am always glad when others forgive me if I am sharp tongued, rude or self-righteous. On the other side, it feels great to forgive. It is completely freeing of the spirit. Make more room for joy and peace within. Don't allow worry, shame, anger and resentment to fill the spaces within you. It will ruin you and all your potential. It is like feeding your body nothing by sugar and fat, instead of wholesome, nourishing food. Start with you mind. Think good of others and your best self will emerge. Be conscious and present with yourself. Form a new habit. Live with joy. It is a choice.

Having Less "Stuff" Can Give You More Peace

I just started a new series of teachings by Joyce Meyer. She is an amazing Christian speaker that has the ability to speak directly into my soul. What she has to say always keeps me pointed in the right direction in my life. It seems like most of my life I have been is search of a vechicle to help me prosper in life. Having prosperity, to me, has mostly meant having monetary wealth. Over the past few years I have come to realize and finally beginning to accept the fact that wealth does not have a thing to do with having money or "things". It does not mean it is okay to be jealous of others who do have more "things" than me. What I really want is to help others. That is what brings joy to me. This feeds me. It makes me better and hopefully sets an example for my children to be "givers" not "expecters". You can have a home that looks beautiful from the outside and the things within can be apparently perfect too, but what happens inside between those who live there is what truly matters. I am just saying, personaly, my life is not about what I want to have. It is about what I do have already and what I can give to others. Whether if be the gift of wellness, a hug or a word of encouragement, that is what you can expect from me. I am asking that you do the same. Pray that I do not get side-tracked by all the human desires that well up inside from time to time. I have the foresight to know all those things will not bring me lasting joy. Putting others first does. Have a beautiful day!

I Am Thankful

It seems as though I often find myself thinking about the things for which I am grateful. Every day when I wake up, I peer into the bedrooms of my sleeping children and my heart overflows with pride and complete adoration for the two of them. I am so thankful I have them in my life! I realize that even though the day-to-day routine of raising children is a tiring and sometimes thankless job, I would not trade it or them for anything! They are a gift from God. They are my present and my future. They are what drive me to work hard to move forward in life. I will always love and provide for them, teach them the lessons of life and pick them up when they fall. Being a parent is not always fun. It is not always enjoyable, but it is always rewarding and worth every bit of energy you put into them. I hope to guide them appropriately in life and when it is time to set them free, I want them to soar freely to conquer every dream they have ever had! The will know I will always be here to celebrate their successes and comfort them when life throws them curveballs. Thank you for reading my thought for today. I hope you are able to stop and reflect on those who mean the world to you. The love you feel for them is what will sustain you, real soul food.

Something to Live by...

My life is blessed and great things will happen to me and all those I take a long during my journey. I just need to keep the self-talk positive and always remember to be thankful for everything and everyone in my life. Most importantly, I need to say it. Thank you is very powerful and will bring more meaning to each moment of each day. Thank you for the opportunity and freedom to share my thoughts. I appreciate you for taking the time to read the thoughts that pass through my head. Have a blessed day!

Remembering Your Inner Child

I took a day off, just for me. I felt as though I deserved it. After all, I had been hard at work and feeling a little burned out with life and all its demands. I packed up the car and headed off to my favorite beach. After finding the best spot there, blanket perfectly placed on the warm sand, cooler within reach, sunscreen applied and a great book in hand, my attention was drawn to two children playing at the surf’s edge. I was close enough to observe them, finding myself drawn in by their interaction. What captured my attention was their effortless ability to enjoy the moment and find excitement in the smallest details in their surrounding.

It was obvious their child-like approach to the day served them both extremely well! One child shrieked, “Look! Look what I found!” He then proceeded to hand over a small pink seashell to his playmate. As he passed the shell over for observation, the second child said, “ Let’s start a pile for the best seashells on the beach!” The two searched and discovered one small miracle after the next. Before long I realized I had been delightfully watching them hard at work in search of nature’s beauty for more than an hour. They never tired of their adventure.

The simple ease of their actions made me wonder how different life could be if I practiced simple child-like living. I am not insinuating we should be irresponsible with the way we live our lives. Conversely, what if we treated each new day as a beautiful journey filled with curiosity and spontaneity. How wonderful would it be to just notice the little things in life and recognize them as small miracles? If only we could slow down long enough to be mindful and present instead of plowing through every day in anticipation of it coming to an end. Treat each day as a gift. Life can be wonderful adventure. Live well. Laugh often. Love each experience as your story unfolds. If you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed with all that life throws in your path, stop and observe a child and learn how to live in the moment. Cherish the gifts in your life.

By Melissa Naborowsky, RN

This is a blog I wrote for work. Check out the website: www.advwellness.com

A Simple Opportunity to Make a Difference

Today a co-worker and I were riding down the road discussing a road construction project that is currently being done in our area. Every time we travel this one stretch of road it becomes necessary to stop and wait in traffic for varying lengths of time. In the recent past and on several occasions on my commute, I was forced to stop, but found my self greatly humbled while observing this one construction worker. His job was to flip a sign from stop to slow, allowing traffic to pass. What really struck me was his attitude. He was not just a guy standing on the side of the road in a hard hat, sweating to death in the blaring sunshine. He was much more than that. As each car approached to drive by, he purposefully made eye contact with his passers-by, smiled and waved. He greeted each person he saw with a thoroughly sincere expression of what we should all be practicing more in our lives; authentic love and respect for others. It is as though he was put there to make all our days brighter. Simple acts of kindness go a long way. This perfect stranger is someone I will not easily forget. I will try to live by his example, simply because I experienced what his simple gestures had to offer. He made not only one day, but many days better in my life, for that I am grateful.

Sunshine Brings New Hope

There is nothing better than waking in the morning to the sound of the birds chirping and the sunshine streaming in the window. To me, sunshine gives new hope for a day filled with endless possibilities and lots of positive energy. There really isn't much better than being outside soaking in the sun. It's warmth on my skin somehow relaxes all the tensions and normal anxieties of life away. Get outside and get some sun. It is the best therapy for busy people. While you're out enjoying the summer weather, slow down and feel the slight summertime breeze and also take note of the aroma of summer blossoms or of fresh cut grass. There is nothing better. Be mindful of the moment and all that goes on within you. That is the kind of calm and peace you deserve in your life. Sunshine brings new hope to you just because you took the time to notice and then deeply sense its effects. Have a wonderful day! Oh, don't forget the sunscreen.

Help Others, Help Yourself

Today my message will be short and sweet. I think that we are put on earth with the miracle of life to serve others. It is not all about all about figuring out what we want and need. To live a full life and never go without begins with the act of giving. I am not talking about money, but rather a gesture to help a family member or complete stranger in need. Hold the door for the person entering the store behind you. Pause long enough to offer a smile and a hello. Build your life's work around helping others in one way or another. This kind of positive energy always comes back around. I challenge you to do something nice and out of the ordinary for someone today. Do this every day and see what happens. Take note of how different you feel. Helping others is the best way to help yourself achieve a better quality of life. That is what living is all about.

Inspired To Tell The Stories of My Life

I start most days perusing my facebook page. I happened to read one of my friend's blog postings and it reminded me of my love of writing. I found myself wondering why I don't take some time each day to use my blog as a venue to express my thoughts and feelings. Someday it may prove invaluable to my children. I want them to always remember me for who I am, both as a parent and as a person.

Today I want to make the simple statement about gratitude. I am so thankful for this opportunity to be heard. Sometimes life is so busy and people never really feel heard. I am saying I am a lucky lady. I have my health. My family is together. I have a great husband, who loves and supports me. My kids are uniquely gifted and they make me proud every day. My life is not perfect. We definitely ride the rollercoaster called life around here, but it is a ride I would not miss for anything. I look forward to starting each day expressing my thoughts, my dreams and my many life lessons. Until tomorrow.....be well.