Happy Monday

Well, I didn't get up at 4am as I planned but I made up for the lost time by hustling at 6am as soon as Jonathon brought me coffee. In the past 3 hours, I've ran a quick mile, showered, started the laundry, started the chicken broth for dinner tonight, got Briley down for her morning nap, and then mopped the kitchen floor. I read somewhere once, that cleaning the floors is symbolic for cleaning the foundation of your home.. therefore it is a great way to start your day.. by cleaning the foundation of your home, you are cleansing the foundation of your day/life. I'm not sure the truth to this new-age symbolism. However, on the days when I remember to start my day by either mopping, sweeping or vacuuming some part of my home or deck, I do seem to continue with a more productive day. I am sure there are many rationalizations for this coincidence, but in reality... it is whatever you make it to be.

I know cleaning is not a favorite past-time for many people (myself included) However, when I do clean, I try to make the best of it. If it is a day where my energy is already high & I'd rather be anyplace than barefoot in the kitchen with a mop in my hand, then I say a simple meditation in my head. I say, "I'm cleaning the foundation of the kitchen so that the rest of the day, this kitchen can be blessed by organization, healthy meals and a happy family" OR if it is a day when my energy is low and I'm dragging around the mop with puffy eyes, then I put some 90's music on pandora.. crank it up high & turn my mopping into an exercise all on it's own. It's amazing how you can turn any cleaning project into a fun dancing workout. I may look crazy whilst mopping and singing "baby got back" but who cares?? By the end of chore, I'm scratching it off my To-Do list with a smile on my face and energy to tackle the next item.

Well, it's 9am & I have a few errands to run. I, also, have come up with some great additions to the challenge that I can't wait to share, but I don't have time right now. I just wanted to stop by and say, HI & Happy Monday. I hope your Monday is off to an energetic start & you rested well over the weekend during the "add variety" step... because after we add some variety to our diet and exercise & develop some personal goals to add as well.. .we will be Doubling everything back up in the next step!! Yup, that's right.. another "hardcore" 3 days is on it's way... I hope you're ready!! I know I am =)

Step 4~ Add Variety

Beginning day 10, having lost TEN pounds feels amazing!! I'm also relieved that the hardcore days are temporarily done. For step 4, I'm going back to my baseline of exercise & figuring out how to add variety to my diet, exercise plan & because I have so much extra energy...even my life!

I've decided to add a cleaning project and writing assignment to everyday as well as my exercises. I have a lot of work to do & now finally feel as though I have the energy to handle everything.

So, I hope that the next 3 days are full of creativity and I come up with some new exciting, delicious & energetic ideas to add to this already amazing challenge!

Wish me luck ;)

Macklemore #same love

You know that hilarious new artist that sings the thrift shop song. Well, Jonathon just came home from work excited by the song he heard on the radio. He was determined to find the video on youtube for me because he was sure I would love it. Sometimes that man impresses me in ways I never imagined, because he was 100 percent right. I get depressed when I hear hip hop going down the drain.. rappers with nothing to talk about but the large amounts of money they spend on ridiculous toys. When thrift shop came on the radio, it was as if this guy had read my mind and was mocking everything I hate about lame songs promoting consumerism. Another one of my pet peeves and long standing heart breaks is how unaccepted the gay community is in hip hop. So many hip hop artists are in the closet and therefore feel the need to gay bash to defend themselves against the rumors. In a world where being gay has become increasingly more acceptable, even in the eye of the law, hip hop has still not opened its heart to this community. So, on behalf of all gay supporters in the world, thank you macklemore for once again writing a song that addresses what all intelligent people have been thinking for so long. No one can choose who they love and more importantly NO ONE has the right to tell others who they should or should not love.

"You can't change... even if you want to..." but guess what?? We still ACCEPT YOU!!!