:: Free 2 Be :: the Odyssey ::

My brother died. That’s the sum total of what’s been happening.
The good news is, we’re so grateful we got a little time with him even though there were many problems at the end. And, my one remaining brother (of three) and I were both here that day and took the call. So, his wife and [...]

I’m learning. When I entered Eileen’s Challenge I was thinking it would be almost impossible for me to do well because I need to take a rest day from exercise at least every one day out of three. But, I’m so glad I did join.
First, immediately being in the challenge inspired me to quit taking [...]

From “Today’s Cartoon by Randy Glasbergen”, displayed
with special permission. For many more cartoons, please visit Randy’s
site @ www.glasbergen.com
What have you learned to avoid? For me, it is foods with aspartame or wheat, or too much sugar — they all trigger cravings and my willpower goes right out the window, for days! It takes about 5 days clean [...]

My (longest standing) diet buddy Sandi is back at it again (YAY Sandi!) and has got me thinking about what helps me keep going.
I know it is not the idea of my target weight, although that is an exciting number to me! And, it is not that I am desperate to look good to catch [...]

see more Lolcats and funny pictures
I hafta tell ya… I’ve been doing pretty good on food since joining Eileen’s Challenge. But tonight I forfeited my gold star for a taste of maybe not roses, but still, it was sweet. Okay, okay, no details. But it was nice, not even great, just nice.
I really do believe [...]

Funny, I almost mis-typed that title as “I’ve Learned to be Satisfied with Success.” But that is not it. I really have “learned to be satisfied with progress.”
My DDIL was sharing her own progress the other day and then followed it up with a comment about “but…” and shared how she hadn’t reached her goal [...]

 “ate better, started exercising again, touched base with my friend…”
This comment by our Patty (Sistah Pat) seems to me to be our secret to success here.
We all have differences and try various things over time, but what it boils down to is improving our eating, finding ways to incorporate exercise, and, making time to hook [...]

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Good advice.
Why? Because we often don’t succeed at first. We often need to work up to success. And, things go wrong.
So, what stance do we take when our best laid plans are blown away?
Go again. Do over. Pick yourself up and start again.
Panic is optional, and [...]

It’s that first step that gets you. Sure, many of us don’t finish what we start. But an even bigger problem is we seldom start the very things we most want to finish.
I’ve learned a secret.

Start from where you are.
Take one step.
Repeat.

Most of us get caught up in the destination, the goal, the fears or [...]

As in: you are doing GREAT!!
How many times have I read posts in diet-blogs bemoaning the lack of weight loss while recounting the many right choices, diligent walks or workouts, or worse, life tragedies successfully navigated.
We need to re-define *great* from seeing the numbers we like to congratulating a job well done: choices made, little [...]

Thanks to Patty for reminding me about this.
Progress is best measured looking in the rear view mirror. When we look ahead, we tend to gauge the distance between where we are and the horizon.
As we move forward, the horizon moves with us. No matter how much progress we’ve made when we look ahead we [...]

Those founders of Alcoholics Anonymous were onto something. They came up with 12 steps. Twelve steps to recovery, available to any who were willing to take the steps. And, it works. They have led millions to recovery, from alcoholism and many other challenges.
Recently, I’ve learned a new thing. God never expects me to do more [...]