Happy Anniversary to Us and to Everyone who finds themself in the happy percentage of people who make permanent changes in their lives and go forward with health and vitality!!! It was exactly 3 years ago today that I posted a heartfelt post on "Buddy Up!" and wondered, "Do people actualy answer these bulletin boards or what?" The next day I had gotten some emails (nice people, long dispersed into the universe) and a reply from kmh that really connected. As we wrote back and forth we were joined by many others, some of whom have come and gone, and I continue to send energy to all as we continue in our lives and our fitness quests. Steph is the longest loyal pal from that original group, and I feel like I know her like she is in my own town. Sometimes we "bump into" each other a lot, sometimes a week will go by between 'seeing her at the grocery store,' - you know what I mean - we are interwoven into each other's lives somewhat, via this unique time in history, on the web.
What am I going to do to celebrate? I can really relate to Justy's last post of the last thread - in this sort of celebration we need not each bake a cake and open champagne. For me this is more of an inner celebration, and the very best way I can think of to celebrate is to continue forward, to appreciate my 5% friends and all they have meant to me in this endeavor, and to be proud of all that has happened.
Three years ago I was spurred on because was 39 and age 40 was on the horizon. Now I am age 42 and I am smaller than I was in high school, and most certainly in better shape. Since 06/18/98 I have taken on jogging, working out at the club, Joyce Vedral workouts, have ventured further into vegetarian eating, taken on ballet as a 42-year-old nondancer, dabbled in yoga, concocted esoteric juices from my juicer, made marvelous soups, made friends with the Buffer (elliptical trainer), and read countless books and articles with things to offer on health, fitness, weight management and personal enrichment. I know you all have taken a similar path. I have also lounged on the couch, eaten large amounts of Cheetos, Easter candy and Christmas cookies, struggled with feeling uninspired and unmotivated to work out one more day, dealt with a thwarting schedule with work, kids, activities, had debilitating colds that laid me flat. And that is ALL the POINT:
You know that lady in the magazines, the Carefree Fitness lady (actually she looks a bit more like a girl) - she wears skin-baring fitness clothes, is muscled and slim, has even, white teeth and a Cameron Diaz smile and laugh, she has a look of rapture on her face as she works out, as she does every day without fail, and when she sits down to her dinner of salad and a naked chicken breast her joy is complete. This lady is a myth, my friends, and balancing our health and fitness with the above-mentioned realities is what the actual point is in the 5% club.
In the 5% club, we are not perfect but we are better than we used to be.
In the 5% club, we hit roadblocks from time to time but we develop resources to get around them.
In the 5% club, we try to move away from what isn't working and to embrace what is. And we try to find new things to add to our journey.
In the 5% club, we are totally accepting of the cycles in our lives, and we pay homage to where we are and where we aren't. When we are not doing so great, we know that with those 'baby steps' we will get to our better habits and abilities in good time. When we are flying high, doing great, we put a little of that great energy in our 'bank' because we know we will need the inspiration to draw on when we get a little low later on down the road.
I the 5% club we know our friends are out there. We send them energy and draw on theirs as we go forth and be great.
So - greetings to all of you and have a fabulous 5% day! Let's take this week to reflect on where we have been and where we are going. And let's also do something wonderful and healthy for ourselves, "above and beyond" the usual call of duty!!!!! Have a great day and I hope we can all take a moment to check in!!
Love
Juno