1st September 2005
Spring Ideals
Hello Everyone
At the beginning of July, I updated the website, emailed the newsletter and set a goal to have all the articles I had chosen updated to the website by month-end. I decided to take a few days leave from work to have all the August articles and email newsletter completed before the first week in August, and even organised a weeks leave in August to complete my ‘To Do’ list for the website and have the September articles and email newsletter completed and ready to send by the 1st September.
I had a clear visualisation of what my goal was, with a working plan of action to implement and follow.
Unfortunately, things happen and amidst the frustration of technical problems and normal everyday life events, I was unable to follow my plan of action or even come close to reaching the goal I had set for myself.
If you have ever set a goal to reach an ideal weight by a certain date and even chosen a diet and exercise plan to follow, whether you have struggled and missed the mark completely or been successful with your achievement, I know you can empathise with my dilemma.
Since July was the fourth year since www.WhyWeight.co.za was registered and went live, it meant I had been writing articles and sharing newsletters with the subscribers for four years - so, I am both confident enough in what I have achieved and mature enough in myself to realise that the struggle I was having with what I was doing, was causing a conflict within myself, which I needed to resolve before I could do anything with any hope of continued achievement or success.
So, I celebrated www.WhyWeight.co.za fourth birthday, by taking a holiday from anything that had to do with WhyWeight. I literally took a step back and looked at things from a completely different perspective.
As some of you know, early last year I had a struggle with my weight which was
roller-coastering up and down like a Yo-Yo, without any clear rhyme nor reason for the first time in ten years. Whilst, I resolved my weight in kilograms almost a year ago, my size and shape still left me struggling with my ‘weight’. *Grin* .... If you are confused? ...so was I. How could I weigh in kilograms the same that I had for the previous ten years.... and yet still be two sizes larger than I had for those same ten years?
For the first time in many years, I was uncomfortable in my own skin and unhappy with my body size and shape..... I was also struggling to write articles for the website and be inspiring in my email newsletters.... and is it any wonder?
For eight weeks there were no new articles updated to the website or email newsletters sent out.... which was completely in opposition to my goal or plan of action.... So, I stopped focusing on my weight, size and shape and just took a holiday from all matters to do with ‘Weight’.... and focused rather on what I wanted to do,
re-igniting my passion for writing and sharing in a creative way on a website.
Although I was still frustrated with my ‘WhyWeight and Weight’ dilemma, I felt rebellious enough to simply ignore this frustration in the purposeful passion of just writing anything that came to mind without focus, topic or title. I even bought a new winter wardrobe to fit my two size larger shape... and just got on with living my life with the intent of enjoying each and every moment.
I played with new ideas and created with colour. I watched videos with my family and laughed more than I had in a while. I ate when I was hungry and only what I wanted. I sat writing at my PC for hours with few breaks in between. I got caught in the excitement of what I was doing and revelled in the pleasure I was feeling.
Last week early one morning, I woke up and just started playing with ideas for WhyWeight for Spring.... and realised that there was purpose in my confusion and frustration.
My goal for WhyWeight has never been to publish four articles a month and have an email newsletter go out to the subscribers by the 1st of each month.... rather that WhyWeight is a platform to share my own struggle with the issue of weight with others, research information and publish articles that are informative with possible solutions. That WhyWeight is also a place where anyone can share their frustrations, ideas and success with the issue of weight. That the reason I was able to maintain my ideal weight, size and shape for more than ten years, was because that was only a manifestation of the higher purpose and ideal of having a body that I was comfortable with and that I loved enough to be healthy and happy in.
The goal I had set myself in early July imprisoned me in a need to do something, rather than just following my purpose and passion. Just like having a goal to achieve a certain weight by a particular date imprisons us in unrealistic expectations and false comfort that at least we are trying. So, is it any wonder that our body, mind and spirit rebels, causing frustration and inner conflict.
Our body’s are such powerful, miraculous creations and yet we determinedly reduce them to digits on the dial of a scale. Our minds are unlimited, amazing in imagination, and yet daily we restrict and conform to conditioning by following regulation and the very same routine. Our spirit is so pure in wisdom, yet daily we curb our purpose and dilute our passion by following someone else’s ideas and learning.
Then we wonder ‘Why’ we are unhappy when we look at the results manifested on our tummy’s, thighs and buttocks?
During the last eight weeks I have been unable to write a single word for the WhyWeight website or to you the subscribers, no matter how hard I tried and from where I sought inspiration, until I stopped trying.... then seven days ago I began to write and there is a list of new articles updated to the website, some of them written by others, and some of them my own. During the last eight weeks I have eaten more and walked less, yet I am a size smaller and a few centimetres less....
The one significant difference.... I determinedly followed my heart and passionately pursued my purpose.
Wishing you a Spring filled with purpose and passion.
Love and Laughter to You and Yours
Mands
Submit articles and information for publishing to [ Mands ] and visit the website: www.WhyWeight.co.za to read recently updated articles.
Spring is the Seasonal and Sacred New Year!
....a time of different perspectives and exploring new ideas
.....it’s the meshing of ancient wisdom and old ways,
with the birthing of fresh creativity and new growth!
[ Read More ]
Email: [ Mands ]
Website: www.WhyWeight.co.za
Sent by Bevskins:
TO A PHENOMENAL WOMAN
When I was in my younger days,
I weighed a few pounds less,
I needn't hold my tummy in
to wear a belted dress.
But now that I am older,
I've set my body free;
There's comfort of elastic
Where once my waist would be.
Inventor of those high-heeled shoes
My feet have not forgiven;
I have to wear a nine now,
But used to wear a seven.
And how about those pantyhose--
They're sized by weight, you see,
So how come when I put them on
The crotch is at my knee?
I need to wear these glasses
As the print's been getting smaller;
And it wasn't very long ago
I know that I was taller.
Though my hair has turned to gray
and my skin no longer fits,
On the inside, I'm the same old me,
It's just the outside's changed a bit.
-- Author Unknown