Slow and Steady?

No time like the present, right?  It’s practically 2012, so I thought I would try out some fitness fun this morning.  I put on my workout clothes, got my bike out and had this great plan of biking along a new path and seeing where it led me. My tires were somewhat flat and thanks to my hubby’s prompting, I decided that on the way to the bike trail I would stop by  the gas station, fill them up , and then be on my merry way.  Well, the air pump was out of order!?! What? No air? Oh well…I won’t let slightly deflated tires slow me down!  About 10 minutes later, my legs begin to feel like jello and my breathing is burning my chest so bad I actually have to pull over and stop!  Man, those tires are sure slowing me down.  It couldn’t be the fact that I haven’t rode my bike in…hmmm….I can’t really remember….So, I decide to turn around and go home.  When I get home I sit down on the couch, ahhh, that feels better….maybe I should try meditation instead…that sounds nice right now.

Note to self, get a bike pump and fill tires BEFORE going on bike ride.

This was just a warm up anyways…the challenge doesn’t officially begin till tomorrow, so next Saturday-watch out bike trail!!!

Preview of what’s to come…

Hello Friends!

I am super excited about this new blog and how I can make my own life more meaningful but also inspire others to do the same.  Last night my son and I were hanging out at home, Daddy was at work, and we were just relaxing until he got home.  I was reading one of my favorite books when my little guy asks if he could build a fort.  I  said he could and continued to read while he started throwing the cushions off the couch.  As I was sitting there, it dawned on me that I could make this experience more meaningful for us both if I jumped in on the adventurous fun.  I told him I wanted to help and he got super excited.  We built a really neat fort, it was huge!  We pulled in a table lamp, laid down some blankets and let the giggles pour out.  This isn’t the first time I have built a fort with him, but it reminded me of how much more special our time was with us building and playing together, rather than him building and me reading.  It’s little moments like this that we’ll look back on with fondness, so let’s take advantage of them!

Playing in the fort!

2012 Resolutions

           As I sit and contemplate how I can improve myself and make my life more intentional and meaningful, I am overcome with many different areas that I could focus on, in achieving a more mindful existence.  Just like my ultimate “aha” moment with becoming a teacher, I again realize I am interested in so many different things and have a hard time narrowing my focus to just one item.  My goal is to focus each day on a different area, making it my “7 days and 7 ways to improve my life”.  Here are the themes at a quick glance…

• Sunday- Spirituality
• Monday- Teaching
• Tuesday- Inspiration
• Wednesday- Food & Drink
• Thursday- All things Pretty
• Friday- Family Fun
• Saturday- Health and Fitness

…and here they are in a bit more detail…

Sunday- Spirituality

I chose Spirituality as a focus because it is the thing that helps keep me most grounded.  Life can be distracting, and I don’t want to lose sight of what really matters.  I have a strong faith in God and find all religions to have beneficial messages.  It is important for me to be mindful of who I am in this world, and how my presence here is affecting others and life in general. 

Monday- Education

As an elementary school teacher, I have the opportunity to positively  impact a child.  That child will then impact his or her family, friends,  community, and so on and so on.  If done well, I can really help make this world a better place.  So on Monday’s I  will focus on memorable teaching moments from my classroom. 

Tuesday- Inspiration

Whether it is in the form of a quote, a passage from a book, a picture, video, or insights I come across from my own life experience or from someone else’s…this day will be devoted to sharing something that will inspire and motivate you.

Wednesday- Food and Drink               

Part of being a better person involves having a diet that is intentional.  Recipes (from an actual cookbook or online versions) are interesting and fun to look at, but unfortunately I rarely refer to them.  The juicer in my cupboard is a fabulous machine, but I don’t use it nearly often enough.  The crock pot is an invaluable tool that makes meal-making convenient and almost fool proof, but I don’t take advantage of it nearly as often as I could.  This year I will put these items to use like never before and document my creations on Wednesday.  I am not committing to using each one each day, but rather each one at some point during the week.              

Thursday- All Things Pretty

I often see something and say to myself, “That is so pretty, cute, adorable, ect…”, and then move on with my day.  I want to capture these sights and share them with others to help us all appreciate the small things that add a touch of beauty to our days.  They are all around us and when I see them I get the warm fuzzies inside, so why not document some of these great images!

Friday- Family Fun

This isn’t something that I need to work on per se, but it is something I want to be intentional about, as well as document a bit better.  There are so many cool things that we do and fun memories that we are making, but I also want to plan special things, try new places out, and be more purposeful with the time we share as a family.

Saturday- Health and Fitness               

I am motivated to stay healthy and fit for a number of reasons.  The most important of these reasons is that I really don’t like being sick and don’t want to find myself suffering from any major health issues.  The second is kind of a no brainer but when I exercise I FEEL good, more energized, and less like a lazy butt.  I find my attitude is a bit better and I am more willing to participate in fun things with my son like playing tag or climbing on the playground structures.  The third and most pragmatic, I don’t want to have to buy new clothes, and it wouldn’t hurt being able to fit in some of my slimmer sisters hand-me-downs…they have great taste and I can’t fit into a lot of their goodies that get passed down.