Week 2 Day 5: Self Acceptance and Exercise

As I have mentioned all week long, acceptance is an ongoing process and we are constantly tested time and time again. The key to acceptance is to allow this moment to be a stepping stone into the next. Don't let this moment define you for an eternity, allow it to be a part of the ever changing flow, which we call life. When we truly find acceptance we find what we need so that we can move onto the next chapter in our lives.

Exercise is a great way to practice self acceptance, acceptance of others, and acceptance of where you are at in life. I am a runner. I have been running since I was in eighth grade and am now twenty eight, you would think after sixteen years of running it would be something I have down pat. But those of you who run know that is not the case. Take a month off of running and it will take 2 months to get back to where you were! Running is one of those skills if you don't use it, you lose it. It takes work to keep your running skills up to par. Running is a great place for me to practice acceptance.

The other day I went for a run and it was awful. I wanted to try to add an extra mile and half to my run and just knowing that added some mental stress. The humidity was really thick, I was having a hard time breathing, the heat was getting to me and I just couldn't find a rhythm. I was totally in my mind and my mind was totally telling me I couldn't do it. Now, I know this isn't true, and I realized at this moment I had a choice. I know my body is strong and can handle the run, I know my mind is strong and my soul is stronger, so I know if I wanted to I could of pushed myself , been miserable and eventually I would of finished the run. But then I thought about all this self acceptance stuff and I realized that, that day I wasn't physically prepared to run a longer distance and I had to accept that I was only going to get in my normal distance. I realized that the point wasn't how far I ran, it was to feel good about what I accomplished, not feel bad for what I did not accomplish. So I cut the run short and turned around and headed home. I accepted that on that day I was not going to run the longest run ever, and I was ok with that because I felt good about getting a run in at all. And that is the point, to do things that bring you joy, to find the things that make you feel whole.

Accepting yourself is accepting yourself in this moment for who you are. Each moment leads into the next, and the next moment wouldn't seem so great without this moment first. Accept where you are, in this moment, with an open mind to learn and a willingness to grow and you will always be where you want to be! Exercise can help you with self acceptance as you learn new moves and new techniques, they may seem uncomfortable at first, but you accept where you are at knowing you still have time to learn. And as you keep practicing you begin to notice how good you get at it, but you could never be good if you never practiced! So in everything that you do be gentle with yourself, don't judge others harshly, and accept each moment as is, because no moment will ever be the exact same!

Redefined Image... The Dream

I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday. -Unknown Author

Exactly, that is exactly correct, I may not be there YET, but I am closer today than I was yesterday. Everyday I get a little but closer to achieving that dream of mine. Everyday little by little I get things done and I can see progress being made! This time is so exciting, the unknown, just like in a new relationship when we know we like the person, but it doesn't matter how serious it is or isn't, the fun lies in the unknown. The mystery lies in the unfolding of the story, not in the ending. I am in the middle of unfolding my story to the world, and it all begins with a vision, with an idea, with a dream.

Dedication involves making the space to let young ideas take hold; every tree was once a seed and every company was once an idea. -Zephyr Bloch-Jorgensen

My mom says that when I was three I would religiously wake up every morning at 6 AM to do my Mouse-ercises (in the early 80's this was a show on Disney that was an exercise program for children). I remember the show and remember leg raises being called scissors! I also remember as a child always watching my mom's workout videos, which was straight up aerobics leotards poofy hair and all!! And I used to LOVE them, I would memorize the words and teach my stuffed animals and dolls the workout routines. Some girls dream of being a ballerina or a princess, I wanted to be an aerobics instructor!

As I got older my passion and love for exercise grew and expanded. In 6th grade I began playing basketball. I was tall and lanky and not very graceful. My mom and dad didn't have high expectations of me. My dad was shocked when he saw me play, and when my mom asked how that first practice went, he told her with delight, ""She was actually pretty decent." From then on I couldn't be stopped. I played basketball, soccer and softball, I ran for fun and did Taebo and other workout videos of the time. I continued to play sports all through college. Six years after graduating I still exercise and play sports 3-5 times a week. I started playing tennis a few years ago and now I am addicted and actually watch the sport on TV with enthusiasm! I have also picked up yoga in the past year as well as constantly being interested and learning all different types of workout techniques. My point here is Fitness is my passion!!! I am always motivated to workout and eat right, and I know that a lot of people out there don't have that inner motivation to work out. Just like I have very little inner motivation to clean! Cleaning I don't get enthusiastic about, but lifting weights gets me hyped!

So for years I wondered, what is it I really want to do with my life? What is it I love to do that I could turn into a career? And one day while watching The Biggest Loser it dawned on me, this is what I want to do. I want to help people understand how important exercise and proper nutrition is. I want to help people understand that everything they need to succeed lies within themselves. Sometimes we just need help peeling off the extra layers that stand in our way. And a lot of time we need help peeling off those layers... and that is where I come in! I want to help people get rid of the old and bring in the new. I want to help people release whatever it is that ties them down!! I know that through exercise I can help others reach those thresholds, bust through them and re-create new thresholds to reach, continually progressing and succeeding. Through personal training I can do that for people. I can help people learn how to push themselves when it is the last thing they want to do. I can help them see our bodies are sooo much stronger than our minds like us to believe. We are so much stronger than we know. We don't know until we try.

I have created Redefined Image to help people achieve weight loss and fitness goals that they can also maintain for life. We are all already wonderful for who we are, but sometimes we just need to re-define who we are, not change who we are completely, but discover who it is we truly are! I want to help people discover something new about themselves everyday! Everyday is a fresh start and everyday is a chance to get closer and closer to that dream!

I still have a lot of work to do.But am reminded: "Confidence is the result of hours and days and weeks and years of constant work and dedication". -Roger Staubach So I am going to keep on keeping on!

UPDATES: Right now I am working on my website. If you are interested in checking it out and leaving me feedback please do! click here