Thursday, October 8, 2015
Stressers and Regrouping
For the past few years October has been a rollercoaster month. Specifically since 2012, as I briefly jog my memory. I will never forget on October 1, 2012 posting about how amazing October would be because the 1st was on a Monday.... boy was I mistaken. It ended up being one of the most trying months of my life... literally. Three years later, October is here and it's been rocky already. Seems as if when you are on track or getting on track or just simply content with your circumstances, the Devil or some other harmful force interferes. Today just has me thinking and I figured I'd share with someone else who may experience the same occurrences.
Wouldn't it be nice if we had a warning of a tumultuous day in advance? If only we could be so fortunate. My day started out on the most positive note. My very first interaction was on Periscope. Someone shared a live scope that was very inspiring... keeping and or removing negativity AND negative people out of your life. Honestly, how can you be positive and/or productive with negativity around you? You can't. It's inevitable, other people and their negativity will drag you, slow you down, and ultimately destroy you. If you are not equipped with the gift of discernment and most importantly know the VALUE of self, you will easily become entrapped in chaos. For just a few minutes I myself almost succumbed to a space of chaos.
Fortunately, I snapped back to reality and removed myself. A signal hit my brain and said "STOP", "DON'T SUCCUMB." Considering the circumstances, I would be only be devaluing MYSELF by remaining. I have always admonished individuals to STOP AND THINK, it only takes a second to make the right OR wrong decision. The wrong decision made out of anger or frustration can lead to irreparable consequences. Yes, realistically you won't always get a positive result or even be in the position to leave the situation. However, those brief seconds you STOP AND THINK can result in a more favorable situation or resolution. It worked for me today. I stopped, thought, and changed my environment for that moment. I presented my OWN opportunity to do something more valuable. What was that? I regrouped. I took a breather. I took MYSELF to lunch, re-evaluated my situation. Over a solo lunch and a much needed margarita, I have regained my control over ME. This was exactly what I needed. Self time, self evaluation, and investment in ME. At the end of the day, that's all you have, YOU! You may have family, friends, support sysyem, etc. But YOU determine what happens in YOUR LIFE. YOU have CONTROL over your own destiny. Don't allow negativity or negative people to control you or your situation. Before you allow yourself to succumb to such insanity, STOP, THINK, REGROUP. Release your stressors in the most beneficial way to accommodate YOURSELF.
XOXO
PhatPhat
Wouldn't it be nice if we had a warning of a tumultuous day in advance? If only we could be so fortunate. My day started out on the most positive note. My very first interaction was on Periscope. Someone shared a live scope that was very inspiring... keeping and or removing negativity AND negative people out of your life. Honestly, how can you be positive and/or productive with negativity around you? You can't. It's inevitable, other people and their negativity will drag you, slow you down, and ultimately destroy you. If you are not equipped with the gift of discernment and most importantly know the VALUE of self, you will easily become entrapped in chaos. For just a few minutes I myself almost succumbed to a space of chaos.
Fortunately, I snapped back to reality and removed myself. A signal hit my brain and said "STOP", "DON'T SUCCUMB." Considering the circumstances, I would be only be devaluing MYSELF by remaining. I have always admonished individuals to STOP AND THINK, it only takes a second to make the right OR wrong decision. The wrong decision made out of anger or frustration can lead to irreparable consequences. Yes, realistically you won't always get a positive result or even be in the position to leave the situation. However, those brief seconds you STOP AND THINK can result in a more favorable situation or resolution. It worked for me today. I stopped, thought, and changed my environment for that moment. I presented my OWN opportunity to do something more valuable. What was that? I regrouped. I took a breather. I took MYSELF to lunch, re-evaluated my situation. Over a solo lunch and a much needed margarita, I have regained my control over ME. This was exactly what I needed. Self time, self evaluation, and investment in ME. At the end of the day, that's all you have, YOU! You may have family, friends, support sysyem, etc. But YOU determine what happens in YOUR LIFE. YOU have CONTROL over your own destiny. Don't allow negativity or negative people to control you or your situation. Before you allow yourself to succumb to such insanity, STOP, THINK, REGROUP. Release your stressors in the most beneficial way to accommodate YOURSELF.
XOXO
PhatPhat
Monday, June 16, 2014
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
PhatPhat Memoirs:Progression: Fall into Something New
PhatPhat Memoirs:Progression: Fall into Something New: Everyday my mind races with loads of thoughts and information. Today is no different. All thoughts do not have to be revealed or shared. Som...
Fall into Something New
Everyday my mind races with loads of thoughts and information. Today is no different. All thoughts do not have to be revealed or shared. Some days however, I have moments that I feel the need to share. This happens to be one of those days. I was a little off track with my weekly walking and workout routine due to a change in my schedule. With a more strenuous schedule, I slowly slacked off and before I knew it, I was falling backwards. When you cross milestones and make accomplishments it is important that you remember what all was entailed in doing so. You have to remember the things that were most challenging, the things that you defeated, the feelings that you felt when you hit those milestones. After all is said and done, you have to at some point just take a step back and reflect in general. Reflect on the person you are today. Reflect on the person you used to be. Reflect on the things that you are able to acknowledge that you may still need to improve.
A few days ago, I had one of those moments of reflection, and realized I had to make some quick changes, get completely focused. I was focusing so much on one area of my life that I had become complacent in a short period of time. Over the past year I have learned that to be healthy in mind, you have to be healthy in body as well. When I began to walk and jog I was strengthening myself both mentally and physically. In doing so I was able to get more things accomplished and gained more clarity. My mental and physical health was enabling me to be more productive and experience a feeling of enjoyment in life.
Having that time to myself to workout and think about things enabled me to have more order and control. Enjoying the quiet, the scenes, the tranquility, within itself puts one at a feeling of ease. As I walked and the leaves began to slowly fall from the trees I realized how great the fall season really is. Fall is a great time for transformation. The leaves transition, they change colors, and create beautiful canvases of art. One of my favorite parks to walk or jog through is so amazing at providing the best illustrations of nature. Sometimes I get lost in thought and manage to exceed my goal for the day. That's exactly what I needed today. I got lost in the beauty of my surroundings and achieved some clarity that will help me as I continue to refocus. But as I took in the fresh air, the layers of colorful leaves and the view of the water along the mountains, I couldn't help but to think of how amazing the transformation of the environment is during fall. Perhaps it's because I am viewing it from another location, nevertheless, it gave me what I needed. It occurred to me that just like the environment transforms into such beauty during this season, it is a great opportunity for us as individuals to transform as well. When you think about it, things in general slow down during the fall. Our schedules tend to be less hectic. Temperatures are cooler, so we are doing more things indoors. Why not take this time to incorporate some changes that we would more than likely be less successful at accomplishing during any other part of the year?
Almost everyone is guilty of setting that New Year goal, and then failing soon after the beginning of the New Year. Take a different approach this time around. Be proactive! Set that goal now! Incorporate the changes gradually, now! By the time the New Year hits, you will already be working towards your goal or quite possibly will have achieved your goal. Small steps lead to huge successes. Take advantage of the Fall Season. Fall into something New! Fall into a Better You. Transform!
XOXO,
PhatPhat
A few days ago, I had one of those moments of reflection, and realized I had to make some quick changes, get completely focused. I was focusing so much on one area of my life that I had become complacent in a short period of time. Over the past year I have learned that to be healthy in mind, you have to be healthy in body as well. When I began to walk and jog I was strengthening myself both mentally and physically. In doing so I was able to get more things accomplished and gained more clarity. My mental and physical health was enabling me to be more productive and experience a feeling of enjoyment in life.
Having that time to myself to workout and think about things enabled me to have more order and control. Enjoying the quiet, the scenes, the tranquility, within itself puts one at a feeling of ease. As I walked and the leaves began to slowly fall from the trees I realized how great the fall season really is. Fall is a great time for transformation. The leaves transition, they change colors, and create beautiful canvases of art. One of my favorite parks to walk or jog through is so amazing at providing the best illustrations of nature. Sometimes I get lost in thought and manage to exceed my goal for the day. That's exactly what I needed today. I got lost in the beauty of my surroundings and achieved some clarity that will help me as I continue to refocus. But as I took in the fresh air, the layers of colorful leaves and the view of the water along the mountains, I couldn't help but to think of how amazing the transformation of the environment is during fall. Perhaps it's because I am viewing it from another location, nevertheless, it gave me what I needed. It occurred to me that just like the environment transforms into such beauty during this season, it is a great opportunity for us as individuals to transform as well. When you think about it, things in general slow down during the fall. Our schedules tend to be less hectic. Temperatures are cooler, so we are doing more things indoors. Why not take this time to incorporate some changes that we would more than likely be less successful at accomplishing during any other part of the year?
Almost everyone is guilty of setting that New Year goal, and then failing soon after the beginning of the New Year. Take a different approach this time around. Be proactive! Set that goal now! Incorporate the changes gradually, now! By the time the New Year hits, you will already be working towards your goal or quite possibly will have achieved your goal. Small steps lead to huge successes. Take advantage of the Fall Season. Fall into something New! Fall into a Better You. Transform!
XOXO,
PhatPhat
Friday, October 25, 2013
Changes Within
Greetings to you on this chilly day. We haven't interacted here in a while, but today I thought I would share.
It's interesting when you seek to make changes in your life, especially when it involves changing your attitude, outlook, and thinking. We all learn to respond to things differently, primarily based on the interactions that we experience as we are growing and developing our personalities. Depending on the type of family setting we come from, the things we are exposed to both positive and negative, and the various relationships that we develop. For myself, I have had an abundance of exposure to various family settings, positive and negative relationships, and experiences. All of them have helped to develop my personality, how I think, and how I interact with individuals. One of my weakest traits has been the inability to control my anger. This is an ongoing process, no matter how much you work on it. Personally, I have been diligently working on my anger for the past few years. What a process that has been! When you are accustomed to lashing out or being vindictive to display your anger, it is a hard habit to break. It definitely is not something that occurs overnight, a few months, or even a year. Like other goals, effectively managing your anger is a continuous process. For some it may not take as long or they may not to have to work as excessively as others. In my case, I needed extensive help.
Due to unresolved or unaddressed issues in my past, I found that anger and frustration had been constantly brewing inside of me for years, but I felt as if I had it in check. At the end of the day, being explosive was just a part of my personality. People understood. If they knew like me, stay out of my way, or make sure you are not the target of my frustration. But who really wants to live their life with the stigma of being the "loose cannon," the "hothead," or just a plain old "crazy bitch?" Certainly not I. However, over the years I became comfortable with those labels. In my eye, people will respect you more if they know that you have no tolerance for foolishness or that you will snap in an instant. This may or may not be the case, but I discovered after a while, that I didn't want to have that reputation anymore.
Old habits die slow, and that is exactly what I have confirmed. No matter how intense my motivation was to get my anger under control, I always failed miserably. Both my interior and exterior walls stayed up at all times. I had too many times in the past let my guard down and individuals took it as a weakness. I can remember often saying, when you try to calm down, and people notice, they try to test you even more. People assume that because you try to become in more control of your emotions that they can now punk you! They think that I won't get in their ass! I can't lie, that was my thinking. And honestly, a little of that mentality still surfaces from time to time.
When I really began to analyze the problem with my anger, I found something very interesting about myself. I had a bad habit of becoming explosive about minute issues and showed little or no concern about issues that in actuality should have infuriated me more. Why? Because in an effort to curb my anger, I would try to blow things off and not speak on them when I should have. When I would totally lose it over something small, it was because I had penned up so many emotions from previous experiences. A big ball of anger and frustration lingering inside, ignited by a small issue. What a bad combination. What an unhealthy way to live!
I started to look it this more closely back in 2010 when I began experiencing a lot of stress at work and began having issues with High Blood Pressure. So many things at the job irritated me. Things at home, constantly stressing me. During that time, the small things sent me over the edge as well as the bigger issues. When my doctor took me off work for an extended period of time, my anger levels began to decrease, just a little. But then suddenly I began having panic attacks and didn't know what was going on. I began seeing a therapist for counseling at the University. It was noted that while I had removed a large stressor from the equation at the time, there was an abundance of other issues plaguing me. I had a very strained relationship with my son and a very abusive and unhealthy relationship with my husband. How could I ever contain my anger issues if I didn't get some relief? I continued the counseling and found activities for myself as de-stressors. Writing was one of my soothing activities, and slowly I could see the stress being lifted, but it just wasn't enough. Every time I thought I had reached an even plane, something was pulling me back in.
Looking back at old and current journal entries, I began to review the various triggers and emotions that followed explosive outbursts or moments of discomfort. It was important for me to be able to make comparisons regarding the severity and frequency of such instances. In doing so, I began to determine how I could decrease the stress. The most important thing that I discovered was that when I immediately addressed an issue whether small or great, I was less likely to lose control. My challenge however was being able to address the issue in a calm and non confrontational manner. An inability to do so is what caused me to add more stress and strain on myself both physically and mentally. My fear of losing control always prompted me to hold back my feelings. In turn, holding these feelings or emotions and keeping them bottled up, only made things worse on me. Bottled up anger and unresolved issues was only creating a unpredictable time bomb. It also increased my instances of panic attacks. What could I do to prevent this from becoming a serious condition for me? I had to fight within myself to overcome it!
As with most things, it's primarily mental reinforcement that yields more positive results. Mind over matter is the way I like to best describe this attribute. Not only conditioning your mind to change but also putting in the work that is needed to achieve the desired result. Continuing the counseling, journaling and most importantly, addressing issues head on rather than lacking the confidence in myself to express myself in a calm yet firm manner. Gradually, as I began to put these things in perspective and began addressing issues sooner rather than later, I could feel the pressure releasing. Not that I have completely conquered this aspect of my life, I have come quite a ways in "simmering" down and expressing myself in a more calm and mature manner. I'm glad to report that since tackling this head on, the panic attacks decreased and to date, I haven't had another one in over a year. Not only making a mental change, but making physical changes also helped me in this area. Developing a healthier lifestyle that includes regular exercise dramatically assisted me in conquering this obstacle. Exercise is a great stress reliever. It enabled me to have the alone time to think things out, reflect on various life events, all the while, improving my health. I have proven to myself and demonstrated to those around me that when you seek to make changes within, target the triggers, and apply the changes to your daily life you can and will yield positive results. As I always say, change is constant, everyday is an opportunity to implement something positive in your life to continue on a healthy and more stable path. Make everyday memorable! Don't allow the actions of others to dominate you!
*PhatPhat*
It's interesting when you seek to make changes in your life, especially when it involves changing your attitude, outlook, and thinking. We all learn to respond to things differently, primarily based on the interactions that we experience as we are growing and developing our personalities. Depending on the type of family setting we come from, the things we are exposed to both positive and negative, and the various relationships that we develop. For myself, I have had an abundance of exposure to various family settings, positive and negative relationships, and experiences. All of them have helped to develop my personality, how I think, and how I interact with individuals. One of my weakest traits has been the inability to control my anger. This is an ongoing process, no matter how much you work on it. Personally, I have been diligently working on my anger for the past few years. What a process that has been! When you are accustomed to lashing out or being vindictive to display your anger, it is a hard habit to break. It definitely is not something that occurs overnight, a few months, or even a year. Like other goals, effectively managing your anger is a continuous process. For some it may not take as long or they may not to have to work as excessively as others. In my case, I needed extensive help.
Due to unresolved or unaddressed issues in my past, I found that anger and frustration had been constantly brewing inside of me for years, but I felt as if I had it in check. At the end of the day, being explosive was just a part of my personality. People understood. If they knew like me, stay out of my way, or make sure you are not the target of my frustration. But who really wants to live their life with the stigma of being the "loose cannon," the "hothead," or just a plain old "crazy bitch?" Certainly not I. However, over the years I became comfortable with those labels. In my eye, people will respect you more if they know that you have no tolerance for foolishness or that you will snap in an instant. This may or may not be the case, but I discovered after a while, that I didn't want to have that reputation anymore.
Old habits die slow, and that is exactly what I have confirmed. No matter how intense my motivation was to get my anger under control, I always failed miserably. Both my interior and exterior walls stayed up at all times. I had too many times in the past let my guard down and individuals took it as a weakness. I can remember often saying, when you try to calm down, and people notice, they try to test you even more. People assume that because you try to become in more control of your emotions that they can now punk you! They think that I won't get in their ass! I can't lie, that was my thinking. And honestly, a little of that mentality still surfaces from time to time.
When I really began to analyze the problem with my anger, I found something very interesting about myself. I had a bad habit of becoming explosive about minute issues and showed little or no concern about issues that in actuality should have infuriated me more. Why? Because in an effort to curb my anger, I would try to blow things off and not speak on them when I should have. When I would totally lose it over something small, it was because I had penned up so many emotions from previous experiences. A big ball of anger and frustration lingering inside, ignited by a small issue. What a bad combination. What an unhealthy way to live!
I started to look it this more closely back in 2010 when I began experiencing a lot of stress at work and began having issues with High Blood Pressure. So many things at the job irritated me. Things at home, constantly stressing me. During that time, the small things sent me over the edge as well as the bigger issues. When my doctor took me off work for an extended period of time, my anger levels began to decrease, just a little. But then suddenly I began having panic attacks and didn't know what was going on. I began seeing a therapist for counseling at the University. It was noted that while I had removed a large stressor from the equation at the time, there was an abundance of other issues plaguing me. I had a very strained relationship with my son and a very abusive and unhealthy relationship with my husband. How could I ever contain my anger issues if I didn't get some relief? I continued the counseling and found activities for myself as de-stressors. Writing was one of my soothing activities, and slowly I could see the stress being lifted, but it just wasn't enough. Every time I thought I had reached an even plane, something was pulling me back in.
Looking back at old and current journal entries, I began to review the various triggers and emotions that followed explosive outbursts or moments of discomfort. It was important for me to be able to make comparisons regarding the severity and frequency of such instances. In doing so, I began to determine how I could decrease the stress. The most important thing that I discovered was that when I immediately addressed an issue whether small or great, I was less likely to lose control. My challenge however was being able to address the issue in a calm and non confrontational manner. An inability to do so is what caused me to add more stress and strain on myself both physically and mentally. My fear of losing control always prompted me to hold back my feelings. In turn, holding these feelings or emotions and keeping them bottled up, only made things worse on me. Bottled up anger and unresolved issues was only creating a unpredictable time bomb. It also increased my instances of panic attacks. What could I do to prevent this from becoming a serious condition for me? I had to fight within myself to overcome it!
As with most things, it's primarily mental reinforcement that yields more positive results. Mind over matter is the way I like to best describe this attribute. Not only conditioning your mind to change but also putting in the work that is needed to achieve the desired result. Continuing the counseling, journaling and most importantly, addressing issues head on rather than lacking the confidence in myself to express myself in a calm yet firm manner. Gradually, as I began to put these things in perspective and began addressing issues sooner rather than later, I could feel the pressure releasing. Not that I have completely conquered this aspect of my life, I have come quite a ways in "simmering" down and expressing myself in a more calm and mature manner. I'm glad to report that since tackling this head on, the panic attacks decreased and to date, I haven't had another one in over a year. Not only making a mental change, but making physical changes also helped me in this area. Developing a healthier lifestyle that includes regular exercise dramatically assisted me in conquering this obstacle. Exercise is a great stress reliever. It enabled me to have the alone time to think things out, reflect on various life events, all the while, improving my health. I have proven to myself and demonstrated to those around me that when you seek to make changes within, target the triggers, and apply the changes to your daily life you can and will yield positive results. As I always say, change is constant, everyday is an opportunity to implement something positive in your life to continue on a healthy and more stable path. Make everyday memorable! Don't allow the actions of others to dominate you!
*PhatPhat*
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
A Regimen That Changed My Life
Greetings,
It seems as if it has been forever since I last checked in. Although it has been a while, it was for a very good reason. Sometimes we have to stop and regroup, which is what I have done. For the past 7-8 weeks I have been making some important life changes. Of course I was already doing that, but as I emphasize often, change is continuous. While we may work to improve in one area, we always have room to grow in other areas. Throughout my journey my main focus has been mental and emotional repair. What I came to realize is that once we make significant changes in one area, one must work on other areas as well to maximize progress. With that being said, I made the decision to work on my physical appearance and overall health.
For many years I have struggled with weight issues. This is a struggle many of us face. In my case I was shedding mental weight, but I needed to work on my health and physical weight as well. Over the years I have allowed my weight to be a shield so to speak. I became complacent with the issue of obesity. Convincing myself that I was not concern with my weight as much as I really was, I made no effort to change this part of me. That all changed however about 8 or 9 weeks ago. Venturing out and attending the Black Women's Expo, proved to be a life changing experience. While at the event, I engaged with several authors, some I had met previously, others I had not. Dr. Ian Smith happened to be one of the best selling authors that I had the pleasure of meeting. Being familiar with him from various television shows, I was anxious to see what new weight loss strategies he was now introducing. Although I was inquisitive, I had no real goal of attempting a program. In the past I have tried several diets, gimmicks, cleanses, etc. I never had the will power or enough interest to stick to any plans. While in line waiting to get my autographed copy of Dr. Ian's latest diet, Shred Revolution, I chatted with a lady who was already on the diet. She reported good results and talked about the program with such conviction that I felt compelled to give it a try.
I am pleased to report that I did indeed try the plan and was able to stick with it. What I like about Shred is that it is NOT a diet, rather it is a lifestyle change. A lifestyle change that has become my own and I am continuing to reap the benefits from. The lifestyle change promotes a plan of 6 weeks, 4 inches, 2 dress sizes. I have to admit I was hesitant at first, but as I began to read the book, I was convinced that I could possibly stick with it. My first week was a little difficult, but not nearly as difficult as I figured it would be. In all of my previous endeavors, I could never stick to a workout plan. Not with Shred! The requirement of 30-45 mins a day, 5 days a week became easier and easier to follow as each day passed. By the end of the week, my mind had been conditioned to continue with the plan, and a weight loss of 4 pounds in the first week encouraged me to continue as well. As I continued to see progress, I was motivated to keep going. Early morning walks cleared my mind. Midway through week 2 I began to notice that not only was I gradually losing the physical weight, each mile I walked seemed to drop off a little mental weight that I was continuing to carry.
Initially, that seemed silly to me, but each week I was feeling lighter and lighter both physically and mentally. I was eager to share my experience with those close to me and by the end of the 6 week regimen, my mind had been completely transformed, I was down 21 pounds and I was feeling better than ever. My ability to handle stress had improved even more than it had previously. I am more health conscious, have more discernment regarding making healthy choices, and most importantly, I have been able to continue to keep my exercise at an appropriate level. This is a definite lifestyle change and has proved to provide more than just weight loss benefits.
With my new lifestyle change, my mind has less clutter. My vision is less blurred and I am back on track to completing my goals. It is amazing how things happen. Dr. Ian Smith and Black Women's Expo changed my life for the better. As I continue to experience the effects of this lifestyle change I am confident that I will be producing some of my best work yet. Although I was making positive changes and in a better place, I have gained even more insight and determination to pursue my goals and dreams at an even harder pace.
Remember, positive change is always good and it is always constant. Whatever you set your mind to do can be accomplished with positive reinforcement.
Stay tuned for more updates and new material to be posted.
~PhatPhat~
It seems as if it has been forever since I last checked in. Although it has been a while, it was for a very good reason. Sometimes we have to stop and regroup, which is what I have done. For the past 7-8 weeks I have been making some important life changes. Of course I was already doing that, but as I emphasize often, change is continuous. While we may work to improve in one area, we always have room to grow in other areas. Throughout my journey my main focus has been mental and emotional repair. What I came to realize is that once we make significant changes in one area, one must work on other areas as well to maximize progress. With that being said, I made the decision to work on my physical appearance and overall health.
For many years I have struggled with weight issues. This is a struggle many of us face. In my case I was shedding mental weight, but I needed to work on my health and physical weight as well. Over the years I have allowed my weight to be a shield so to speak. I became complacent with the issue of obesity. Convincing myself that I was not concern with my weight as much as I really was, I made no effort to change this part of me. That all changed however about 8 or 9 weeks ago. Venturing out and attending the Black Women's Expo, proved to be a life changing experience. While at the event, I engaged with several authors, some I had met previously, others I had not. Dr. Ian Smith happened to be one of the best selling authors that I had the pleasure of meeting. Being familiar with him from various television shows, I was anxious to see what new weight loss strategies he was now introducing. Although I was inquisitive, I had no real goal of attempting a program. In the past I have tried several diets, gimmicks, cleanses, etc. I never had the will power or enough interest to stick to any plans. While in line waiting to get my autographed copy of Dr. Ian's latest diet, Shred Revolution, I chatted with a lady who was already on the diet. She reported good results and talked about the program with such conviction that I felt compelled to give it a try.
I am pleased to report that I did indeed try the plan and was able to stick with it. What I like about Shred is that it is NOT a diet, rather it is a lifestyle change. A lifestyle change that has become my own and I am continuing to reap the benefits from. The lifestyle change promotes a plan of 6 weeks, 4 inches, 2 dress sizes. I have to admit I was hesitant at first, but as I began to read the book, I was convinced that I could possibly stick with it. My first week was a little difficult, but not nearly as difficult as I figured it would be. In all of my previous endeavors, I could never stick to a workout plan. Not with Shred! The requirement of 30-45 mins a day, 5 days a week became easier and easier to follow as each day passed. By the end of the week, my mind had been conditioned to continue with the plan, and a weight loss of 4 pounds in the first week encouraged me to continue as well. As I continued to see progress, I was motivated to keep going. Early morning walks cleared my mind. Midway through week 2 I began to notice that not only was I gradually losing the physical weight, each mile I walked seemed to drop off a little mental weight that I was continuing to carry.
Initially, that seemed silly to me, but each week I was feeling lighter and lighter both physically and mentally. I was eager to share my experience with those close to me and by the end of the 6 week regimen, my mind had been completely transformed, I was down 21 pounds and I was feeling better than ever. My ability to handle stress had improved even more than it had previously. I am more health conscious, have more discernment regarding making healthy choices, and most importantly, I have been able to continue to keep my exercise at an appropriate level. This is a definite lifestyle change and has proved to provide more than just weight loss benefits.
With my new lifestyle change, my mind has less clutter. My vision is less blurred and I am back on track to completing my goals. It is amazing how things happen. Dr. Ian Smith and Black Women's Expo changed my life for the better. As I continue to experience the effects of this lifestyle change I am confident that I will be producing some of my best work yet. Although I was making positive changes and in a better place, I have gained even more insight and determination to pursue my goals and dreams at an even harder pace.
Remember, positive change is always good and it is always constant. Whatever you set your mind to do can be accomplished with positive reinforcement.
Stay tuned for more updates and new material to be posted.
~PhatPhat~
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