I Am Ready 2016

I’m Ready 2016

First here is a little summary of 2015. This year is quit possibly the biggest for personal achievement I have ever had in my entire 38 years of existence. I don’t count in there the birth of my children or the day I met, fell in love with, and then married the man of my dreams and the father of my children. Of course these are amazing milestones to be remembered and forever grateful for. However, they aren’t specifically and personally all about me. 2015 was truly about my personal growth. I shattered through many goals and tackled many serious emotional setbacks that later lead to personal victory.

Biggest Achievements:
1. Lost a total of 105lbs in the span of 1.5 years
2. Reached my weight-loss goal and maintaining it for the past 3 months
3. Went to the gym over 200 days (Doesn’t include outdoor activities or Boot Camp)
4. Healthy Relationship With Food
5. Lived a 100% CASH Year! Debt Free Life Style (doesn’t include mortgage & 1 Car Payment)
6. Experienced many new teas and other amazing foodie experiences.
7. Learned to cook REAL FOOD and discovered I love it!
8. Tried so many new things and challenged myself to do my best. Break personal records.
9. Got out of comfort zone (VERY HARD) and got my son to attend daycare (school) I had a traumatic experience as a child when I was in daycare and finally worked up the courage to work through my fear. He is thriving there and I am so happy I didn’t let my experience keep him from his development.
10. Writing, reading, and building a stronger presence in the tea and foodie community. So often I put my passions on shelf but not this year. I try to remember I’m important too. I didn’t forget everyone else I just made room for me too.

What I Learned Along The Way:
1. I am important, what I want matters, I am a priority.
2. Nothing happens just because you wished for it or for me even if you pray for it. I have to get it if I want it.
3. Patience…patience…patience! Nothing will happen overnight. You have to get up and do your best everyday and over time you start to carve out a new life for yourself.
4. Trust yourself, trust what your body is telling you. Many people feel that losing weight is exclusive to just that but in fact you will experience a total transformation. It is a mentally, emotionally, and physically grueling process.
5. Staying on the path will be hard but remember if you slip to forgive yourself. Totally forgive yourself and move on. Get up and get back on the right path.
6. Life is too short for bad tea. Only have the good stuff and dump the stuff you don’t like. Trust me, it is a wise choice.

Things I Hate To Say But Are True
1. Work on figuring out who you are. Don’t let others tell you who you are. This particular part of the journey is never-ending. That doesn’t make it bad. It just means you are a complicated person. You are ever changing just as is the environment around you. It sounds scary that you will never reach a point where you have figured it all out and I used to feel that way too. Now I feel it is the journey that is the exciting part. I don’t want to know it all. Knowing I have reached the end of discovering myself would be boring. So get out there, test yourself, and have an adventure. It’s true what they say, this is the only life we are given. Make the most of it and start now.
2. Food is not the enemy. Balance is the key. It’s important to develop a healthy relationship with food. You can have it all but there must be balance.
3. Get rid of the people and things in your life that aren’t working for you. I know it is hard to stop being friends with someone but if they are a negative influence in your life then you don’t have room for them. I know it seems cold but it is true. I often held onto toxic relationships out of loyalty and for the sake of being the “good guy” that didn’t want to rock the boat. Taking care of yourself means not only the physical and nutritional side of things. Sometimes we must cleanse ourselves of relationships that no longer work. Never feel obligated especially in a bad situation.
4. During my transformation I discovered new friends and lost a lot of old friends. I never understood why but decided it didn’t matter. If they were true then they would make an effort to stay in my life no matter my size.
5. Search yourself and find out what matters most to you and make that priority.

My Priorities For 2016
1. ME – Happiness
2. Always Make More Time For Family
3. Less Time On Electronic Devices
4. Health
5. Adventure

The journey is far from over and I have by no means figured everything out but this year I did learn more than I ever have. I never want to fall back to old ways and keeping a chronological record of such momentous occasions can help me stay the path. I know not everyone has the same path as me and with that I hope you all find your road and your journey of a lifetime.

Happy New Year!