Taking charge!

Everybody is yearning for a change. Although change is feared and is not seen as something positive I have to try to argue the opposite. As humans we like to follow a routine, to do things out of habit, because it is easier that way. Sometimes these habits are not good but rather self-destructive! I am the living example of such behavior since I did not know or did not want to know any other way then the way I was used to. Before I noticed I stopped caring for my well being, It took me a long way until I hit rock bottom that I decided that it was time to make the change. It's funny how we have to get that far low to even consider making ourselves better. Adapting a life style that encourages strength, control and positive energy has been a great change. It has changed my outlook on life and taking the steps of living a better life I am hoping to influence the lives of others.

Since January, I have joined in on a journey to a better me!And while this is a private struggle, I believe it is a very common feeling shared amongst many. We are pushing change to side because we are not ready yet, because we will start from tomorrow, because we are too lazy or too comfortable to make an adjustment until one day we realize that we are at a place where we do not recognize ourselves but accept the tragedy. It takes one decision, one will to turn the page and give ourselves a try. If I believe in you, now it is time to believe in yourself because at the end of the day you are the one making the difference!

Getting Stronger

You are STRONG but you may not even know it. I am not even aware of my strength for the most of the time. I read about strong women, i have strong women in my life and for some others I am that strong woman. It's funny how we can't grasp such a simple thing. But it is indeed a journey and an interesting one.
What I am learning is what strength means to me. I believe it is individual. Strength for me is many things such as physical strength, fitness, health, confidence,intelligent curiosity, humility and spirituality. As I try real hard to work on all of them at once, I have decided to take it one step at a time. I have lost the control of my body. In order to be strong I should have a strong body and soul . As, I have been working out for a while now with the intent to solely lose weight and fit in my clothes, I have started to change my focus to strengthen my body instead. I want to have a strong body so I can carry myself better, which will influence my confidence. I want to be stronger in my legs so I don't feel as tired after sitting at work all day. I want to be stronger knowing that I am doing the best to be healthier and a great example for others. I want to motivate people because that pushes me even further. I love this. I love my new approach and I am hopefully going to be stronger in mind, heart, body and soul.

Are you getting stronger? Let's do it together. Take one step at a time and take the time to take care of your body. It's the key to your healthy future!

Losing myself

I was who I was and I am who I am.

This sentence has been on my mind for weeks while I am trying to keep my head above the water. I never thought that I will be trapped in the routine and doubting who I am. I had to ask myself: Did I lose the fun and bubbly zummie? The answer is yes. I feel the transition from worry free to worry to every day routine. Is this life and reality? Different priorities shape life. Life is good still. I was who I was because it makes me who I am today. I do not think that I am losing the fun and bubbly zummie. It is still there, just locked up by commitments, priorities, and life itself but it comes out with people you love and bits and pieces with people you meet daily. I just need to remind myself that it's still me.
I am who I am. I need to breathe in and out.

I am happy.
:)

Back to reading

When I think of reflection on happy things in my life I have to say that I think of reading. The reason saying is that we do not have time to read any more. We read on the metro to and from work, or on the eliptical, we sometimes if we are not too tired read before we go to bed (5 min maximum). I find it sad to find myself in all of the above category. I used to be a book worm. Most of my knowledge and information comes from books. And in time when I was in college and hoping to finish up to have time to read for pleasure here I am 'too busy'.
The reason of this long awaited post is to remind ourselves that we spend too much time in front of the tv, computer or video games. We find pleasures in everything else but in the simple things. I pledge to go back to the roots and to read more. I truly missed it. I am reading two books right now and I plan to finish them soon. They are very different and non related which keeps my mind interested and challenged to remember what I have read. I am reading the Malcom X Autobiography as well as the novel Water for Elephants. I have intended to read both of these books for years. And now I am doing what I am preaching! FINALLY!

Here are the links to the books. Check them out! Tell me if you like them!

The inspirational man with no name

It's finally there..First day of spring?
The sun and the warmer weather has set up the attitude to be excited what is to come soon. I enjoyed going outside in a hoodie and no heavy winter jacket. I actually got to go for a long walk with my love instead of just being inside or slaving in the gym. It was really nice.
So what is next? Spring cleaning? Plans for barbecues and picknicks? Runs in the parks and basketball games/ How exciting are we all?

On the other side..Don't forget everything else around us. We have all of this..count our blessings. Enjoy it and take advantage of it but don't forget that this is a privilege and we have a great life that we should be thankful for.  My thoughts are still connected to those who need it the most and on a daily basis I try to find ways to reach out to people who really need it. To give an example there is a man that sells newspapers every morning at a stop light in DC, by which my love and I pass by every morning. I think he is there by 5 a.m. which means in the cold weather that we had in the past months he has been standing every morning to sell the Washington Post. We would pass by, nicely warm in our car, trying not to think that soon we have to step out in a cold for a couple of minutes to get to our destination. This man is an older gentleman, who looks to the cars with a hope that one of them will stop and support him in his endeavor. He would be on my mind all day but I would simply forget to take some change to get a paper. Until, he was so much on my mind that I decided to plan ahead and make sure that we have enough change in our car so we can stop by, exchange some friendly words, buy the paper and give him some extra change in case he wants to buy himself a coffee or something to snack on. It has become our routine and the reason why this man makes me think and appreciate my life is the fact that I know that he is as me hardworking. He does not just sit on the side of the street and be He works, he tries and he is changing his destiny. What an inspiration he is. He has a tube in his throat and we hardly understand him when he talks to us but his eyes are lightened when he does and it is such a delight to see him. Last week there were a couple of days that he was not there and we got concerned, on Friday he explained that he had an accident but he still was working because he cannot afford not to. It is a hard life and a hard society we live in, and the only way to survive is to keep pushing. I have so much respect for him and I am happy to be able to see him every morning knowing that my friend will be there and that we are supporting him even if that little might not be a lot. I do not know his name and it might be strange but we never had enough time on the stop light to get into it. I definitely will acquire about it but until then he is the inspiring man with no name.

Do you have people that inspire you? Were you an inspiration for someone else? It is a circle, we give so we can receive...I am so thankful and humble with my life.

Thoughts are with Japan!

With the recent happenings in Japan and the unrest in the Middle East it has been such a hard thing to watch news on a daily basis. I do not think that the pictures that we are shown on news stations are sinking in with our conscious. It just feels so far away and simply a sad tragedy. But for the most people it seems like a movie. Something we can switch the channel at any time. If we look out of our window we are able to see that we ARE NOT affected by it. We might feel sorry and bad but we move on with our lives unless.....UNLESS the gas prices go up and WE have to pay more at the gas station. My life is equally affected by the prices and my money goes in the same direction as everyone elses. Do I complain? Yes. But do I see the whole picture? I surely try to. It is important to understand the roots of this problem and not just blame it on the gas dependency of USA. It is the fact that at this moment people are fighting for freedom, for a better life but WE have it so bad.

I am attaching some pictures from Washington Post from the Tsunami that hit Japan along with the 8.9 Earthquake is more than disturbing. I am still sitting here and keep looking at them. Is it all gone? What would we do if everything we own is gone, if the people we love are missing or hurting? Can we make that connection?
I believe that we can and that is the reason I am sharing these pictures and these words with you.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2011/03/12/GA2011031205446.html#photo=1

30 Things we need less/need more

I just came across this and wanted to share.
It is posted by Harvard Business review: http://blogs.hbr.org/schwartz/2011/03/30-things-we-need-and-30-we-do.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+harvardbusiness+%28HBR.org%29

WE NEED LESS: WE NEED MORE:


Information                            Wisdom

Shallow billionaires                 Passionate teachers

Self-promotion                       Self-awareness

Multitasking                            Control of our attention

Inequality                                Fairness

Sugar                                      Lean protein

Action                                     Reflection

Super sizes                              Smaller portions

Private jets                              High-speed trains

Calculation                              Passion

Experts                                    Learners

Blaming                                   Taking responsibility

Judgment                                 Discernment

Texting                                     Reading

Anger                                      Empathy

Output                                     Depth

Constructive criticism               Thank-you notes

Possessions                             Meaning

Righteousness                          Doing the right thing

Answers                                  Curiosity

Long hours                              Longer sleep

Complaining                            Gratitude

Sitting                                      Moving

Selling                                     Authenticity

Cynicism                                Realistic optimism

Self-indulgence                       Self-control

Speed                                     Renewal

Emails                                    Conversations

Winning                                 Win-win

Immediate                             gratification Sacrifice