I Have Let Go of Being Hard on Myself

DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

Believe me this has been a lifetime learning journey and it feels really good to be in this place…peaceful existence, balance with life and self, and overall feeling of AWWW…Life is BETTER than Great!

I can remember being caught up in the stuff that really does not matter in the BIG scheme of life…the house looking just right, what people thought, oh my…my body is not quite there…is that fat on my butt…really???  How many times am I going to give myself the outer thigh pinch test for crying out loud.  Oh…I burned this, and that food presentation does not look perfect, oh…am I saying that just right,  am I doing this right, and, oh no…my diet was not clean today and I have just ruined everything…REALLY?  Enough of that crap already…whew…like I shared earlier…I am so glad to NOT be there anymore. 

We really can be our own worst enemy if we let ourselves.  Thoughts of “not good enough” swirling around in my head years ago are thankfully gone, praise God that is for certain.   As I reach almost 50, I have to say that I have let go of being hard on myself…I mean what the heck would be the point.  I do not need the acceptance or approval of others to be ME, although as I shared earlier, I know how that feels to be in that ugly place.  Also, coming from a position of fitness competition, and featured here and there, I admit, I felt pressure to look a certain way, be a certain way, always on guard to public scrutiny and needing to be THAT GIRL…always in shape…perfect as some say…but…even then and now…I was and am FAR from that YUCK word.  As I have shared many times…PERFECT DOES NOT EXIST except in fairy tales and photo shop…what a mind @%#& life can throw a person if you let it. 

Moving to the NOW Darla…I do not “Sweat the Small Stuff” and I will certainly leave a few dishes in the sink and not worry about the pillow arrangement on the sofa when family and friends come over…I mean are they coming to see my dishes or me…taking that pressure off myself for years now feels FABULOUS and I really enjoy the precious moments of Life.  Am I saying that I do not take pride in my home and self… of course not…I am NO piggy.   What I am saying is my priorities have changed and I have a happy lived in home.  When my time comes to leave this life, will my regrets be…I should have made sure the dishes were done all the time, the house was spotless, and all the streaks off the mirrors, work more…NO WAY…in fact, I do not want any regrets…I want my life to be full of meaningful moments with my family and friends, and helping people adapt healthy lives.  What does this have to do with maintaining a healthy ME?  Let me tell you…STRESS relief plays a big role in feeling great about who I am and life in general.

Not stressing over things that do not warrant attention and giving attention to those things worthy of my attention are important to living a healthy life in my book.  I am not going to bash myself for hours on end for eating a splurge meal for example and thinking that I have ruined my life and health.  I am living life for heaven’s sake.  One or two splurge meals are not going to make or break my fitness health bank as the old ME would have thought.  NOPE…not going to sustain my body on boiled fish and broccoli as a lifetime routine…YUCK …not realistic and truly not sustainable for a lifetime of healthy eating.  My body definitely needs all the variety that comes from a variety of healthy foods…and I LOVE food to taste good…did I mention the spicier the better:) 

Taking a deep breath each morning and being a thankful woman for my health, my hubby, family, this body,  home,  job, and so many other things that often  get taken for granted like the beauty all around me is what fills me with absolute happiness.  Am I saying that I do not take care of myself physically and through my healthy foods…now that would be ridiculous…I have not gone rebel on you and saying that this is not important.  I live an example of a healthy life through my fitness and nutrition and share that with you as much as I can. I would be a hypocrite and not even be able to represent myself as a trainer and motivator if I did not live a healthy lifestyle.

 I have relaxed so much with acceptance of whom I am, loving my body as it is with all the changes that come with the aging process,  and knowing what is important as I have shared before…Being the BEST version of ME given my genetics and medical issues.  Genetically, I would have to say that I have my father’s long, lean look, and I have had to work hard to put muscle on this body to add the curves that I like.  So, I will no longer be a slave to society’s view of what Darla should look like, and I have let that go for years now, and celebrate the fact that it feels so good to NOT be hard on myself.  What I will say about myself is that I am a dedicated woman when it comes to being a healthy person and take the time and effort to ensure that my body is exercised and fed healthy food on a consistent basis…but being over the top obsessed to the point that my life is negatively affected…NO WAY!  Life is about beautiful balance, health in the physical, nutritional, and I can’t stress enough how important it has been for me to really key into my emotional and spiritual life.  Talk about feeling carefree, and open to sharing my life and being REAL…that is what I am all about.  

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS 

Newly Added to the In My Kitchen Page!

Rosemary Crusted Grilled Salmon with Peppers

Me with My Fabulous Daughter Hope

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding! 

 

Have a FABULOUS weekend and upcoming week!

 

Stay Healthy!

Darla;)

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BIG SHOULDERS

Well…not as big as they used to be physically but my mental and emotional shoulders are definitely making up for that loss…lol.  What the heck does this have to do with fitness, my life, my health…I say everything!

When you are in a position of internet personality, helping people from around the world, bravely putting yourself out there for all to see through images, videos, and opinions…well…the mental shoulders get well developed.   As you know, I am a say it like it is person, trainer, consultant, coach, expert and any other name that gets tagged onto “Darla” the fitness gal.  In this position, I MUST remain POSITIVE  and let things roll off my back like a duck sometimes.  The majority of the time, I am taken with appreciation, and thankfulness from so many for providing the hope they thought was never possible…touching to me as my purpose to help has been accomplished.

The other side of the coin can be exactly the opposite and filled with statements from people who do not take the time to know ME and jump into an attitude of sharing only judgments and negative comments.  I can read through that into an unhappy soul who really wants to be healthy and the BEST, but not at a place in their life and unwilling to make that happen, and it is always easiest to lash out at someone than take responsibility for self.   Really…I would like to reach out and give all those people a hug…NO…I really do…because they just need to have the encouragement and love to realize their fabulous potential. 

 

I do not need to go into statement details but anyone who sits in my position as a fitness expert who has put themselves out there understands the lashings that can come in reference to a fit body, workouts,  personal life, sharing success stories, making opinions and comments, and even recipes for crying out loud.  I was taught never to judge a book by its cover and this is so important in life, but especially in what I do for a living as I see people of all shapes and sizes…and they are ALL FABULOUS!!!  Could you imagine if I was a judgmental person…well…NO WAY…I could not do my job if I was running people into the ground for being too heavy, too skinny, low self esteem, body image issues, hairstyle, clothes, and the list can go on and on…how in the world would I MOTIVATE or help anyone with that mindset…I mean what in the heck is up with a judgmental mentality anyway.  Who am I to judge…am I God…NO…I am Darla, the person who just so happens to come to YOU daily through different internet mediums to In Your Face MOTIVATE YOU. 

I LOVE my Big Shoulders because they provide me with emotional strength and the ability to “not sweat the small stuff” in this life.  They give me a very caring spirit and the understanding that negative statements usually come from people who are truly hurting, bitter from personal issues or life events not dealt with yet, and who really want and need help, but just do not know how to be vulnerable enough to let those feelings out in a healthy way to start the healing process.  In my position of trainer, consultant and coach, I wear many hats, and during the times of hearing or receiving negative comments, I throw on the “coaching/therapist hat” and become the BEST listener in this moment, keying in on any details that I may be able to offer help, dig deep into who that person is, provide insight and  validation, but at the same time, provide the guidance that says…HEY…TODAY is a new day and time to toss the old crap to the curb and begin a new healthy lifestyle…you get the picture. 

 The beautiful part about my life is that I choose to be POSITIVE in ALL circumstances,  personally surround myself with people who will nourish my soul in a positive way, and lean on one of my favorite quotes that states “Life is 10% What Happens to You and 90% How You Respond to It.”   Does that mean that I avoid all negative people, situations, and comments in my work…of course not…this is not realistic in my position...I am surrounded by people on a daily basis physically and online who are going through things that they are healing from or do not even realize they need help with, and all that is needed are some Big Shoulders to take on the task of helping and healing.  Am I ever offended by such comments and sucked down to a point of OH MY…WHY DO I CONTINUE TO PUT MYSELF OUT THERE….well…the answer is a Big Hell No.  If anything, I feel challenged to help even more…I always have HOPE, always PERSEVERE, and do not believe in failure…in fact, in my opinion, failure is GOOD and a stepping stone to dusting off and becoming a better person.  In this journey called life, I will continue to develop my Big Shoulders, continue to MOTIVATE…some may like me and some may not…that is OK and out of my control…but I will push forward with the cause of helping people adapt healthy lives…and for my Big Shoulders…ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM!  Stay Healthy~

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS 

For a Limited Time Only, enjoy my Stay Healthy Nutrition Guide as a Free Gift to YOU with a $10 donation to support Stay Healthy Fitness, YOU, your health and happiness. Thank you all for the many MOTIVATIONAL comments, notes of appreciation, and emails sent to me through all my online mediums.  I read and respond to each and every one and hearing that I have helped YOU is YOUR gift to me.  Many Blessings to YOU and Stay Healthy!

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding! 

Have a Fabulous Week!

Stay Healthy!

Darla;)