After four weeks...weigh-in! Looking on the Bright Side

Hello all! I am down one pound this week, with a very slight improvement in some of my other numbers. You can check on my results in the box on the lower right entitled Success Log.

Although I'm glad that the numbers are still going down, I can see things to work on this week. I am going to work on eating better meals, with more nutrient-rich foods, and making a conscious effort to plan those meals, as opposed to just grabbing what's convenient. In some ways I am obsessed with food, and in other ways, I really don't pay enough attention to it. So I would like to continue to learn to make very deliberate food choices, as opposed to eating mindlessly. I am also going to try drinking more water. I drink about 8 cups of water a day. I am going to try to get about 12 cups in each day and see how that affects things. I am also planning on ramping up my exercise. I did a little bit better this past week, and it felt good. So I will try doing a little more. Last week, I did some relatively gentle aerobic and resistance training, using a step and hand weights. I will probably also use my FIRM fitness videos and Just Dance 3.

I would also like to post on this blog more often. That requires me to think of something to say, which takes time and effort. But that is time and effort well spent, because it helps me focus and make progress mentally and spiritually.

I am a firm believer that attitude is 99% of the battle in life. I truly believe that thinking positively can affect everything that you do, and flow over into the lives of others through your relationships. I am also a seeker of truth, so I'm not talking about telling yourself things that aren't true. I'm talking about looking at the bright side of things. Think about what that phrase means--"look on the bright side."When I take it literally, I am talking about viewing an object from the side where the light is shining on it. Does an object look different on that side than it does on the shadowy side? Absolutely. Is it still the same object? Of course it is. Is it more likely that I am going to see that thing as it ACTUALLY IS when looking at the illuminated side? Definitely. When we look at things from the bright side, we are seeing them in a clearer, more true way.  When our view is shrouded in darkness, we can't see things for what they really are. When we allow ourselves to view the world illuminated, we are much more likely to find joy in what we are doing. I highly recommend doing this with people as well. Look for people's good qualities, and just ignore the bad ones. We all have them, after all. Would you want people to only pay attention to your bad qualities? I sure wouldn't.

Keeping a gratitude journal is a great way to look on the bright side of things. It can be absolutely life-changing. Simply taking a few moments each day to think of the good things in your life can change your whole outlook. One thing I've been doing lately is using an online service called grateful160.com. Each day, I receive an email with "What are you grateful for?" in the subject line. I hit reply and type a few sentences. At the end of the week, I get a summary email. I can also have my online journal made into a book, if I choose. There is a fee associated with the service, but I thought it was worth a few dollars to remind myself to be grateful.

I hope you all have a wonderful week! I intend to as well. My daughter Sarah was kind enough to hide the Halloween candy, so it's out of sight and out of mind! I hope that you'll be hearing from me again soon, and I'd love to hear from you! <3