What do you do for a living?

What is your answer to that question? "What do you do for a living?" What's the first thought that pops into your head? Are you excited to share your profession with others or do you cringe that you even have to mention "work?"
Growing up, I never wanted to find myself as an adult, working a job that I hated. This fear of mine has helped me at times but has hindered me also.  I stressed about college when I was in high school. Where do I want to go to school, I'd ask myself. I need to pick the right school for the right profession that I choose.  Then in college, I declared my major immediately and then changed it more than three times that first year because I was afraid that I was choosing the wrong career path and would end up hating my job just like I had feared my entire adolescence.  I think there should be more counseling about this issue in schools.  Isn't that what a "counselor" is there for?  We need to help our teenagers embrace their passions and not focus on the bottom dollar of a paycheck.  We need to encourage them to push themselves and work hard but to work smart. They need to know that they may not start at the top but may work their way from the bottom but as long as they entered a job because they have a passion in that field then they will enjoy certain aspects of earning their way.
Somewhere along the way, people have stopped dreaming about plans for the future and have solely focused on their paycheck.  Don't tell me that you wake up on a Monday and crave Friday already! Please don't say that you've been at your job for two years and you're currently counting down the rest of your time until retirement!  What's the point if you're going hate what you "do for a living" for the majority of your life?  Where is your happiness, your excitement, your work ethic?  Do you know that the average person works 2,080 hours/year and that is only working 8 hours/day, 5 days/week not including over time, holidays, etc. That sure is a lot of time doing something that doesn't make you happy!
No thank you! If there is anything that I am not about to do, is spend the rest of my life unhappy at my job where I spend most of my time! That case in point, why work a job that you hate and that you spend most of your time there? What if there were options? What if, for a moment, we turned the clocks back and thought about our happiest times? Who were you with? What were you doing? I'm not saying that if you love football, you should try out for the Panthers but what if you looked into teaching children the game or football organizations that sell products or market the games?  What if you found a career that not only made you happy, it gave you more time with your family?  It's like that MM commercial at Christmas when Santa says, "They do exist", talking about the MM characters.  You can find a position that makes you happy and that gives you more time freedom and if you find a career that does both of those, do you know what else you'll have, better health! You won't be so stressed, you won't be so confine as to your schedule and when you can be active and eat proper foods.  What if you got up int he morning, excited to go to your job and share with others what you love and then were able to go home and walk with your kids and talk with them about their day? How much better of a parent are you going to be when you're less stressed, happier and more available?
For me, turning 25 next week, as I look back on this last year and analyze life decisions and life circumstances, I am the happiest that I have ever been, I am healthier than I have ever been and I am excited more now than ever to see where life is going! I have my family, my friends, a fantastic career, a amazing church and relationship with Christ that has grown more than anything else this year. What more could I ask for? Nothing! I'm not kidding, if you asked me today, "how are you doing", I would respond saying, "better than ever" and I would mean every word.  No, life is certainly not perfect and there will always be trials but when you enjoy life and you are happy, you have a healthier mindset to handle those times.  I encourage everyone to take a minute and answer some of the same questions that I asked myself and assess what areas of your life need a little tweaking! Then, go to the Father, ask God to show you how He would like you to handle these issues and trust in Him to show you the way.

Choices One at a Time

I've been wanting to transition into a clean eating diet for some time now.  Last month when I suffered a virus that knocked me off my feet, I took it as an opportunity to start fresh and eat clean from that point forward.  It was fairly easy to start, considering I had spent most of the first week on ginger ale and crackers; I wasn't craving anything too heavy or complex.  The second week I tried to eat all natural foods and focus on more lean protein, vegetables and fruit.  I could already tell a difference in how I felt after eating something too rich or with too much dairy.  The Easter Holiday was a final confirmation that my body had already become accustom to eating lighter, simpler meals.  I didn't indulge in many casseroles or hardly any desserts but felt horrible the following day from eating more than I had been. 

          I haven’t completely adopted the “clean” eating diet that many of us see on fitness networks and professional profiles yet, but I have tried to focus on making wiser, healthier decisions every day.  I make sure I drink more water and choose vegetables and fruit over snack items, like crackers or popcorn.  Even in such a short time, I have been able to notice that I no longer crave junk food but am actually repelled by it somehow.  I can also tell a difference between when I am full and when I am eating because I am use to eating those portions.  This past week I focused on eliminating as much bread as possible as well as condiments and salt.  In three short weeks, my body has learned to crave bananas and almond milk instead of cheese and chocolate.  Semi-sweet food tastes really sweet now, as compared to before when I could eat a really sweet food and crave more sugar. 

          It’s not that I hit a wall and realized how bad I was feeling on a day to day basis, but I had seen great results out of our AdvoCare products and knew that I could feel superior if I would match my diet with my supplements and exercise.  Entering week four, I am not only feeling better on the inside but feeling more confident in how I look on the outside.  It’s so motivating to keep pushing forward when you reach a point of progress and get excited to see even more advancement in the future.  I admit there have been times of trial, like when a friend enjoys Taco Bell while I eat an egg white omelet, but sticking to my efforts and focusing on my goal continues to assist me when making choices.  I have already seen great results in three weeks so I know if I keep moving forward that in three more weeks, I will feel and look even better.  At some point the craving for a chocolate brownie, compared to the reality of how I will feel after eating it, doesn't measure up. 

          Lastly, another change I made in my daily routine was to put away the scale.  I haven’t weighed myself in over a month.  I know where I was back in February and I was fine with that.  I wanted a smaller number but didn't need to focus on my number for any medical reasons so I put away the scale and use that motivation to eat better and exercise regularly.  I started thinking about how many times I have stood on the scale and felt motivated by a number; not many.  Usually, even if I was happy with the number, I would think about a smaller number.  So instead of connecting my worth with my number, I would connect my worth with Jesus Christ and motivate myself through His Word and how good I felt because of making good decisions.  I’d encourage others that want to start living a healthier lifestyle to do just that.  Start living a healthier “lifestyle”.  Start out slow, make healthier decisions when picking foods, stock your house with healthy foods and healthy activities and also, get outside.  Turn off some of the electronics and spend time with family or friends outdoors or in a sports complex.  Go on a walk, take a day trip to the mountains and hike or try out a new yoga studio with a friend.  It can’t be a one day trial and don’t let yourself get wrapped up in mistakes you make along the way.  Every day is different along with every choice.  Move forward and don’t focus on what’s already been.  If you’re looking for additional information on living healthy and dealing with the emotions that come with our weight and body image, I would encourage everyone to read “Made to Crave” by Lysa Terkeurst.  I am just about finished with the entire book and can’t wait to share once I complete it. 

Turn it over to God

My heart hurts for hurting people today.  People that have everything they need to be happy but still find themselves hurting inside.  Where do you find yourself today?  How is your heart?  Are you struggling physically; emotionally?  Are you stressed?  What do you desire today?

Take a moment; sit back in your chair and rest.  Rest in the fact that the Lord is sitting there with you, then take a deep breath and let it out.  Talk to God, audibly.  Maybe you’re driving down the road and you just need to turn off the radio for a moment and speak, audibly to the Lord.  If you don’t know what to say then start with what you’re thankful for.  “Lord, I know you’re here with me and I know you already see my struggles.  You knit every part of me together beautifully and I trust in You but today, I am struggling with…”  

When we speak to God and believe in His presence, we can release our struggles and stresses to Him and relieve our spirits of the burden.  “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” Romans 15:13  That is exactly what the Lord wants for you today.  He doesn’t want you to walk through your day struggling and worrying about what has happened in the past or what may be coming in the future.  He wants you to crave a relationship with Him and turn your struggles over to Him.  Our God is a loving God in the highest meaning of the word “love”.  Our Lord created love and He loves His people, His children more than we’ll ever know; so today have faith and believe that He can handle what you turn over to Him.  Don’t waste any more of your time today, struggling.  Ask Him to help you and to take the burden from you.  It may not be immediate, but peace will flow into your heart and you will find yourself happy and rejoicing again.