Category: Life in Progress

Have you ever agreed to something that you later wish you didn’t? Even worse, you actually volunteered to do it. Why? Why would I purposely torture myself? I don’t know. I have no excuse.

So my really good friend stated she was going to do the Daniel Fast for 21 days. Me, being the oh so supportive friend, said, I will do it with you. She texted me the food list and we set a date. Now I did have a general idea of the foods I was allowed to eat versus the foods I was not allowed to eat. I eat pretty healthy for the most part so I was like I got this. No alcohol, no soft drinks, no coffee. Wait, hold up! No coffee?!?! You have got to be kidding me. Let’s say at this point I realized I made a big mistake 😆.

The first 3 days without coffee I had the worst headache. It was so annoying. I didn’t want to quit then, I just wanted the headache to go away. About a week in I was over not having coffee. My mom makes it every morning and the smell was hurting my feelings 😂. One day, I said fuck this I am going to get up and make me a cup of coffee the next morning. I didn’t care, I had had enough! That day I woke up and a peace came over me. It was so weird. I know it was nothing but God. That peace continued to carry me through each and every day.

Now the last 3 days has been a whole different story. Through this experience I understand why people give up, why they quit. These days have been the worst ones out of all 21 days. Being so close to the finish line but my resistance is low. I feel put upon (even though I did sign up for this). Yes, my story is about coffee, but it is so much bigger than that. It is about life and how we approach obstacles and struggles. I have an end date in sight. I know I can make it. Yet, most situations we encounter in life are not that cut and dry. We do not know when the struggle will end. We don’t even know how we are going to come out on the other side of it. And these factors can make it easy to give up. It is so much easier. It seems like such a relief.

I’m here to tell you, don’t give up. Don’t quit! I know you have heard it plenty of times before, but I felt the need to say it again. The same struggle you want to give up on will come back around and you will be at square one. You will have to start all over again. You are in it right now. And you could be halfway through or 3 days from the goal. Do you really want to start all over again? HELL NO! Quitting is the easiest answer but it doesn’t make it the right one. Strengthen your resolve. Take it one day at a time. Pray. Whatever it takes for you to not just get through, but get better, do it! I didn’t believe in myself. Sometimes I forget how strong I am. I just needed a reminder. I am going to be your reminder. I believe in you. You are stronger than you think. You are resilient. You are able to succeed beyond your own imagination. You are a finisher.

Seriously, I am not giving up coffee again. It makes me happy and it isn’t hurting anyone. The only way I will stop drinking coffee again is if my doctor says they have found a cure for MS and for me to receive it I have to give up coffee 😆. I do however appreciate how this minor inconvenience gave me a whole new perspective on life, on me and my capabilities. I thank God for the lesson that was taught and the insight I gained. I hope you all were able to get a little perspective from this as well. It’s a new year and we are facing not just the same struggles, but new ones as well. We have made it this far. Let’s keep pushing. Be well and whole. Much Love 🧡💚

P.S. I am one day away. So excited ☕😀

 

A few of my friends and I have a group chat. The group chat is serious. Seriously funny, seriously crazy, seriously uplifting and sometimes just serious. You never want to open it at work, in school or anywhere that you can’t bust out laughing. Recently we set our 6 month goals in the chat. That was fun. Then we came to the realization that Christmas is less than 2 weeks away, which also means the new year is right behind it. Here was my response.

“NO! 2021 is almost over and I am struggling to figure out what I did this year besides not die.”

Now I said that a little jokingly, but it is seriously true. I did have Covid and I am still here, Thank God. Also, I do struggle with giving myself credit for the things I have done when I look back and see the things I haven’t done. A negative way of thinking that I need to work on, along with so many other things 🙄😆. I’m going to get there one day y’all.

But the year is not over yet. You and I still have time to complete a couple smaller goals. To have a few more life experiences that will brighten our day. Love lights like I do, bundle up and go see them. Or find a drive through light display near you. The kids are out of school and you are off work? Think of a day trip activity or place to visit. Haven’t seen a friend or family member lately? Schedule a Zoom call, grab some snacks and a cocktail and catch up with them. There is a movie that you and a friend want to see? If you are comfortable, mask up, reserve seats at the theater and go check it out. Or use the group watch feature on Disney Plus.

I think we are always focused on the big accomplishments and goals. We miss the little things right in front of us. I have just as much fun going out to dinner, laughing and talking, with my friends as I do when we take trips together. I get just as excited to see Christmas lights throughout my neighborhood as I do seeing lights from the window seat in an airplane. These are moments I do not take for granted.

The world is literally at our fingertips, yet we don’t take advantage of it. I know the pandemic has changed the way we used to live life. I know, it sucks. But we cannot allow it to stop us from living. We are two years in and the virus keeps evolving and changing. Life as we knew it will probably never be the same. So let’s evolve and adapt as the changes continue to happen. I am speaking to myself as well. I have allowed this pandemic to take me from anti-social to a hermit 😆. I’m exaggerating, but not by much. I need to come back to the world.

If you are still not comfortable being in group settings, don’t let that stop you from communicating with others. It is so many different ways to connect in this time. Google Duo, Facebook Messenger, FaceTime, Verizon to Verizon, Zoom. Video call and open Christmas gifts together. No one should be alone during the holidays and you really don’t have to. Use technology as it was created to be used. One of the benefits of living in these crazy times.

Let’s use these last 14 days to end this year on a good note. Let’s celebrate our wins. New car, new job or a promotion, a baby, a business, a marriage. Celebrate the little ones as well. Running a 5k for a local charity, taking some really great pictures, writing out your gratitudes daily, reading one book a month. Finding your planner for 2022 on the second try (not bad this year 😃). Even if you can’t think of a win, I’ll give you one, life. You made it and you still have the opportunity to live it more abundantly.

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – Mary Oliver

Well? For starters, be well and whole. Much love 🧡💚