Today's Top Three

Do you want to know one of the best things you can do for your mental health? Let's make it a multiple choice question...

Please pick the best answer (only one). The best and most practical activity to promote one's mental health is________________?
A: Years of Psychoanalysis
B: Completing a Rorschach Evaluation
C: Singing Loud for all to hear
D: Simply Being Thankful

I know you are probably pretty amazed with your intelligence right now, and in my great knowledge base from which this question was constructed. But just in case you are lost, here's your explanation of the answers.
A--Psychoanalysis is extremely expensive and your insurance won't cover it... I definitely recommend shorter term therapy instead
B-Inkblots are fun, but they can't tell you everything...and again, this will be pretty expensive too.
C-Apparently a good way to spread Christmas cheer, and could possibly help or hinder your mental health, depending on the situation I'm sure.
So, the answer is D; Congratulations and you are welcome.

I am hoping to get on here randomly and express some things I am thankful for. I like free therapy. So today I'm listing my top three (by "top"....I mean totally random and in no particular order--today or any other day...because that totally makes since to me)

Today's Three things I am Thankful for...


This Man

He's a wonderful husband. He's been working really hard lately trying to get the old house ready to sell and has been working crazy hours on stressful projects at work, and he continues to have a good attitude at home (mostly, anyway, lol!) He's handsome, Godly, hard working, loving, and pretty great at communicating when it's time to get serious about solving something. Yeah God, He's a good one...Thank You!


This Church

When I came from my tiny small town church in which I grew up, I wasn't sure how I would adjust to being part of a "mega church." But, it's been amazing. The teaching is great, the people are great, and we've found a small group that we meet with regularly that is awesome beyond words (but that is for another day's top three!) I never dreamed I would feel at home in in a church so large...but again, God knows just what he's doing; thanks, God!


And last...and well, least of these three is....

This tub

I must say, I'm writing this while my hair is still wet from this very bath. I love putting on music and relaxing in Bath and Body Works White Citrus bubbles. It's amazing. It's such a relaxing place to gather my thoughts, reflect on my day, and relax after work or exercise. It's a little thing, but I love it! Thanks, God!



So that's my top three for today. Don't forget to think about what you are thankful for, often! It's silly and just mean to not thank God for what he's done for you...big and little things :)

And the second day...

Day 2 = success!!  And what did I do instead of snacking tonight?  I may or may not have baked Funfetti cupcakes...

and THEN snacked on them :)  BUT: I made them with egg whites, I totally earned them by breaking my exercise up into small parts throughout today to earn extra calories (which led to me exercising more), and I ate healthy the rest of the day. The problem now is, there are now cupcakes in my house...plan is to take them with me to work tomorrow to share...so they don't linger in my house over the weekend.

This morning I got on the scale again...and I know it may be too early to get excited, but I was able to move two marbles for two lbs!  I figure I'll move them back and forth in the vases as needed...because whether or not it is true weight loss, it feels really good to see two marbles in the previously empty vase! YAY!

A NEW direction

It's time to get serious about getting healthy...I've been telling myself this for some time; but today I feel like I've started some new strategies and decided to get a little more strict with myself...as NOT being strict has not been working out so well for me.  Aparently, I'm one of those people that need structure in this area...and I CAN NOT be trusted around food alone with no plan!

I finally made myself get on the scale after ignoring it for quite some time and it confirmed what I had already suspected...up about 10 lbs from the last time I was weighing myself regularly. OUCH, January!  So now the plan is:

• Sticking very closely to the My Fitness Pal app and website  http://www.myfitnesspal.com/
• Charting Progress in my prayer journal AND with the fun Pinterest idea(Oy, that's a lot of beads to move)
• While it's cold--Jog in place in my house for little bits of time throughout the day or jog while cleaning...as well as increasing time doing other exercise
• Use replacement activities...such as exercising when I feel like snacking in the evenings, then see if I still want to snack when I'm done...if I do, then chances are I've earned the calories anyway
• Drink more water
• Blog about it!

And today...has been a good one so far...I've exercised and cut back on calories, and according to my fitness pal, I still have 617 calories I can enjoy later if needed...yum.