Checking In Page Intro

A recent google search for "take stock definition" turned up the following:

take stock

phrase of stock
1. review or make an overall assessment of a particular situation, typically as a prelude to  making a decision.

"he needed a period of peace and quiet in order to take stock of his life"

Synonyms: review, assess, appraise, evaluate;

Informal size up

I firmly believe it is vitally important to the eventual success of any endeavor to be completely honest about where you are when you start. I spent far too many years in a state of virtual life paralysis because I wasn't able to acknowledge the truth of where I was in my life or what I truly thought about any number of life topics. I can't speak to the motivations of anyone else, but for me, it was this inability to accept where and who I was (*cough* denial *cough*) that put me in a state of merely "marking time" with my life.

1.13.18 - 148.5 lbs.

It took me a lot of mental and emotional processing to realize that acceptance of my current state is not tantamount to solidifying it's permanence. There are certainly those who happily claim "this is just the way I am", but I'm pretty confident this practice has proven, and continues to prove, the exact opposite in my life. For example:

Saying "I'm not judgmental" -because I don't want to be (or perceived to be) judgmental- when, upon careful examination, the truth of my thoughts shows that I am... won't help me to change. But admitting that I am, however unintentional or undesired, guilty of making judgments about others will help me be aware of these thoughts from nascency and on guard against allowing such criticisms to fully develop.

 

Acknowledge where you are and if it isn't where you want to be... do something about it.

 

This is the mentality I'm using to direct the changes in my life. It is probably the biggest driver for starting (and restarting) this blog, too. I want to be taking stock of my physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial wellness on a regular basis... examining what each of these mean to me at that given point in time and whether the path I'm on is leading me closer to the desired outcome.

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Thank you so very much for taking the time to stop by my blog! I sincerely hope that you got at least some small measure of food for thought in whatever you read.

Please know that I welcome any words of encouragement, confidence and solidarity you might have, as well as any comments with your questions, your disagreement, your challenging of my heart and mind to consider different perspectives, understand novel beliefs, and dispel ignorance wherever possible.

My only asks are that you are constructive in any criticism, considerate of everyone's right to their own opinion (no matter how mind-boggling their reasoning might seem to you) and courteous in your interactions with myself and any other commenters on this blog.

Intolerance for another's views, abusive language, or descent into personal attacks of any nature will result in comment removal.  

3rd time's the charm?

Do you ever stop to think about how time gets away from you? Am I the only one who has grand plans to do... whatever amazingly brilliant thing I've decided will grace my life with greater meaning... but somehow never seems to see it come to fruition?

It's a little disheartening to realize that it's been around two and a half years since the decision to recharge this blog stalled out after one pitiful stutter of a post. You might wonder why I would even consider another go after posting such a sad blogging history to my credit thus far. What would be so different this time around? Well, for the last, I like to think a few things would be different and I'm sure if these posts move along like I hope, all will eventually be revealed.

As for the why, the here and now is a perfect opportunity... both to revisit my original purpose and examine my current motivations for pursuing this path yet again. Why do I feel a calling to come back to this virtual place, to this one tiny little blog that will, for most, never be raised to their awareness out of the obscurity provided by the mere existence of so many millions more?

I went back and looked at my very first post and found it interesting to read that my reasoning back then was so similar to the ideas I haven't been able to shake for the last week. Maybe you aren't surprised when I say that but, truthfully, I am. Perhaps it's because I've always had an atrocious memory and didn't expect that I would have been on a similar thought train over 6 years ago when I honestly feel so different in many significant ways today. Regardless, here's a head to head comparison...

Then
To help others and, in so doing, to help myself through discussions around:
1. food – What’s good, what’s bad, what’s hot, what’s fad
2. fitness
3. faith – to grow faith, to dispel misconceptions, clarify misunderstandings, and to encourage one another.
4. femininity – avoiding the pitfall of being my own worst enemy by talking about expectations, both realistic and unrealistic, from faith, family, community, society, and anyone or anything else that makes a comment on what we as women should or shouldn’t do or be.

VS

Now
To continually learn about and define what the following mean to me:
1. Physical health and wellness
2. Mental health and wellness
3. Emotional health and wellness
4. Spiritual health and wellness
5. Financial health and wellness
To use this blog as a forum of exploration while weaving through every post, and any conversations that they might inspire, a desire to evaluate, question, and reshape my understanding and beliefs as I see the need. Despite a recent accusation to the contrary from a complete stranger (my interaction with whom I fully anticipate being source material for an upcoming post), I am absolutely aware of how many things I don't know, or don't have experience of, or have limited perspective on.

Too often in the world around us we are inundated by the prevalence of a "you either agree with me or you're the enemy" attitude. It is amazing to me how threatened people become by someone who fails to see the "right" of their way of thinking. If my faith, convictions, opinions, or understanding of things is upset by anyone who doesn't share the same... the problem lies with me.

My plan is to give at least a quick post on each realm page in the near future.. two of which are already written!

I hope that you will come along on this pursuit of health and wellness with me and that along the way we can inspire each other to grow in compassion, generosity of spirit, and respect for all.
Best to you always,
Erika

 

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Thank you so very much for taking the time to stop by my blog! I sincerely hope that you got at least some small measure of food for thought in whatever you read.

Please know that I welcome any words of encouragement, confidence and solidarity you might have, as well as any comments with your questions, your disagreement, your challenging of my heart and mind to consider different perspectives, understand novel beliefs, and dispel ignorance wherever possible.

My only asks are that you are constructive in any criticism, considerate of everyone's right to their own opinion (no matter how mind-boggling their reasoning might seem to you) and courteous in your interactions with myself and any other commenters on this blog.

Intolerance for another's views, abusive language, or descent into personal attacks of any nature will result in comment removal.  

Getting back to it.

4 years and 21 days. Okay, so we can agree that it's been a while. Hopefully, you won't hold it against me forever.
What excuse to offer for such a lengthy abandonment of this poor blog? Well...

I got a job, joined Weight Watchers (not the first time), was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, quit that job and moved 3500 miles to the opposite side of the country, ate terribly and gained some weight while having no insurance, got another job, gained some more weight, met up with an amazing and inspiring doctor, got motivated to lose some weight and get my blood sugars under control, joined Weight Watchers again, lost some weight again, started walking nightly, got plantar fasciitis, stopped walking, got burned out on obsessive food micromanagement, talked to my doctor about bariatric surgery, went to a seminar, an initial consultation, 4 nutrition sessions with a dietitian, a psychiatric evaluation, an upper GI with contrast scan, an upper endoscopy, an abdominal ultrasound, gave about a quart of blood for various blood tests (that might be a slight exaggeration), got insurance approval, set a surgery date, ate a bit like a pork pie that last month, spent a day and a half in the hospital for surgery, progressed from liquid intake to full solids over about 4-5 weeks, started eating more fruits and vegetables with healthy meats, began visiting the local farmer's market, and joined the Y.

A few other things may have happened along the way but this is the main gist. Basically, life. I would imagine many of you can relate.

You may be wondering, then, why pick back up now? That would be thanks to a very loving and supportive friend who both encouraged and challenged me to begin writing again. She is a very talented writer in her own right, and someone who I hope will be lending her very different and unique perspective with you from time to time as well.

I've started a list of things I would like to share over the coming months but also hope that you will ask any questions you might have. Thank you for your interest and my best to you until we meet again.

Erika

“This is a new year. A new beginning. And things will change.”
― Taylor Swift