2011: The New Year is here and I'm Feeling GOOD!

(click play)

Feelin' Good


Birds flying high you know how I feel
Sun in the sky you know how I feel
Breeze driftin' on by you know how I feel


It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good


Fish in the sea you know how I feel
River running free you know how I feel
Blossom on the tree you know how I feel


It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good


Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don't you know
Butterflies all havin' fun you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done
That's what I mean


And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me


Stars when you shine you know how I feel
Scent of the pine you know how I feel
Oh freedom is mine
And I know how I feel 


It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good

1/1/11 has arrived, and I'm ready.  Not ready in the sense that I've already cleaned off the treadmill, bought all the right groceries, have written everything down that I need to write down or have the game plan in place.  Not at all.  But ready in the sense that I feel the change inside of me.  I have a willingness, a readiness, and openness, to be changed.  To be receptive to new ideas and to do whatever it takes to become the person I know I can be.


My friend 'Ruby' always says 'If you keep doing what you always did, you'll keep getting what you always got.'  No truer words have been spoken.  So I'm ready to stop doing what I always did.  I'm ready for change.


Laura McReynolds of Lifeworks Coaching posted this on her facebook yesterday and I just loved it:


 I write down all the thoughts and behaviors I am ready to release, that no longer serve me, on scraps of paper, which I then burn in the fireplace, as I sincerely thank them for what they've taught me and where they've brought me. Then I make a list of all that I am now ready to welcome into my life. Cleaning house, if you will, from the inside out.


I believe in my heart that eating compulsively served me well at many points in my life.  It was a strong defense against so many things over the years, things that truly did harm me, or had the potential to harm me.  Since I lacked the life skills or experience or knowledge at the time to handle these things, I either escaped them completely or numbed my emotions through them by soothing with food.  I guess I am grateful that I had something available to help ease the pain of being me.   So thank you, food, for being there when I needed something or someone.  I no longer need you in that way, though.  I am stronger now.  I am more confident.  I have some cool new goals and so I am going to release you and move on to the next chapter in my life.  


Which leads me to the really important part of today's blog.  What I'm moving toward, which is really a lot more important than what I'm leaving behind.  Here are some things on this year's list of things I am now ready to welcome into my life:

• Exercise and fitness.  I remember that exhilerating feeling of jogging or long, long walks, or aerobics.  It's almost addicting itself when you really get into it.  I am ready to rediscover that!
• Healthy food choices.  I have been slowly incorporating more natural and organic and whole foods into my diet and releasing the processed or simple carb foods for a while now.  I am ready to really leap into this and understand it's going to take a lot of effort and thought and planning until it becomes automatic.  I'm willing to do that.
• People.  I am willing to let people back into my life, and not wait for that imaginary day when I reach all my goals and become worthy.  It sounds so ridiculous typing this out, but I have put parts of my life on hold for decades waiting until I lost weight, or got a degree, or quit smoking, or.....whatever.  It occurs to me now that today might be all I have.  I can't wait until next year to get close to people.  There might not BE a next year!  So I am ready to welcome closeness with people back into my life.  Maybe the big wall will melt along with some of the fat.  :-)
• Success.  It may sound a tad odd, but I have lived my entire life in fear of success.  So much so, I think, that I kind of sabotage myself when I get really close to the big successes I could have.  I feel, and know, truly, that I am on the verge of a new kind of success in my life - I am closer to my big life goals right now than ever before (goals I have had since my teens!! really!)  and I think I'm willing to do what it takes and not back down out of fear.  I am going to do the work and push through.  I want to see what the other side looks like.  I want to write a book.  I want to give seminars and do public speaking.  I love this stuff!  I am passionate about it!   And always have been!  So I'm going to stop being afraid and just figure out what I need to do, and then do it.

Well, that's quite a lot, isn't it?  I have some things in place to work on each of them and I'll talk about that tomorrow.  But I can do one thing a day, at least, to move in those directions.  For today, I'm going to make healthy food choices, not worry so much about the exercise (housecleaning will count for today!) and phone a friend or two to let them know I miss them and love them.  And writing in this blog helps me with that last one. :-)

Happy New Year~ This is already shaping up to be a great one!!!!

Carly

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