If You Want To Be Somone Else, Change Your Mind

There is a great, I mean great song by Sister Hazel called "Change Your Mind."

The chorus offers these magnificent lyrics to the listener:

If you want to be somebody else,
If you're tired of fighting battles with yourself
If you want to be somebody else
Change your mind...

And so, recently, I've been doing some mind-changing.  And I think it's changing my life.

Two things are helping me in my cause.  Actually, I should say, two people.

The first is Dave Ramsey.  Apparently lots of people know about this guy, but I just recently heard about him for the first time.  I've got my hands on a copy of his "Financial Peace University" lectures, and it's just possible that he is completely changing the way I think about the way I spend and save money.  Just by listening to him, I feel like I might be able to have a little more control over my finances if I wake up, pay attention, and DO what he is telling me to do.  (Wake up, woman!  This is YOUR life!!)

The second is my Grandma.  She's 95.  One of my heroes, because she is so sharp, so clever, so organized.  AND she drinks bourbon at 4pm every day.  Brilliant.  She possesses lots of qualities I'd like to have, but don't ever seem to be able to acquire. 

Recently, she was going through some jewelry and tried a bracelet on my wrist.  When it didn't fit around my wrist, I said to her "I have really big wrists."  (That is actually true.  I've never been dainty.  And it's not like fat really collects at the wrists.)  At this moment, she stopped, looked up from the bracelet right into my eyes and said without flinching, "You Need To Lose Weight."  "I know," I said, cheeks red, heartbeat quickening.  And then as suddenly as she said it, she went back to the jewelry.  The moment was over.  I wanted to cry.  Run out of the house and not come back.  Get out of there before tears bubbled up.  But I took a deep breath, had a little moment while she looked through the jewelry and went on.  It was a horrible, horrible moment.  I was angry at her, then angry at myself, then angry at her again.  That cycle continued for....oh wait....I don't think it's done yet.

And so, on return from the vacation that included the visit to her, I started to get serious.  The C25K running began again in earnest.  Fruits and vegetables were purchased at the grocery store.  The remaining oreos that were purchased for my husband's class at the beginning of the week are, miraculously, still in the cabinet.

I'm starting to change my mind.  I'm starting to think about taking care of myself.  For the sake of a daughter who needs a good example.  For the sake of my Grandma who dared to tell me the truth.  For the sake of me, who needs to be healthier and needs to wake up, take control, and change my mind.

Disney sponsors a Princess Half Marathon in February.  It might be the perfect excuse for a winter getaway. 

Maybe even bigger changes are just around the corner.

One step at a time.