New Beginnings

Starting today, eliminate the belief that things always go a certain way or that you never stay with your goals. Whenever those doubts creep back in, immediately give yourself this new message:

Let Today be the Start of Something New!

Your past does not determine your future! Today is a new day and starting today YOU can do anything!

These were the words from the week 1 of our Biggest Loser Challenge. I was greatly inspired to start doing it right with great determination and all the tools in place to get me going.

I am always determined to do this and it is better to know that in life there are hitches here and there. There are times you bump and fall but you need to stand up and keep going, as someone rightly said "the error is not in falling, it's in not standing back up". For the number of times I slip, I will always be back even it means starting from the beginning (not easy but doable). 

A respected man gave an illustration of his adventure in a boat sometimes. He recalled how a storm rose in the middle of their journey and as terrified as he was when he saw the first one coming towards them, the driver of the boat faced the storm headlong and tore into the middle of it and continued to face the others rising in front. And he concluded his teaching by saying, if a storm comes at you and you turn your back, it will overshadow you, if you turn your side, it will sweep you over. 

"For every storm, Face it, Tear it and Continue your journey"

So, I put an acronym to the next 15 weeks of a challenge FTC i.e. face, tear and continue

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This weekend is a long one in Nigeria because of the Muslim holidays and it was a good time for me to rest and recuperate so as to be in good shape for the next week.

I was actually in a retreat since Thursday last week to come home Sunday. I learnt some new things about myself during my time away.

1. I love going away from the usual. I am refreshed, refocused and I see everything clearer.

2. I have a great tendency to eat all the forbidden, especially if meals supplied are not fascinating.

3. Bathroom use becomes wacky (sorry TMI)

4. I tend to forget about my worries whenever I am away. This time except my healthy lifestyle that I took with me, I almost forgot about every other thing. I mean work, home, were really pushed to the background and of course that was the only way to concentrate.

5. I want to have more "going aways" in the future (soon). I think it is great for my spirit.

I came back with a good weigh in, I mean with all the processed foods, I came back with just a pound gain. That is not bad at all.

Another point of note was the environment where the retreat held. It was one of the high standard private universities in Nigeria and the school was so big that I usually record over 1 mile just walking from the dormitory to the chapel and back when I take the walkway. 

I also met with old friends with a some catching up to do.

Right now I am glad to be back home to cooked meals and a place where I have authorities, lol. I mean, here at home I chose my meals, I prepare them, I dress to suit me and I sleep and wake when I choose. Home sweet home.

Have you had a vacation lately?

Myself and a friend at the second retreat.