Everyone has their OWN version of normal

What I may think is normal, you may think is nuts.

And that’s ok.

My NOW version of normal was completely different 20 or so years ago! (Geez has it been that long already?!)

I HAD to make some changes in my life to have a new normal.

Thing is, usually, what originally starts off as a bit difficult, can very often end up as just something you now do.

In other words, your new normal

Stick with me for a bit… hear me out…

See, when I was younger, I never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever CHOOSE to get up at 5am to exercise, let alone meditate! In fact I didn’t even know what meditating was!

And if you told me I would CHOOSE to quit chocolate and carbs, I would have thought you had lost your mind! (notice the two focus words here – I and CHOOSE!)

And yet, at nearly 50, here I am… choosing MY OWN version of normal!

Getting up early, exercising and meditating every day is just what I do now, it’s what makes me feel GREAT.

And recently, 18 months ago, no more delicious creamy milk chocolate and seriously cut down on carbs!

Why?

Because once again, I got to a point where I KNEW something needed to change!

And I also knew, that until I actually made changes, nothing would change.

I would continue to feel uncomfortable in my skin and my mind would not work the way I wanted it to. And nobody else could change it for me.

So it was up to ME!

In fact I feel better, fitter and more comfortable in my skin and with who I am NOW than I ever have.

I reckon that we all get to a point in our lives where we realize that what we are doing or have been doing is no longer working.

It’s no longer serving us!

Maybe we start feeling lost, angry, upset, tired, sick, frustrated, sad, lethargic… whatever it is, you get to a point where you KNOW, you just know… something needs to change!

That time came for me when I was about 30 and I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.

I knew if I wanted to be fit and healthy, feel better about myself (mentally and physically) and keep up with my children, I needed to make some changes.

So I started getting up at 5am to exercise – coz it was the only time I had to myself back then and the only time my husband was home to look after the kids. And anyway, everyone was fast asleep when I got up, so if I didn’t get up it was on me, nobody else.

That exercise happened to be running at the time – coz it was free and the easiest thing I could do while having two little kiddies at home. That was the start for me.

It’s progressed from there – from just running (well it started with walking and running between lamp posts ) to running 10kms and HIIT workouts, and now power walking, Yoga and Pilates and meditating and EFT tapping.

Not only did the changes I made help me get on top of my physical health, they helped me get in control of my mental health too.

Helping me get through incredibly tough times. Some that I didn’t think I could get through… and if I was still stuck in my old ways, I’m not sure I would have.

When you get to a point in your life that feels so dark, so hard and so uncomfortable that you aren’t sure how you are going to get through, you realize something needs to change.

And honestly exercise is most certainly one of those choices I made that has given me the strength to deal with those dark times.

Life is tough some days and even tougher when you are trying to live it with a glass half full.

Being sick makes it tougher

Having no energy make it tougher

Living with too many thoughts going on in your head and struggling with focus and concentration make it tougher.

And finally getting to a point in your life where you realize that you have the power to change it, well that’s just bloody beautiful!

Tough at first yes!

Uncomfortable to begin with, yes!

But when you focus on the outcome, it makes the journey a whole lot more enjoyable.

And then you look back and notice it’s been over a year or 20 since you decided to make a change and stick with it.

And those changes have changed your life – in SO very many positive ways.

And that it’s now YOUR new normal