Week in Review.....Triumphs and Challenges

Well I have spent the past 24 hours reflecting on my first week on this journey.  When I sat down to write my thoughts and feelings I pondered over the title.  My initial thoughts were "1 week - Good, Bad & the Ugly".   However, in my current mindset of trying to be more positive I decided that there was move negative in that title so...."Triumphs and Challenges" it is.  So here goes....

Triumphs/Successes

To be perfectly honest I am actually a little chuffed with the number of triumphs I can think of, this is new for me, some are small and some are monumental; some are physical but many are psychological!!

My biggest triumph is actually getting started and taking the biggest risk I have in a long time and that is being vulnerable and documenting what I want to do publicly.  At times my head tells me I am crazy but I know that this is a major breakthrough and victory for me.  Writing down is helping me in several ways:-

• I feel accountable;
• Once I write down how I have been feeling (particularly the negative stuff), I feel like I have dealt with it to some extent, and remove it from my mind;
• By taking the risk and publishing these blogs, the encouragement I have received has been amazing;
• My faith in being able to achieve my goals has become stronger;
• Helped me acknowledge consciously how LARGE a part of my life is reliant on GOD.

Other triumphs/successes have been:-

• Only 1 chocolate bar in 7 days!
• Drinking water - only small amount of coke zero;
• Reduced sugar intake significantly;
• Exercised 6/7 days;
• More organised;
• My neighbour offering to take me to Crossfit - harder to put off now;
• A more Postive attitude towards the goasl and journey;
• The amazing encouragement I have received.

Challenges I still need to conquer..
One of my greatest challenges is being patient for physical results.  I feel I am doing all this great work and can't really see any changes! 

Another ongoing challenge is my mind.  Whislt I have had some real positive moments it doesn't take much for the doubts and fears to set in - for example, today  a work colleague mentioned he had seen me running along Hume Street - my immediate reaction was "How embarrassing I am never doing that again", and then I kept thinking - I bet he laughed at me, oh he would have seem my fat wobbling as I ran etc. etc. to the point that I felt completely mortified at the thought and I was thinking of alternate routes where I might see no-one.  In reality what he said to me was "I was inspired when I saw you running along Hume Street I went and bought a bike, I thought Suzanne is getting into it so should I - Good on you and thank you", so I should have been thinking, how awesome it is that I have encouraged someone else to excercise.

Other challenges:-

• Continuing to excercise even when I feel a little sore;
• Ensuring I stay authentic in my blogging and not trying to write for an audience;
• Planning weekly meals;
• Ensuring I eat clean;
• Managing work/life balance;
• Reducing sugar and increasing water intake;
• Breakfast everyday;

How do I feel?  I can honestly say for the first time in a long time, I think I can make this journey work. I feel on track for my goal to run the Peak to Park 4km.  I feel motivated to continue.  More energetic than I have in a long time.  Most of all I feel better already spiritually, emotionally and physcially.  I have felt and feel God's ever loving presence in a very real and practical way every day.  I have realised that God is not just my Saviour he is my All in All in every aspect of my life.

I feel so good and energised I feel an INCH TALLER