For those of you following my blog, you know I’ve had many wonderful experiences over the past several months…including many firsts. I attended my first Tomato Fest and ended up in the biggest food fight of my life…with tomatoes.
I bought a bike and explored the many trails around where I live and a few up north as well.
I just love this picture of one of the trails we rode on this weekend.
I attended a few great concerts.
I traveled to Las Vegas and to Chicago (only bringing a back pack to Chicago).
I watched the Vikings games with a group of crazy fans on a 30′ screen and I learned the Skol Vikings song so I could sing along and I attended a Minnesota Wild game (and I’m really not that into sports but I still had a blast).
I did all kinds of things over the last year.
And I spent time taking photos of my ventures, something I really love to do.
I shared here how I really believed that experiencing true joy and engaging fully in life can make a big difference, including things like weight loss, and I continue to believe that to be the case. Sometimes now, I find myself (especially with winter entering the scene) wanting to hunker down and kind of disengage and hibernate, if you will but I know it’s important to resist that temptation. I know I need to engage fully in life and experiencing something every day that brings me great joy or it will be like living a slow and painful death…a death I’ve felt before and never want to feel again.
My best friend and I do this thing we call “first bumping”. It’s kind of like a fist bump but we do it when we experience something for the first time and we love to find opportunities to make this happen. Many of the things I did weren’t things I would normally choose to do…they were outside my comfort zone. But I chose to do them anyway. I wanted these experiences…good or not so good…in my life because I knew it was important. While weight loss is just a side bonus and not the reason I did anything, I am proud to say I am down just over 70 pounds since April and I believe 100% it’s because I made a choice to live my life.
What choice will you make today?
Congratulations of the weight loss! That’s impressive. What a year. May 2014 be EVERYTHING you want it to be and MORE!
Thank you, Susan! I feel great and have so much more energy. Life is good and I can’t wait for 2014 – for all of us!!
It’s been fun seeing your pics on Facebook during 2013 and all the things you have done. I am so happy for you getting out and enjoying/trying new things. I can’t wait until we get together, so I can hug what’s left of you and catch up! 馃檪
Thank you Cindy. I can’t wait either! Maybe you can come out this way and see my new place 馃檪 I’m excited to share it with you!
I would love to come see it!!!!! I think I have been by them before and thought they looked so grand. :). Do you need help moving?
You are too kind! We are hiring movers. My bestie offered to pay for them so he doesn’t have to move my heavy furniture 馃檪 I’m really blessed. Busy packing and hoping to get them scheduled this week…just trying to coordinate a couple of schedules.
So important to experience ‘new’. Seems that as we get older – finding the new-ness in everything makes it all the more special – :-)!
It has become so special when I experience that sense of new-ness – you are so right!
Woohoo! What a year you’ve had- sounds like you have embraced a whole new joy in life and that is fantastic. The cherry on top are the pounds you have shed, amazing. I know how hard that can be. Keep up the “fun” in life!!
It has been really incredible. I’ve never been happier! Looking forward to keeping that fun going 馃檪
70 pounds? Stand up and strut, woman! That\’s great. Sounds like you had a terrific year. Glad that I get to spend 2014 with you, even if it is only virtually.
It has been, Linda! Hopefully, we can bring this relationship into more than virtually should we visit each other’s neck of the woods. That would be wonderful! 馃檪
First off congrats on your weight loss, that is a heck of a lot of lbs you shed off! It sounds like you had a very exciting year. I myself tend to catch myself leaning towards a life of the known and regular because it’s comfortable, when I know a little adventure would be more fun and better for me. Good for you for acknowledging that and taking control of living an exciting life.
Thanks, Tiffany. It feels great. Adventure is a really important part of life for me. It doesn’t have to be big or crazy but a little of that doesn’t hurt either 馃檪
adventure and joy often go hand in hand! 馃檪
Yes, they do, Ann! Most of the time they do 馃檪
You are an inspiration, Michele! Love that! The tomato fest sounds like a blast. I did not know about that one. It’s been quite the year, hasn’t it?! Can’t wait to see what 2014 looks like!
The tomato fest was one of the funnest things I have ever done!! It was such a wonderful year!
Love how you have embraced more in life, out so much out of your comfort zone. What a bonus the weight loss. Good for you. This is wow! … and you look awesome. Happy 2014! May there be many more out of comforts that you will experience and that will also bring you lots of joy.
It was a fantastic year and I’m looking so forward to 2014!! May it bring you lots of joy 馃檪