Be Happy! Dance!

Love your Life! Everyday in everyway.  No matter what the circumstance, find something to be happy about today. 

There are so many things in life to celebrate and be joyful about.  Life is fragile and can be over in seconds.

Live your life to the fullest, every minute of every hour.  Cherish that chance meeting with friends you haven't seen in years, the sun that comes up everyday without any work on our part, the birds that sing, our animals that love us unconditionally, our family who loves us despite our shortcomings.

Over the last few weeks there has been so much mention of illness surrounding me that it has made me just want to jump up and dance and be so very grateful for the good health that I have and to strive everyday to be a better person than I was the day before.

Find something, anything to be grateful for and that makes you happy today.  Turn on the radio, watch a youtube video - get up dance and celebrate the life that is you!  I know I will be!

Kimberley

Exercise, a power packed word!

Exercise.  An eight letter word that is packed with such amazing benefits!  Why do we resist it so much when it feels so good?

In my life, exercise has been my friend.  It has helped my broken heart to heal on many occassions.

It has given me motivation. When I discovered I could actually see my body changing and those muscles in those arms, I knew I could do anything if I set my mind to it!

It has given me the courage to continue on.

It has made me stronger.  Stronger physically and stronger mentally. 

It has made me hopeful.  Hopeful that all really is well and that the world is really a great place to be in.

It has introduced me to new friends.

It has given me the energy to live a more vibrant life.

It has allowed me to eat that extra cookie when I feel like eating it!

It gives me the knowing that I can always push myself to do more than I believe I am capable of!

I encourage everyone to find an exercise they love and stick with it! And when you have mastered that one, find a new one and change it up! Your body and mind will love you for it! 

Kimberley

Women, our beautiful selves

I popped into the grocery store today after a rigourous workout on the bike, clocking 9 miles and a high resistance level.  I was very proud that I made the gym a priority on a beautiful 90 degree day in Buffalo, NY.  My legs were throbbing and for the very first time, I dared to wear those yoga, type, boy shorts. 

I thought to myself, do I dare go into the grocery store looking like this?  I had a workout jacket in the car, so I thought why not.  I was proud of my very toned and muscular legs that I have earned with rigourous five day a week workouts. I put the jacket on and in I went.

I didn't have much time as my nephew was helping with yard work and I was picking up some things to serve him lunch.  I ran through the produce isle gathering lettuce and tomatoes, then onto the deli counter, trying not to be aware if anyone was looking at me strangely with those boy shorts on!

I grabbed a number at the counter.  Even though it was a beautiful day, it was still very busy at the grocery store.  It is always packed on a sunday and the deli area was no exception. As I stood there waiting my turn, I heard a woman giggling.  I turned my head to see this very little person, scantily clothed in a black dress, that barely covered her "glutes" with five inch sexy gator heels on.  Her hair, brunette with some blonde highlights. She couldn't have been more than a size two at best!  As if that wasn't bad enough!  She was holding a waffle sundae from Cold Stone Creamery! She stood next to her boyfriend who was wearing a casual red and black plaid shirt over tan shorts with flip flops who apparently was ordering some deli meats.

Yes, did I just want to shoot her? Absolutely! Here I was on a blistering hot day, working my own "glutes" on a bike at the gym and she is going to Cold Stone Creamery! I couldn't help myself, I leaned over to the man standing next to me at the counter that was intently starring at her, (what man wouldn't?) and said " I hate her!" He laughed and I laughed too.

Just then, my eyes went to another beautiful woman, waiting at the deli counter. She was blonde, a bright smile, small framed as well , but wearing a navy blue and white hankerchief like casual shirt over long grey shorts and flip flops. One child in the front seat of a large cart, the other child in the back of the cart in a car seat, with groceries surrounding him. 

I smiled at her, walked toward her and told her how beautiful her children were.  She thanked me, appearing a little frazzled.  She shared with me that he husband is out of town most of the time and that her children are adopted and that she didn't bear them.  I quietly looked at this woman of natural beauty and said " you bore them from your heart."  She smiled. 

Pondering three very different woman standing at the deli counter, it reminded me of how very different we all are, yet how precious and beautiful we are in our own ways.  The seductive youth, the natural love of a mother, resonating through her face, and the strength of woman determined to be as fit and toned as she can be.

Kimberley

Clean Eating and Sage advice from Holland, NY

Spring is in the air and summer will soon be upon us.  That means all the wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables will be available at the grocery stores and local farmers markets. I always look forward to visiting the markets with all the delectable smells and the variety of color, the fresh flowers that the growers bring with them.  Perhaps one of my most favorite parts about the local markets are the growers themselves. I love to spend the time to chat with them and get to know their unique ways of farming and get to know them as people. 

This is also a great time to focus on getting our eating habits back on track and feeding our bodies the very best food!  I know we hear it everywhere, but with our very busy lives do we really make feeding our bodies healthy foods a priority?  I know for me this will be a renewed focus over the next few weeks and months to come. 

"Clean eating" seems to be a new phrase these days, so I have taken the time to investigate what the intention is.  Clean eating is nothing more than a focus on eating foods that strengthen and sustain our physical selves.  Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean protein, fats that are the "good fats" and a certain amount of dairy.  No sugar! That's the hardest for me.  I can do without the pasta (which took me about a year of withdrawal, I only have it once in awhile now), I can pass on the white bread and white rice. But! I have the hardest time passing on sugar in my coffee and cookie every few days!

I learned long ago from two wonderfully wise women, who I met when living in Holland,NY, that moderation is the key to living a healthy life.  These women were in their mid to late 80's when I met them and they grew up when people cooked with lard!  These women were healthy and vibrant, going to church every sunday, involved in bridge, garden and book clubs.  The one woman who was approaching 90 still drove a car and visited those who were "shut-ins."  She is still one of my life mentors!  I will never forget her. 

So, as all of us in the year 2012 focus on clean eating, exercising and healthy lives, I ask us all to ponder the wisdom of these ladies.

More to come on these wonderful women in the following days of my blog.  I feel that you my readers, will fall in love with them just as I have!




Love and Light,
  Kimberley

Moving On with Your Life...





There are moments in time that we just know that its time to "move on." Life has its own way of moving us forward, even when we don't want to.  We reluctantly go, kicking and screaming.  Not wanting to walk away from our comfort zone.

Whatever you comfort zone is: your current job that you have been in for years, the weight you have been carrying around that feels like a huge burden, the relationship you just know isn't working for you

The signs come, sometimes big, sometimes by small whispers.  But they do come!  I encourage you my readers to listen, listen closely.

Make the decision to change your life!  You don't have to live trapped under that weight, in that relationship , in that job that you absolutely hate.  Make the decision.  You have choices.  We all do.  It's up to us and only us to take a different road.