Get real...seek...take action...

I began Jo:Moma with the intent to make health and fitness more convenient for busy Moms. In the past year and a half, services and products may have changed (evolved), however my mission remains the same: 

Sharing tips & tricks, that make reaching and maintaining health and fitness goals, both convenient and comfortable for the busy woman. 

Being healthy and fit IS DOABLE on a time sensitive schedule when you are being pulled in numerous directions.  It takes a bit of mental reprogramming (putting yourself first), and perhaps changing your schedule....BUT it can be done. Whether you are doing a complete lifestyle overhaul, or removing a routine glass of wine (I know, wtf?!)....you can do it. You can do it without breaking the bank. You can do it without petitioning for more hours in a day. You can do it without running away from home. I know all this, because what I share has been tried and tested...by yours truly (if I try to run away, they find me...). 

The first step is getting real with yourself. Ask yourself the tough questions. What is it you hope to accomplish? If your goal is truly one you desire, you will make the changes required. If you have found yourself joining gyms you don't attend, and purchasing supplements you keep on a back shelf in a cupboard, you are not sincerely interested in either. Nail down your goal. 

Next, seek ways to reach it. There are more than 100 ways to skin a cat (relax PETA it's just a saying). Do your own research. When you invest time, you will increase your level of commitment. Make a list of possible routes to reach your goal. 

For example, if your goal is to change the reflection in the mirror, this can be tackled several ways:

a) Diet (change how/what you eat)

b) Lift weights (muscle takes up less space than fat)

c) Cardio (blast calories)

d) Increase water consumption

e) Stabilize your hormones

f) Smash the mirror with a brick (a fave of mine, truly satisfying, until you have to clean it up), etc....

Finally, take action. Choose a route you think you will enjoy in order to reach your goal. If you don't like it, you won't last long on that path. If you find you fall out of like with a plan, try another. There is no shame in changing it up. Variety is the spice of life. Sometimes change is what you need to refuel a passion and to keep your goal in view. 

Lastly (I know I already said finally...), check in with Jo:Moma. I want everyone to succeed. Let's create a community where our goals are met with ideas & support. 

Stay happy & healthy 

www.jomoma.ca 

Words

We say them, write them, read them, think them. They can be benign or powerful. And at this stage of our technologically rich lives, they are controlling and dangerous. 

Ever written what you thought was a simple harmless text, only for it to be misinterpreted and now the bane of your existence? Ya....me too. We all have. Words have power. How we say something is equally as important as what we say. Tone and body language play a large part in the message that is intended to be delivered. And now, most of our communication is done over cyberspace. Too many exclamation points may irritate the reader. A short form (ttyl..lol..np..wtf..) can seem flippant versus device appropriate. All caps could mean excitement, anger, or a stuck caps lock. Let's not forget autocorrect...dear gawd, how many lives has that ruined?! 

The point being, we spend more time texting/emailing/tweeting/updating in a written form and the intended message is frequently lost in translation. We spend far too much time with our perceived message intent than we do with the message. We read between the lines, we create stories that didn't exist, and we stop truly communicating. 

Remember the game telephone? A large group of people, with one person starting off a chain of people to repeat the 'original' sentence whispered in the ear of one person to the next. How often was that butchered by the end? Sometimes it was derailed on purpose by a member, and sometimes by the simple fact that it was misheard. In our cyber worlds, this still happens. But now the message gets to be introduced by someone first "hey, checkout the following bullschmidt post...." Or "hey, I love this! Have a read...".  

It is time to take back the control of words on our lives.  Seek clarity. Ask intent. Make up your own mind (don't rely on the 'introduction')... But most importantly, step away from the screen and fully communicate. Look up and into the eyes of the person relaying a message. Listen to the voice that is sharing. 

Stay happy & healthy

www.jomoma.ca