Competition, Comparison or CELEBRATION?

Competition, Comparison or CELEBRATION?
The other day I overheard my daughter's friend say to her, 'You are perfect. I hate you.'... Wait what?! Was that supposed to be a compliment?  Why is it that (especially) us Ladies see 'HER' success as my loss.  Why do we constantly compare ourselves to one another.  Why do we see 'HER' doing something good & we immedantily think there is LESS for me.  I think it has allot to do with this Scarcity Mentality.  This is a hidden agreement that we (Ladies) have had for way to long.
Scarcity Mentality says things like:
-there is not enough
-I'm not enough
-there's nothing left for me

As if there was a pie & if 'she' gets a bigger piece that means there is LESS for me.

At the end of December, I was at a Birthday Party for Jesus & one of my closest Girlfriend's, Bethanie came up to me & shared with me where she was at & it was clear by the look in her eyes that she needed a change & I recognized that look. (I'd saw that same look in the mirror for awhile) So, I  jumped in with her!  We decided to do a Wellness Challenge through Herbalife & TruHit Gym.  We changed our eating habits & workouts ...& we got to do this together!!!  It was a tremendous gift to go through this Transformation together!  She was a great source of accountability, inspiration & strength! (still is)

But, let me be real here, it was hard.  We went up against this ugly spirit of Scarcity & Comparison.  The enemy of our souls came for our friendship & our success.

A month or so into our challenge Bethanie won the Janurary Challenge & after one of our WOD (Workout Of the Day) :) Our Coach & good Friend said to me 'Look at Bethanie's numbers.  She is rocking it!  She is doing her Meal Plan & getting great results!'  (in front of everybody)
THIS.WAS.HARD.
In my head I was a 13 year old girl who didn't measure up.  What I heard her say was... you are not enough.  What she was saying was it's working for Bethanie & it will work for you.  She was trying to give me hope but the enemy was trying to take me captive with comparison.  I trust my Coach. I know she loves me & wants what is best for me!

This was a gift for me.   The LORD had deeper healing for me in this area.

Immediately after this happened, Bethanie & I came together & spoke about it. We said to one another...'This Comparison Thing is NOT who WE are. It's not how we do things!'

Also, Bethanie felt bad for doing great!?!  I do not (for one second) want my friend to shrink back because she is fearful that I'm going to get my feelings hurt!  I want her to SHINE!  Her success is also mine!

Have you ever heard God say 'yes' to someone else & 'not right now' to you...that really feels like a 'no'.  If we are honest it stings a little.  (sometimes allot!)  But here's the thing, we need a NEW perspective!  When this happens, see it as HOPE!  (your 'yes' is on it's way!)

So no more scarcity mentality.  Let's flip it to 'abundance' mentality.  He is a MORE than God!

It says in Ephesians 3:20-'Now to HIM who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us!'  

Know that the LORD is good & his intentions for you are good.  I am fully equipped for MY work.  HE has made me with great care & purpose.  He has clothed my body for the plans HE has for me...to carry my load.  There is place in this world that only I can fill.  Why would I desire to fill a space that wasn't meant for me.

I am enough because HE is enough. HE has more than enough.

I am so thankful that Bethanie shared this experience with me & that we 'get' to do this thing together!!!  We are both Herbalife Coaches in hopes to help others!  Oh, and BTW, I won the February Transformation Challenge! :) Only at Jesus' Birthday Party do you take home a gift that I get to keep opening everyday!!!

And let's teach our little Girls to cheer for each other!  There is more than enough. Let us CELEBRATE each other!

Shine on, Beloved!

<3

What a difference a Month makes!

So today was our Final Assessment for January Challenge with HerbaLife & TruHit.  I want to share with you my WINS.  And this is not what you might think or even what I thought they were going to be at the beginning of this month...You see this is not about what I lost but what I GAINED.

  I GAINED a bigger heart!

I learned (am learning) an appreciation for my body AS IS!(.)  As I would go to the gym or even in my Yoga classes I would ENJOY the things my body can do & not focus on the things that I just haven't done yet.  Instead of looking in the mirror & picking myself apart, I took a long look in the mirror & LIKED what saw... and let me just say this had very little to do with the outside of my body & allot to do with what's WITH IN me. (Inside Job!)

My Creator, my Heavenly Father created me with great intention & purpose.  ...fearfully & wonderfully made. Ps 139

                 I GAINED more food!

Every time I would get on the scale for my weekly check in's my coach, Shelly would adjust some things.  She would look at my Number's & see my lack & give me more.  She didn't take food away, she gave me more of what I was lacking.  EVERY time I got on a scale & she saw I didn't lose weight so she ADDED to my food intake!!!  For me I needed more Protein...allot more protein.  I was unaware of how much my body needs protein to operate in the place where I can THRIVE.  So I trusted her because She has been doing this for a long time & has seen great results.  The scale has always been a huge trigger for me.  It has always told me where I had fallen short ...& in a way that's true.  I needed MORE good food!

The LORD is a 'more than' God.  HE always wants to give me more where I lack.  ...Every good & Perfect gift is from HIM. James 1:17

I GAINED relationships!

I did this challenge with one of my Besties, Bethanie.  We were both in the same place in our mind, body & soul & wanted something more!  So I got to do some of my sweating alongside my Sister!

To hear her voice say to me 'You got this!' or 'two minutes left' or 'keep it up!'...gave me SO much strength ...gave me LIFE!

Also, through out this challenged I realized how much I 'treated' myself by giving myself junk.  So I would send Bethanie pictures of what I was choosing not to eat (my favorite cookies, taco bell or even doughnuts)  ...and you know what it helped me!  Just to know that someone else knew I wanted this & I was choosing  something that was better for me was SO powerful!  She was there with me when I didn't see anything shifting & she stood with me & spoke to things I didn't see.  But most of the time her silent presence was what I needed most... to know she {in} this with me.

(Jesus has been teaching me ALLOT about Presence but that will be another Blog)

Also, she ROCKED this challenge & I got to be in on the celebration of her hard work!  I got to see her smile through sweat & she inspired me SO much with her strength! (Iron sharpens Iron)

One class last week I was so inspired by the women around me in my class I started crying... while doing mountain climbers!

Let me just take a moment & clarify what I saw,  I saw veterans that have been doing Cross Fit for a long time & they looked so strong & brave!

Then there were others that had been away for a while & they came in lifting double my body weight just by showing up in there own skin & they were so strong & so brave!

Then there was me, a Beginner asking for the modification so I wouldn't hurt my back... & I was strong & brave!

We were not meant to travel this road alone.  HE is near & Girlfriends make it so much more fun to sweat with!  Text/Call & meet up for a hike or even a yoga class!  ...Our Father created us for relationships with Him & with others! ...Gen 1:27

I GAINED knowledge!

Brooke Boone always says 'In order to know where you are going you have to know where you are.'  Drop the Pin.

At the beginning of the month I took measurements & I took an assessment of some basic skills.  I got on the scale. (and the hardest one for me) I took some pictures.

I wanted to get sober-minded.  I wanted to see where I was starting.  No shame.  No condemnation, it's just were I was...

You see Beloved, this was more than a Resolution for me, it was the last month of being 36 & this for me was one of the hardest years (mentally/spiritually) of my life & I refuse to let this year go down feeling like it was all a waste.  It is privilege to get older! ..to have another birthday.  I want to live the abundant life for my Hubby, for my Kids, for my friends & most importantly for me!  HE made me for MORE!

I now KNOW how to feed my body. I have SO much more energy & strength & I am ready to what God has called me to do, this day.

Maybe, just maybe Jesus has more for me than a 'Thigh Gap' or number on the scale (& if you have that you rock, too)...

Oh & by the way I signed up for another month Challenge.  I feel to good to stop!

So, Beloved, you are NOT alone in your struggle.  I hope you know that.  Have some fun maybe even do a Box Jump or even a Burpee!  But jump in, live your life to the full!  

Where does my validation come from?

Where does my validation come from?

BY AMY SCOTT

Today was one of those days where I felt like I got knocked down.  I got on the scale and it did not say what I thought it would say...  Seriously, I should KNOW by now that validation for my hard work is never going to come from a scale.  But why do I keep going back to that place for approval???  Yesterday, I was feeling stronger & (most importantly) happy with the changes I have made since the beginning of the year to {be} intentional about what I put into my MIND, BODY & SOUL...
So why did everything change when I got on the scale???
And what if it did say what I wanted it to say, what then... would that make it all worth it?  Until the next time I got on the scale...  It's just like the enemy to dangle some fruit in front of me & jerk it away at the last minute.

I think what it comes down to for me is that I want what I do to matter.  I want to SEE a difference. like now!

My goal at the beginning of the year was to 'FEEL' better... to feel more like ME.  To be comfortable in my own skin.  And that my Sister, is an INSIDE job.  What I mean by that is that no ONE or no THING outside can tell me that what I am doing matters except me.  I have to believe that the choices I am making today are making me ready for all God has for me tomorrow.

Here's another thing, there is this beautiful balance of acceptance & challenging myself to be little bit better than I was yesterday.  To show up as I am but to leave changed.  In Yoga they say the Yin & Yang... We need both.

So I get out of bed, and put things of value into my mind & body to feed my soul & believe that it does matter.  It matters to my hubby, my kids, my friends & even that stranger in the store that needed a smile that I was able to give it to them because I am feeling good. ...& It matters to my Maker!

HE sees.

Ultimately, I was made for MORE!  (John 10:10)  I was made for a FULL life.  Maybe that why I weigh so much because I am FULL!

I don't know if this helps you at all...or if this lesson was just for me but I thought I'd share {in} my process.  And if you get on that old scale today & it doesn't tell you what you think it should, throw it away!  Stop going to it to tell you your worth.  Go to your Creator.  He is well pleased!  And His pleasure has nothing to do with your weight.  He looks at the heart...

And as Fat Amy would say, (from Pitch Perfect) 'Fat heart's are what really maters!'  :)

So Beloved, feed your soul today & know you are not defined by the number on that scale!