I am so loving Weight Watchers’ Simply Filling Plan–just this morning, for instance, I enjoyed my very favorite meal–hash browns cooked in a nonstick pan, with the prescribed two tsps of olive oil (or, as Rachel Ray famously calls it, E.V.O.O.) and two eggs poached in my handy-dandy little egg gizmo. My friends, I enjoyed every bite and certainly did not feel deprived in any way. I’ve finally started to exercise in earnest this past week, too, and my ActiveLink monitor, which measures my progress, sets challenges, and awards lovely activity points accordingly, is a big, big help.
One caveat, though, just in case you’re planning to try ActiveLink: I’ve discovered that it doesn’t measure some forms of exercise, such as riding a stationary bike as I do, with complete accuracy. There’s a place on the site where you can specify that you’re doing this particular activity, and it will adjust to that. I wear the thingy on my waistband while I’m riding (and listening to my beloved Daily Audio Bible) and then switch back to wearing it around my neck on a chain.
Today is weigh-in day, and I’m pretty sure I’ve lost more weight, but I’ll update you on that tomorrow. 🙂
Most notably, I am SO happy these days–right in the midst of a personal challenge of considerable magnitude (nothing tragic, so don’t worry!)–and I want to share the reasons with you. First, focused prayer. Jenni recently gave me a lovely prayer journal and I decided to record the names of the people I want to pray for, along with situations, etc. I spend quite a while with this, and let me tell you, it’s night and day different from my former method–which, I’m ashamed to admit, was a sort of too-quick over-the-shoulder, hey-God-how-ya-doin’? kind of thing. (Worse, my prayers were longer when I wanted to lodge a complaint.) Now, I’m praying like I mean it–and I do.
Second, my Gratitude Journal. Back in November, when I visited Seattle and spent some quality time with my good buddy, Debbie Macomber, who happens to be one of the most inspirational people I know, by the way, we were wandering around Pike Place Market and came upon a booth where lovely, handmade journals were being sold. I was immediately drawn to one in particular; the cover is leather and the pages are deliciously textured, as the paper feels almost like cloth. To top it off, the closure consists of a beautiful gemstone (some sort of geode) and a loop. I bought the journal, intending to use it for something–though I must confess I cannot resist a nice journal and own many of them already. Around New Year’s Day, I decided this little treasure would serve as my Gratitude Journal, and I’ve been very consistent about writing down my blessings. Except for prayer, keeping this journal faithfully has been one of the best and most rewarding things I’ve ever done for myself.
Third Happiness Factor: the Daily Audio Bible. After two full years of listening, I’m beginning to realize (nobody has ever accused me of being a quick-study) that Scripture is literally the living Word of God. Over time, it becomes part of a person, by some kind of spiritual osmosis, and sets positive changes in motion–even the Old Testament stuff does this, believe it or not. 🙂
Four: Journaling, aka Morning Pages. I write three pages every morning in an ordinary notebook, and I am astounded by the insights I’m getting.
Of course there are other things that help me as well–art, time with my pets, exercise, eating in a healthy way–but I’ll save those for future blogs.
Are YOU keeping up your Gratitude Journal?
If you decided to listen to the Daily Audio Bible this year, are you doing that?
In closing, I’d like to share a quote I came across recently: “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” Viktor Frankl (Holocaust survivor and author of the groundbreaking, “Man’s Search for Meaning.”
Just a little something to think about. 🙂
About Linda
The daughter of a town marshal, Linda Lael Miller is a #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 100 historical and contemporary novels, most of which reflect her love of the West.
Raised in Northport, Washington, Linda pursued her wanderlust, living in London and Arizona and traveling the world before returning to the state of her birth to settle down on a horse property outside Spokane.
