Don't worry about a thing, Cause every little thing gonna be all right!

I am a professional worrier. I think I inherited that skill and passed it on to my children. I was fussing with something in my head this morning and remembered something that my husband use to say to me.  I worked many years ago as a nurse. I was on a medical/surgical floor and we had the patients that were one step below intensive care.  Most of those patients were really sick.  I would work a shift and then go home and worry about facing the fears, challenges, and possibilities of the next day. I know I should have been able to leave those concerns at work but when you are dealing with these very fragile patients it is hard to do.  He could tell that I had concerns and would ask me. "What is the worse thing that could happen?"  I would talk with him about some of the concerns and he would say. "Just wait and see."  Always when I would come home from work the next day he would ask me. "Was it as bad as you imagined?" Most of the time it was not. Most of the time the problem or challenge was not half as bad as I had worried it into.  I have had to ask myself that a lot in the past few years. Sometimes, yes, it is as bad as I had imagined or worse but most of the time no. We all have had worse days, and times of our lives. We all have had challenges. Some of us have many more than others.  It is hard to not worry and want to fix things before they even happen. I have learned it is impossible and just exhausts me trying. I hate to see my children worry about things that they have little control over.  I know I taught them a lot of that by example and wish I could change that.  All I can do now is remind them that worrying about it is only going to exhaust them. Maybe they need to talk it over with their dad so he can tell them, "just wait and see." "Was it as bad as you imagined? Two of my grand's have a song they like to sing to me once in a while. It is by Bob Marley and goes like this.

                               Three Little Birds Lyrics
Don't worry about a thing,
Cause every little thing gonna be all right.
Singin' Don't worry about a thing,
Cause every little thing gonna be all right!

Rise up this mornin'
Smiled with the risin' sun
Three little birds Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true
Sayin. (This is my message to you-ou-ou)

Don't worry about a thing,
Cause every little thing gonna be all right.
Singin' Don't worry(don't worry) bout a thing
Cause every little thing gonna be all right

Rise up this morning
Smiled with the risin' sun
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
sayin' (This is my message to you-ou-ou)

Singin' Don't worry about a thing, worry about a thing, oh
Every little thing gonna be all right. Don't worry
Singin' don't worry about a thing- I won't worry
 Cause every little thing gonna be all right.

Singin'  don't worry about a thing
Cause every little thing gonna be all right- I won't worry
Singin" don't worry about a thing
Cause every little thing gonna be all right
Singing  don't worry about a thing oh no!
Cause every little thing gonna be all right.!!!!!!!!

Trail Thrasher

I have mentioned several times about how important good shoes are for my exercise journey.  I have the best shoes I have ever owned.  I want to tell you a little about them.  One day my daughter was having a garage sale and  just mentioned to me that she had a pair of brand new shoes that she did not like.  I swooped right down on them and gave them a good look. They were black(hot in the desert) and very chunky and solid looking.  I have always walked in a walking shoe that has mesh or a very light material and usually a light color. These shoes were just not me.  I decided to put them on and see how they felt. AHHHHHH my feet said. These are wonderful. They were extra wide in the toe area and comfy. The tread was thick and had little ribs that held the base of the shoe up just a little. When I walked they gave a little bit of a push off with the next step. So I decided to take them for a walk. I did not feel every little crack and bump on the trail that I usually do. They gave me a little spring to my walk. My feet did not have the aches and pains that I often have.  I love these shoes.  I have ordered myself another pair in case I wear the first pair out. I think I will always walk with what is called a "trail running shoes." That is what these are and they are cushioned to withstand that kind of punishment. (I would never dare run a trail)  I forget how important the right shoes can be. I had to pay a little more than usual for the extra pair but it was worth it. If my feet hurt I do not walk and do the exercise that I need.  The little extra money is worth it. I have put 267 miles on my Trail Thrasher's since the middle of October and plan to add a few more. So if you see me out in my chunky black shoes just wave and know that my feet are saying.   AHHHHHHHHHH.

I AM???

I recently challenged someone to come up with 12 things that they liked or made them happy.  This friend struggled with that list.  I realized that she had forgotten about so many of the gifts she had.   I then changed the requirements to be self descriptions of her.  She again struggled.  I then realized that we all forget who we are.  We get lost in all the everyday crap(yes crap) that often doesn't matter and forget our own self worth.   I challenge you to make a list of your own.  I AM.  You might want to  dig really deep on this.  It can also be.  I HAVE.  If  you get really stuck, think about why your friends like you? Why do your kids? What did a parent, or grandparent see in you?  There are so many things that each and everyone of us IS or HAS.    Below are some examples of what I mean about I AM,  or I HAVE.

I AM: Smart, funny, organized, compassionate, loving, gentle, strong, seasoned, experienced, friendly, happy, kind, helpful, teachable, etc.

I HAVE:  Beautiful eyes,  freckles, dimples, red hair, great smile, pretty nails, smile wrinkles, smooth skin, songbird voice, musical talent, people skills, computer skills, funny personality, etc.


We all have gifts, talents, and special things about us.  We just need to remind ourselves once in a while.  

Listening in class.

I have mentioned before that I help get some of my Grand's to school in the morning. This week I have been sick so that delightful assignment was passed onto my son.  One morning before they went to school they went with him to do the chores. They were looking at the new grave of my daughter's sweet cat Kiara.  Now Kiara has been a member of our whole family for 15 years. All of the Grand's have spent hours and hours with her. Playing with her, poking at her eyes and ears, laying on her soft side, and just loving on her.  She loved it!! Those babies were hers!  Anyway,  the younger one who is 6 stood there quietly for a few moments then looked up and said...."If  I could make any two people in the whole wide world come back to life it would be Kiara..... and Martin Luther King."

One year today!

I wrote my first post one year ago today!!!! WOW I can't believe how fast that time went. I want to thank all of you for your words of thanks and encouragement. I have had 59,501 page views and I just can't process that. I hope I have helped you in your healthy journey's. You have certainly help me.  I can't wait to see what comes out of my mind this next year that I will be sharing with you. Sometimes I read what I have posted and say...What was I thinking? (especially the swimming suit photos) I guess you will just have to check in and see!!!

WOW!!!!

I just love it when I see my little 1 year old Grand.  He is such a positive and happy little person. I love the way he greets me when he sees me.  He will look at me and smile and with a loud voice shout out WOW!!!   Every time I go to his house he does that.  I have not asked if he does that to other people who he sees. He does not do it when my husband walks in.  I like to think it is just for me.  I like that a lot as a greeting.  What a great boost to my ego. WOW!!!!  I can imagine all kinds of wonderful things that WOW could mean.  I look great!  My clothes are awesome!  My hair is perfect!  I am liked!  I am loved! He is glad to see me!  I think I am going to try that out on a few people. Instead of a hello or hi, how you doing?  I am going to smile my biggest smile and say WOW!!!!

13 and 1/2 miles. Why?

I wrote in a previous Blog that I had walked a couple of 1/2 marathons and completed them. One I even hold the record for being last!!!  In the St. George 1/2, I finished 28 seconds to late.  I walked over that line at 3 hours 30  minutes and 32 seconds.  I stopped before the finish line and gave "high fives" to my family waiting and so did not complete it under the time limit. (the high fives were as important as the final time)  The Dog Town (Washington, Utah)  I finished with about a minute to spare and I hold the record for last. I thought I was done with all that walking but I thought wrong.  Little promptings kept popping into my head last August. Maybe? Should I? Why? Why Not? A lot of training. A lot of good exercise!!!  So I signed up.  I am planning to walk the St. George 1/2  marathon on Saturday January 18th.  13.1 miles in 3 and 1/2 hours.  I have been walking may miles to get ready.  It has been so much easier on my body this time. I am carrying about 70 pounds less on my feet, knees, and hips than last time. I have been keeping track of the miles I have walked since I got my phone tracker in the middle of October and was surprised to realize that I have walked about 205 miles in training mode.  It doesn't seem like I have walked that much.  I put on my shoes, my fanny pack, my music and I go.  As I was walking the other day I looked back at the past  5 years and remembered how I use to be.  I remember the slow painful walks to the mail box and back. (having to take a pain pill to do that)  I remember having to put on knee supports to walk around a couple of blocks.  If anyone had told me a few years ago that I would be walking 1/2 marathons at the age of 60 I would have laughed at them.  Miracles are possible. Health can be improved. Change can occur. Start YOUR training to better health.  Maybe your goal is a block, a walk to your mail box,  a  flight of stairs,  a walk around your house twice, lifting soup cans while sitting in your recliner, standing up and sitting down through TV commercials, tossing a ball with your pet, leg lifts, dancing through a whole song, or dancing AND singing through a whole song.  It doesn't matter the distance or what you do. What matters is YOU DID IT!!