There’s no good reason to stop now. It could very well be that I have come to a moment of confusion and am leaning towards standing still. I refuse to do that. To stop is to lose momentum. And to stall.

I don’t have all the answers for my cravings. There are projects taking me this way and that way. It’s not clear if they’re connecting but they are challenging and stretching me.

I used to need all the answers before I’d make a move but I won’t do that again. Sometimes we over think things. We over analyze and it can paralyze us.

This is how faith is gained and growth is developed. Right?

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It stands to reason then, that these ladies should be appreciated from time to time.  They will be delighted by any gesture or sacrifice you make and to kickstart some ideas, I came across the following sites to share with you.  Enjoy.

Jewelry for a Cause – Show her you care in a major way.  Proceeds from the sale of these affordable pieces are donated to various schools and charities.

Sent-Well – Beautiful handwritten cards with your personal messages stamped and sent on your behalf.

Make me Chic – Help her bring out her inner diva with these fun, fashion finds.

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Body image is a huge source of anxiety for most women.

Just in getting mentally prepared to get back in the gym, I’ve had some setbacks.  The day I signed up with a new workout facility, I spent 30 or 40 minutes perusing their website to see their offerings.  I could imagine myself in the slick, mirrored rooms walking on the treadmill and wiping my brow.  Pretty soon, I was thinking about what I was going to wear and soon after, I was reluctantly trying to decide if I was ready.

I wondered if I should start by working out at home.  Maybe it would be better to start slow, using an exercise DVD to shave off a few pounds before I met the public.  Nobody wants to see all this jiggling, I thought.  I hate my arms and my butt is a show-stopper.  This is too much.

An article I saw online stated that at any given point in time, 40 – 50% of American women are trying to lose weight.  We spend $40 billion on dieting and in 2007 there were 11 million cosmetic surgeries performed.  This is obviously not something I alone worry about.

The price to pay to be comfortable with my body is much too high.  I wish I could just speed up to the time where I’ve firmed and shaped up what I have.  It’s not as if I’m looking to instantly transform into Tyra’s body (she can keep the big forehead).  I realize it’s going to take commitment!

Perseverance is continued effort to do or achieve something despite the difficulties, failure or opposition.

I get it.

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The 30-Minute Workout Routine Slideshow: Exercise Pictures and Workout Schedule.

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The older I get the more complicated my beauty routine.

Being pretty used to be easy.  I would wake up in the morning and be gorgeous.  All my clothes were fabulous (and they fit).  There were lots of shoes to choose from with various heel heights.  My skin was flawless and I’d just wash it daily with whatever soap I could find.  And my makeup routine consisted of mascara and lip gloss.

Fast forward twenty five years and two kids.

The lady that sells me Mary Kay products is on speed dial.  I know the lady in the beauty section at Walgreen’s on a first name basis.  And I regularly text my Sister/Makeup Artist in New York with questions.  To add fuel to the fire, I have a serious flat shoe fetish because I feel I’m too old to fall in public.  Most of my clothing items are in my safe color – black.  I even have to plan my outfits the night before work.  And that’s because I have to check the weather, check my calendar and consider whether or not there’s a kid event that’s going to have me rotting away in the bleachers.

I need a grown up, Mommy makeover.

Seriously.  I’m a “before” who wants to become an “after”.

So my promise to myself is to work on pampering myself more. I’m going to take a few more trips to the experts at the expensive makeup counters and bypass the neighborhood drug stores. Then I’m pledging not to purchase any more black clothing. I will opt, instead for more colorful choices. And, I’ll find a product line that compliments my skin and build a beauty routine that rivals a supermodel. ‘Cause I’m worth it!

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At my house, my family pounces on me as soon as I walk in the door. The teenagers hear the chime and all of the sudden, their upstairs bedroom doors swing open. There is trampling down the stairs as one works to get ahead of the other. And if my husband is home, his greeting usually begins with a question that involves something that HE misplaced.

I truly believe that when I’m not home, my family is stuck in suspended animation. I imagine them in the house, stuck in pause like they’re in a video recording. I walk in the door and God presses “play”.

If the law was passed, I could walk in the door and the whole house would be quiet for at least 20 minutes. First, I’d hang my coat in the closet instead of hanging it on the back of the nearest chair. I’d shuffle through the mail and turn the radio to a jazz station. The wine I put in the fridge to chill wouldn’t be sitting on the counter because nobody would’ve taken it out to get to the juice so I’d pour a glass. And I wouldn’t be rushed to figure out what to cook for dinner – therefore making a healthy choice instead of a convenient one.

If only.

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Do people still say “jamming”?

I’m not quite sure but it’s appropriate here where I’ve got the list of the 10 Hottest Workout tunes.  According to the site RunHundred.com, this group of songs will ensure you finish your entire workout today, tomorrow and all the way through your New Year’s Resolution.  So check out the links, enjoy the song and do one more crunch for me, okay?