Monday

Mantra Monday: Be the Ship

Mantra Monday

I mentioned that I joined SparkPeople, right? I've decided to figure out my BMR and start counting calories. I know, lose weight, count calories, all of that kind of goes together, but honestly before now, I haven't really counted calories. I've just eaten six small meals and paired them with healthy whole grains, veggies, and proteins (BFL). And that has worked really well for me. Until now, when it's not working anymore.

So SparkPeople has all these great motivational quotes and I thought the actual "today" quote was kind of lame or at least it didn't do anything for me.

But I was scrolling down and this one stuck.

“A ship in the harbor is safe. But that’s not what ships are built for.”

I never like quotes about things like ships, even though I say that quote about being ships in the night all the time but usually I mess it up and say something like, "We're like two ships in the wind!" Which doesn't make any sense..

But I like this one because Gosh doesn't this make sense in such a million ways.

(Ok first, I'd like to insert small joke here and exclaim, "I'm the ship!" for all to hear and see if they think I really said "ship.")

Back to serious, when I hear this quote I picture myself just after my kids. I am the ship and my house is the harbor. And before I was ready to lose any babyweight I spent a lot of time inside. Here, no one could criticize me. No one could tell me how to look, how to parent, how to act, how to be me as a parent (which was what I was scared of the most -- Who on earth was I? Who had I become?)

So I stayed in a lot.

But that didn't do anyone any good. I just kind of went away from the world.

Then I started to come out of my shell and things started to move along. And I had that moment of epiphany when I realized I had a lot of weight to lose and I had better get moving. And now a hundred million hours later, that takes on a whole new meaning to me.

Now I'm a ship. And the harbor is my comfort zone. And everything that is in my comfort zone includes my workout, my goals, my path to getting there. And I know now that breaking through means first having to leave the harbor.

Because how am I going to get anywhere if I just stay in the same place?

As scared as I am about leaving my comfort zone, that's what I have to do now. I have to do exercises I don't like but that work (aka abs and more and different strength training period.) I have to eat differently (count calories). I have to make myself a little sweaty and a little uncomfortable (remember Jillian? She says something like, "When it hurts is when you know it's working" or something like that...)

So that's my mantra for this week.

I'm gonna be the ship. How bout you? What is your harbor?
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3 comments:

  1. Wow that is a great quote. My harbour would either be food and/or my home. Its so easy to stay home and eat. I have been venturing out more and more and I love going on walks and visiting with friends so thats great.

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  2. "Heh. Christie said, 'I'm the...' Oh. Wait. 'Ship.' "

    That's interesting that you mention about staying in a lot after the baby was born. I remember being really content to stay at home, too. (Well, other than going out to lunch with former co-workers and going to the store....) I wonder if part of that is just a new-mom thing, rather than avoidance?

    Oh, I'm the ship, alright. Definitely been taking that ship out of the harbor of my comfort zones during the past year.

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  3. I to need to do this. I know it will hurt and I will be tired. I need to leave my comfort zone. I keep posting about how much I want to change and doing the bare minimum to achieve.
    I will be 35 this June and my comfort zone has not been much comfort to me. The age is not the point. For me my age shows that I am old enough to do better and young enough to change.
    PS I quoted your post

    http://elfteajusthealthier.blogspot.com/2009/06/out-of-my-comfort-zone.html

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