Make Each Minute Count

Much of the motivation to start this blog was to “do more.” To make more of life, to make things count.  I made a conscious decision to worry less about things, and ignore others’ opinions on what ‘someone like me’ should or shouldn’t be doing.  For years, I considered myself too big to wear spaghetti straps – my summer dresses always had sleeves – and I hadn’t even considered a bikini since my teens.  This year, I bought a bikini, a gorgeous red one, and I’m proud to say that I have worn it in public! Because I don’t want my girls’ memories to be of me sitting out while they splash about in the sea, and because I want them to have a positive body image and see real women. Moreover, I wore it because I wanted to! For me. Because it’s beautiful. I’m going to be saying, “Yes” a lot more. Why not?

The bikini is only a small part of it. My aim towards the end of last year was to spend more time outside, whatever the weather. It’s been proven so many times how beneficial it can be for general health and well-being to be in the fresh air, and I can definitely vouch for that. Having worked behind a desk for years, I was becoming frighteningly sedentary! I’ll talk about the various reasons I started running in another post, but for the moment the key thing is that I’m getting out there. I find it inspiring! The changes in the light, the wildlife you see . . . I was waxing lyrical last week about some of the heavenly scent from roses and honeysuckle from gardens on some of my favourite running routes locally.  It really doesn’t matter what the weather is like; check the forecast before you leave the house and you’ll be ready for whatever Mother Nature hurls your way.

My girls are teaching me about mindfulness with what they’re learning at school and I’ve decided we should all be making things count.  Make every day count.  A few years ago, I did the #100happydays challenge for a couple of summers, and it’s that mentality that I’m trying to capture again, to look for the good in every day, and to find something every day that makes me smile.  Some days are easier than others, and some days really are a struggle, but the intention is there.  I also learned that if I didn’t find something every day, it didn’t matter.  It doesn’t spell failure. I adopted the motto of being #consistentnotperfect (more about that another day, too!)

Essentially it means don’t sweat the small stuff.  I don’t count calories because this is my one shot at life so I’m not going to deprive myself. If someone offers me a biscuit I like the look of, I’m gonna take one. Having a portion of chips at the weekend doesn’t make me naughty. It’s not a ‘bad’ thing.  I try to eat healthily but at the same time I’m going to live my life and if that means a bit of fast food now and then, I’m not going to beat myself up about it.  It really isn’t the end of the world, and I really don’t need to punish myself for it.

We’re spending our summer holiday making memories.  We’re going to make it count and look back on it for years to come remembering what a great time we had.  We don’t get all that much time all together, and time really is precious, so I want it to be memorable.  Doing nothing can be great, but doesn’t it feel like time wasted? So this year, I’m wearing the shorts. You’ll find me at the beach, by the lake, or up a hill somewhere.