Wonder Woman Christmas Edition: Saying “Yes” to Life

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It’s Christmas time! Isn’t it crazy how we’ve reached here already? Not only are we celebrating
the birth of Christ again, we are in the last two weeks of 2015. A year ago, many of you decided
to begin your fitness journey and I have to congratulate you on coming this far. It isn’t easy but
those pants or dress you couldn’t fit last year just slide onto your body like butter. It’s an
amazing feeling.
As we all reflect on our respective fitness journeys, we also reflect in general, on our lives
within the past year. What we gained, what we’ve lost, and how we grew. It always blows my
mind how time flies these days. 2016 is literally around the corner and like everyone else, I
want to make sure the upcoming year is better than the last.
Currently, I’m reading Shonda Rhimes “A Year of Yes”. Anyone who knows me knows I am a
huge (HUGE. She sells it, I’m buying) fan of Shonda and her empire (because truly that is what
she has built). The creative genius that is her gave the world some of our favorite shows. She’s
incredible but in her book she reveals she was also incredibly AFRAID of anything outside her
very small comfort zone. Shonda was inspired to, for a whole year, say yes to all that scared her
and eventually, say yes to saying NO to the negative aspects of her life, ie her eating habits.
So Shonda realizes that despite having everything she’s ever wanted, she’s unhappy and
stressed but food makes it all better. Whenever things would bother her, she would apply the
salve of food. She was saying yes to all the food but NO to her health.
How familiar does that sound?
Too familiar. Many of us use food as a coping mechanism and it’s never healthy food. It’s salty,
creamy, sweet goodness that clogs up our arteries. Why? Because what taste goods makes us
feel good – really good – at least for the moment. It can be argued that chocolate cake is better
than sex (or at least comparable for those of you who now want to fight me over my
argument). And when the going gets tough, well the tough don’t always get going. The tough
sometimes just sit…and eat.

 

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The holidays, particularly the end of the year can be joyous but it can be stressful and
depressing as hell. When you realize that you aren’t where you planned to be and cookies seem
to be everywhere (shout out to you all in offices that now have this random ass never ending
supply of sweets during this season. I feel your pain and struggle), you don’t bother saying no to
them. You just eat.
I’m not a psychiatrist so I have no answers for depression or mental illnesses. I do know, from
personal experience, is being honest and recognizing your pattern helps in rectifying it. If
Shonda Rhimes didn’t recognize why she was eating the way she was, she wouldn’t have been
able to successfully embark on a weight loss journey. She said YES to being honest with herself.
Once you say YES to honesty, it’s a lot easier to say YES to life. I’m not just talking about a fit
life, but your whole entire life. See, the thing about getting healthy is that it trickles into your
daily activities and goals. You open yourself to positivity and clear out the negativity (whether
habit or sadly, people). You want to make your whole experience on earth just as healthy and
fulfilled.
So whether you are exactly where you want to be as this year ends or you feel you fell short, a
new year, a new beginning is upon us. Say yes to continuing your positive journey and starting
new ones. Say yes to a healthier body, healthier relationships, healthier mind. Say yes to a
deeper relationship with God and self. Say YES to embracing your greatness. Say YES to life.
I wish you all an amazing Christmas and the beginnings of a fulfilling New Year. May it be filled
with peace, love, and amazing wonder. See you in 2016!