clean slate.

With every fresh start (aka a new year), there’s the incessant need to make a drastic change in your life.  This year, I have three specific hopes and goals that I want to achieve…slowly.  Like a tortoise.  I know that if I jump in head first with all my might, it won’t pay off in the end.  I need to take my time, listen to myself, and reflect – a lot (because Lord knows I learned how to do that in college – better put that to use). 

My three main goals are… *drum roll please*

1.    Love myself.

2.    Love Lee.

3.    Love Jesus.

I’m not saying I don’t do any of those right now, I just know that I could do all those far, far better.  I want to learn to recognize my flaws, understand how I can change things about myself (and do it!) and set myself up for a positive outcome (ya know, instead failure – because everyone hates failure). 

I want to focus on listening to my body and giving it good things to eat, moving it, and loving that its mine.  I want to plan my life so that it can be as stress-free as possible.  I want to embrace lists.  (They help, Aubrey, don’t try to deny it.)

I want to be a better wife to my husband.  I want to work towards being the best team we can be, because let’s face it – we are a team.  I need to stop trying to be so individualized. 

Lastly, I want to know that I am doing my part to have a healthy relationship with Jesus.  I don’t do much now.  I have a lot of room to grow.  I am so looking forward to that growth. 

I’m really excited for 2014.  I’m excited for the possibilities, for the fresh start that we get every 365 ¼ days.  And please don’t worry, I’ll fill you in along the way. 

(Image via Pinterest)

check in.

today is the sixth official day of my healthy lifestyle change.  and all six days have been pretty awesome!  i've been eating at work a lot and cindy (or lynn ;)) always prepares me a seriously delightful salad for lunch and sometimes some soup.  i do like soup!  right now, learning and practicing portion control is my number one priority.  friday the mister and i ate at a local Mexican restaurant and i had vegetarian fajitas, something i would've passed over before.  the veggies were delicious (mr. ate the tortillas for me).  i ate about a third (not the whole thing!!!) and i was good to go :).  it was an awesome feeling.

source.

keep your head up monday morning.

xo,

aubrey

the start of the rest of my life.

hi guys.  i'm making tomorrow into kind of a big deal, even though it's just another day in january.  tomorrow is the day i rethink completely change my lifestyle with both healthy eating and exercise.  i want to make this change seem momentous so that i don't abandon this plan by wednesday when eating chocolate bar after chocolate bar will sound so good.  i want this change to feel exciting and important and long-term, because it is.  and i must remember that.

this is my new motto and i will repeat it to myself everyday, for as long as it takes.
for forever.

source.

i know that this journey won't be easy and i know that it won't be fun.  but the end result (a healthy me) will be worth it.  worth every antic, fistful of tears, and bouts of self-doubt.  i'll be using this space to track my process, to hold me accountable, and to help me see the results.  i'll post more specifics later, but for the time being, please keep me in your prayers.  this won't be easy, but God'll help me, this i know :).  

some of my before pictures...

<3 a.e.