Mary Pierce

TODAY’S LAUGH: Remember the old song* about the girl who wants the boy? (Weren’t they ALL about that?) “Wishin’ and Hopin’ and thinkin’ and prayin’ … plannin’ and dreamin’ each night of his charms, that won’t get you into his arms…”

I realized that my “get healthy program” is too often too much “wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and prayin,’ plannin’ and dreamin’” and TOO LITTLE ACTION! So I’m rewriting the lyrics. Sing along with me. In fact, get up and give it your best Motown moves. Ready?

“Wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and prayin’… plannin’ and dreamin’ each night of my plate… that won’t get me down to goal weight! So if I’m lookin’ to find health and be there, all I’ve gotta do is work it and move it and lift it and show how much I care!”

(BELT IT OUT NOW!) “Show how much I care–just for me! Eat only things I ought to chew! Work out each day–just for me!

(and hear that backup trio:) “Girl, you won’t get there, wishin’ and a-hopin’, thinkin’ and a prayin’…!”

(Bring it on HOME!) “‘Cuz wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and prayin’…plannin’ and dreamin’ the weight loss will start…won’t give me a fit, healthy heart!

“So if a long, healthy life is to be had… all I’ve gotta do is work it and move it, and squeeze it and lift it…DO IT and when I am DONE, I will be GLAD!”

There now, don’t you feel better? Of course, just singin’ won’t do it either… so I’m off to take ACTION in the direction of my goals.

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: Wishin’ and hopin’ won’t get you into shape, get you into a great relationship, or get you into your dream job. But the good news is taking action–just one small step–will! Let me know what you’re doing. Let’s cheer each other along.

And encourage someone else today while you’re at it!

* “Wishin’ and Hopin” by Burt Bacharach and Hal David was performed by Nancy Sinatra, Dusty Springfield, Dionne Warwick and others (including you and me!) It’s also on the soundtrack for My Best Friend’s Wedding.

TODAY’S LAUGH: I stumbled onto a blog that asked the burning question: “What’s on your nightstand?” It was aimed at “what books are you reading?” but I thought a look at the nightstand could tell a lot about the person. Here’s what’s on mine:

(1) Kleenex–not REAL Kleenex but the generic Target variety. What does this say? I’m a bargain shopper. Okay, I’m cheap.

(2) A lamp–a home improvement store clearance item. It’s ugly but its three-way bulb blasts out 250 watts of reading power. What does this say? I’m cheap, have lousy taste, AND my eyes are going.

(3) A coaster to hold my coffee cup while I watch the morning news and my water glass during bedtime TV. This says I spend way too much time watching TV.

(4) A Tylenol P.M. sleep-aid pill–not real Tylenol P.M. but the Target knock off. What does this say? Cheap again. (See #1.) And I need the sleep aid to get to sleep and stay asleep what with all that coffee and water I’m drinking. (See #3.)

(5) Books. Ah, yes! I’m reading a LARGE PRINT (see #2) edition of T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton, the latest in her “alphabet” mystery series.

I’m also reading The Message by Eugene Peterson. Amazing, beautiful bedtime reading.

Last on the nightstand is a Uniball Vision black fine-point pen (it’s a writer thing) and the “gratitude journal” I just started so I can end my day counting my blessings. “Thank You Lord for little Charlie’s smile as I held him today…”

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: Our nightstands speak volumes! What does mine say about me? I’m cheap, tasteless, getting old and picky about my pens, but I love family and I love words and I’m grateful to God, who loves me, for the little things in life. A pretty accurate picture, I’d say.

What’s on YOUR nightstand? What does it say about you? Anything in its “message” you’d like to change? How can you start changing things today?

May you be blessed today and may you be a blessing to someone else!

TODAY’S LAUGH: This new year brings the usual gazillion TV commercials for diet plans and miracle body-shaping gizmos, but also new TV shows like Canada’s “X-Weighted” and the “National Body Challenge” on the Discovery Health channel. Both feature folks who are willing to bare all–bulges, flab, soul, angst–on national television. (It’s sort of a Jerry Springer Weight Loss Program.)

To me the message is clear: “HAPPY NEW YEAR, MARY…AND YOU’RE FAT!” HA! Ha? Hmmm…

Usually I tune it all out, but last week I caught a show and heard something that got me thinking hard. A woman who’d been struggling with weight issues all her life was finally making progress because she made one small change (a 1% step): “I decided it was time to get serious about my life and my health, and PUT MYSELF FIRST!”

She changed her mind and it changed her life. Her change in THINKING got me thinking.

“What if…” instead of feeling guilty I DID take time for myself, maybe first thing in the morning before the demands of others start. (”I have to exercise in the morning before my brain figures out what I’m doing.” ~Marsha Doble)

What if, instead of saying “someday I’ll take care of myself,” I said, “It’s now or never. Today’s the day…”

What if, instead of complaining about how boring it is to walk on the treadmill, I found something I DO enjoy, that’s fun and convenient, and did that instead. What if, instead of claiming to be eating right but packing away the brownies when nobody’s looking, I found some things that tasted great and were good for me, and got serious about eating right…

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: Putting yourself first is hard, but important. Yes, taking care of yourself means you’ll be a better parent, spouse, caregiver, employee, boss or whatever, but that’s not the PRIMARY reason to do it!

Taking good care of yourself is something you DESERVE because you are a human being, worthy of love and worthy of radically good self care!

And let’s be honest: Who will take care of you if you don’t?

Think about it. What if, starting today, you gave yourself the attention you deserve? What if YOU decided to get serious about YOUR life and your health, set aside the guilt and put yourself first? What if…

What if you could change YOUR mind, and change YOUR life?

Let me know what you think. Comment here or use the “Contact Mary” link and I’ll enter your name in the January drawing for a free book–your choice of Mrs. Potato Head, the Wimp or Twister. (One entry per verified email address and US mailing addresses only, please. Thanks!)

Now, go be a blessing to somebody else today!

P.S. Happy Birthday, KT!!

TODAY’S LAUGH: Last January, I set three major goals for 2007:

(1) To decrease my body mass by 25%.

(2) To increase my income by 50%.

(3) To be at least 150% more organized. (This may sound familiar… it’s the goal setting trifecta!)

How did I do, you ask? I missed each goal by–you guessed it–100%. HA!

How does this happen? Are you like me? Year after year, decade after decade we go through the same thing. Set the goal. Fail to reach it. Set a new goal. Fail to reach that one. How come?

Insanity, they say, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Something’s gotta change!

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: I’m changing my approach; I call it The 1% Solution. Here’s how it works:

Today, I’ll exercise 1% more than I did yesterday. Yesterday my only exercise was beating around the bush and jumping to conclusions. Today I’ll take a five-minute walk. And then I’ll celebrate.

Today, I’ll be 1% more organized than I was yesterday. I’ll clean off a little space (one square foot maybe) on my desk, or take care of one little pile of papers. And then I’m going to congratulate myself and do a little happy dance.

Today, I’ll be 1% more attentive to increasing my income. I’ll take ONE career building action–a phone call, a little market research, a little possibility thinking–I’ll do some small thing that will move me toward a better financial position. And then I’ll throw myself a little party. Woo-hoo!

Think about it: one percent a day, day by day, and after 90 days…well, you do the math!

I can’t do everything today, but today I can make a 1% shift in direction, away from the chronic “failure” of the past and toward the accomplishment of what I really want in life. And it’s the celebrating, dancing and whooping it up that I’m really looking forward to!

What 1% action can you take today toward a better tomorrow? How will you reward yourself for that step?

I’d love to hear your “1% Solution.” Add a comment here or use the “Contact Mary” link at left and I’ll email you “EIGHT WAYS TO MAKE 2008 GREAT!”

May you be blessed today and be a blessing to others!

The Blah Blah Blog will be back next Tuesday, January 8th, with “The 1% Solution”…

May 2008 be GREAT!