A Year to Aspire

Hello again! I’m so glad you have joined my journey as I aspire to be a better me!

I have always been a dreamer, one who believes God has my back, I have always tried to aspire to be a better me, a kind person and had a hope in me that I could create a better life and make a difference! Because of this I am a goal setter, vision board maker, self development book junkie, Jesus lover and a trial and error learner!

We all seem to set new, revisit and/or revise goals in the New Year and I’m no different so when I was encouraged to choose a word for 2019, I jumped on it. At first the word HOPE came to me but after looking it up I wanted something a bit more intentional so I chose ASPIRE!

hope

1. a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

a·spire

1.direct one’s hopes or ambitions toward achieving something.

While my goals are quit different this year, I am excited to ‘direct my hopes toward achieving’ them! I am learning to accept where I am at, what I am able to do and learning to balance my personal, business and community goals. This year I ASPIRE TO…

SIMPLIFY

sim·pli·fy

1.make (something) simpler or easier to do or understand.

Although this is pretty self explanatory, it has different degrees to each of us. I wish to live a more simple life without the busyness, high pressure and demands on my brain. I believe many people want this to some degree, for one reason or another, but this year I am taking action to achieve it! John Denver’s song ‘A Country Road’ keeps playing over in my head!

Because of this aspiration it is my goal, this year, to build on a piece of property that is quiet, still, beautiful and in the country! I want, no… need, out of the chaos of ‘city’ living. A subdivision is not peaceful or conducive for healing a brain that needs calm, still and quiet and I believe this change is critical for my healing. (If you’re lost, read one of my first blogs The New (temporary) me or Control vs. Trust). I guess I truly am a small town girl and that ‘ol saying ‘you can take the girl out of the country, but can’t take the country out of the girl’ rings true.

Besides a quieter life style I am also working on getting rid of clutter in my life; Things that do not bring me joy, clothes I haven’t worn and/or don’t love, extras….I have so many pens! Why is that?!?! If they don’t make us happy or enhance our lives; why do keep them?! I am starting small… one drawer, one box, at a time but I am doing it! Less is more – Less stuff, more peace!

SELF-CARE

self-care

I believe Self-Care is essential for living a happy life and for healing . Brain injury or not, we must give ourselves time to just be and I am learning how important this is, now more than ever. We live in such a busy, electronic, performance based, information crazed world that sometimes we just need to unplug, therefore, I am making it a priority! Therefore, I am working on setting Self-Care goals such as setting a daily routine, getting regular exercise, doing something I enjoy daily, having my needed quiet time/brain breaks, getting outside, limiting time on electronics, reading my bible and more. I encourage you to try it, you’ll like it! It’s easy to find great tips but here are a couple links to get you started. Women’sHealth , Forbes and if you are on Pinterest, check out my board ‘For Me‘.

NATURAL HEALING

nat·u·ral 

1. existing in or caused by nature; not made or caused by humankind.

heal·ing

1.the process of making or becoming sound or healthy again

This may be a hot topic for some (disclaimer: you will find that doesn’t stop me. It’s mainly my personality but lack of filter does add to the equation.) but I would much rather take natural supplements than some chemical manufactured in a lab. Not to mention the 10 minutes of side effects listed on commercials…ok, only 5 minutes! Please don’t get me wrong, I do go to doctors and take ‘medicine’ when needed, I just prefer the healing power of nutrition over drugs. I do believe we can prevent the ‘need’ of many drugs with nutrition and I plan to learn more.

While doctors have helped me much over the past two years I also had a neurologist, who could do nothing more to heal/help my brain, literally laugh when I asked if there was anything I could do naturally to help strengthen my brain. How can someone so brilliant be so ignorant!? I also had a Neurophycologist tell me ‘ABCD {name of where he works} focuses way too much on concussions; actually, this whole town {Boise} focuses too much on concussions’. What?! What a dumbass! Oh yep, there’s that lack of filter!

Nutrition vs Medicine. There is a difference; Doctors practice ‘medicine’ not ‘nutrition’. Practice being the key word, they practice, they do not have it perfected and there is a time for both. Therefore, I plan on doing more research and trying and/or continuing natural supplements that I believe can help strengthen my brain and body. I will keep you posted.

GET HEALTHY

health·y

1.in good health.”I feel fit and healthy”

Getting ‘healthy’ means something different to each of us. To some it is being in a body building competition and to others it is simply not drinking soda. While I have never really cared too much what a scale says I am not happy with what it says now! To me, it’s more about how I feel and how my clothes fit, not my size. I will say, after having limited movement for the past 2+ years (mainly because of balance issues) I am over weight, unhealthy and uncomfortable in my own skin! I don’t eat as well as I should, don’t drink the water I should and don’t get nearly the exercise I should.

At 48 I don’t expect to have my 20something body back but I do want my 38-40 body back! I aspire to ‘feel’ healthy this year with eating better (cutting carbs and sugar to a minimum) and getting regular exercise and movement! They say… ‘the older you get-the harder it is’ and I am finding it is so true but I want this for me. This time last year Paul and I did the Whole Life Challenge with friends and it was amazing! We still strive to do the challenges we learned but have slacked off. I plan to focus on these again and challenge you to try it!

BALANCE

bal·ance

1. an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady. “she lost her balance before falling”

2. a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.”try to keep a balance between work and relaxation”

This one is hilarious and has a literal meaning in my life! (I can laugh or cry and I choose to laugh) First, being to get my balance back… like, walk a straight line or move fast (or kinda fast) without falling over! I am literally worried people think I’m drunk when they see me out for a walk! I can just hear them… ‘oh, there’s the neighborhood drunk lady again’. LOL.

Second, to bring balance to my actions and to my life. I must confess, this has always been a struggle for me. I am a DOER, A GOER, A GETERDONE GIRL, ALWAYS STRIVING TO MAKE LIFE BETTER! Or should I say, I was? While I still have the desire to go and do nonstop, I no longer have to ability. I am working hard on balancing what I WANT to do, what I NEED to do, what I am ABLE to do and even what I SHOULD do. I think this is also a big part of self-care… not doing too much.

I used to be able to handle multiple irons in the fire, and rock at all, and while I still want to,  act as if or say I can, and sometimes still try; I only crash and burn. Do you ever feel guilty for what you are not able to do or follow through with? I feel as though I am always letting others down because I am just not able to do the things and run the pace I once did. It is a real struggle… that I must, and will, conquer… with balance!

INSPIRE | ENCOURAGE  

in·spire | en·cour·age

in·spire

1. fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.

-create (a feeling, especially a positive one) in a person.

en·cour·age

give support, confidence, or hope to (someone).

I truly love to encourage and inspire others to be their best, find passion, happiness, joy and purpose in life. This in no way means I have it all figured out! I am on my own journey and, I believe, finding my strength in my weakness! I just believe we should be helpers, seekers of the good in others, lovers of God, strengthen and encourage each other as we walk this journey and figure it out! My hope is to inspire and encourage you, in your journey, while walking mine!

SEEK

sek

1.attempt or desire to obtain or achieve (something).”the new regime sought his extradition”attempt to find (something).

To seek God’s will over my own is my biggest aspiration for this year and, I believe, will be the most difficult! You see, I’m a bit stubborn and I admit it. I tend to want to do things my way and in my time. So the past 2 years… waiting for complete healing… has been the most difficult of my life. I feel God has good things, and a purpose, ahead for me and I don’t want to miss out because I’m too busy and focused on my will that I miss the adventure to come!

I have come to realize that His timing is not my timing, His plans are rarely my plans, and to never say never because many times, I eat my words! But He also is faithful to work His purpose in my life and ‘give’ me the desires of my heart so my plans become His plans! For this, I am so very grateful!

My simple reminders

A few verses that I have been hanging onto are… Jeremiah 29:11 | For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future —  Romans 8:28 | And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. —   Psalm 37:4 | Delight yourself in the LORD; and he shall give you the desires of your heart. These scriptures help keep me grounded and focused. When I am uncertain of the future I read them for reassurance and my heart calms.

Those are a breakdown of my 2019 aspirations! Again, thank you for joining my journey and I hope you found some nuggets that will encourage you in this new year.

I truly am finding my strength in my weakness and for that I am so very grateful!

Tami Dupuis | Grit, Grace and Gratitude

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