goals

Here for a Limited Time Only…YOU!

Judy Cangemi4 Comments

While time is infinite, each of is mortal. During our finite time on earth, we each want to make our mark.

Mercifully, humans are built to push the thought of our impending mortality to the back of our minds in order to allow us to experience the joy of the present. However, we humans also tend to swaddle ourselves in the blanket of complacency. When the alarm sounds to take the actions needed to achieve goals, we all too often hit the snooze bar and roll over for just a little more time in the comfort zone. 

But just like when we hit that button once too many times in the morning we are left scrambling, sacrificing and putting off until tomorrow what we couldn’t accomplish today. 

Inevitably, though, someday tomorrow will not arrive. 

And it isn’t the thing you do, dear, It’s the thing you leave undone Which gives you a bit of heartache At the setting of the sun. ~~ margaret sangster

And then the question becomes…What are you comfortable leaving undone when you depart this place for the next?

Today…rip off that blanket, pick up that guitar and learn to make your music with it…reconnect with that old friend and tell her how much you miss talking to her…take one of those ideas bouncing around your brain and write that f*ckin novel already!

Here for a limted time only…YOU! Make it a big deal. 

Sometimes Doing What You Hate Will Get You to a Place You Love

Judy Cangemi1 Comment

The photo on the left is of me on the red carpet at an event in May 2014.

  • I was three months into Nutrisystem and down about 15 pounds.
  • Exercise still eluded me.  I hated exercise.  I refused to do it.
  • I was pleased with the direction I was going …but frustrated by how long it was taking to see progress.

 

full body before after

On the right, I am on another red carpet a few months later.

From the start, I was on Nutrisystem for one reason:  realizing portion control.  Before that, every size package was a “single serve” to me.  I am forever grateful to Nutrisystem for getting me on the right track and keeping me motivated with everything from teddy bears to food/water/exercise journals.  I weaned myself off their plan and created my own.  I still eat everything…just not all of it.

About a week after the pic on the left was taken, I incorporated exercise into my daily life.  I remember clearly my first time on the f*ckin elliptical.  I barely got through 5 minutes at the lowest possible setting.  It was the f*ckin elliptical’s first attempt on my life.  I seriously thought I was going to die and swore that I would never be able to use that machine.   After a few weeks of doing an hour of cardio on the recumbent stationary bike, I decided to try the f*ckin elliptical again.  I got through 10 minutes on the lowest possible setting and was the second attempt on my life…but it didn’t kill me. That day I decided that every week, I would add another 10 minutes.  Once I got to 30 minutes, I decided that I would challenge myself to raise the level bi-weekly.  I’m at level 18 now.  Soon I’ll have to think of another challenge and the f*ckin elliptical will have to figure out a new way to kill me…because so far I’ve lived even when I felt like I was gonna die. I still hate exercising.  I do it anyway because I love the results.

The progress I made is beyond my wildest dreams.  While I haven’t achieved all my goals, I know that it is possible and that once goals are realized, part of the celebration is that you continue to raise the bar for yourself.

My bottom line:  It’s worth it to do what you hate to get to where you want to be.