Mars Attacks!!!!

One of the movies I think is hilarious is Mars Attacks.  I had it on this morning as I was doing some work at my kitchen table, and the scene came on where the Martians are SAYING "Don't run, we are your friends," at the SAME TIME they are laser-gunning every human in their path.

It struck me, the difference between what we SAY and what we DO.  It was a very teachable moment for me.

In this scenario, what do you think was a better indication of the Martian's true intent?  What they were SAYING?  Or what they were DOING?

I believe, in the movie anyway, the evidence was very clear that the Martian's TRUE intent was being displayed in what they were DOING and not what they were SAYING.

I thought that was so appropriate in our health journey.  What are we SAYING?  What are we DOING?  Our actions truly represent our core value, our true intent.  We can SAY all day long "I'm going to stay on plan today" and then when we get home and begin the "bites licks and tastes" while preparing dinner, when we just have "one little piece" of halloween candy that we have already purchased for Halloween, when we pour that glass of wine or nibble on that brick of cheese or grab that extra handful of almonds out of the pantry we are really displaying our true intentions.

I think that remaining "on plan" can't just be about SAYING we are going to be "on plan" but we really need to follow that up with action or things just aren't matching up. 

Now, the difference here is that the Martians had ill intent and were flat out lying.  We, on the other hand, do HOPE at the beginning of the day that we will stay on plan.  But we don't really BELIEVE it or we would DO it.

So the question is, what do I EXPECT from myself today?  What are my VALUES in my health journey and what to I BELIEVE myself capable of DOING?  Then, as Epictetus said, "First say what it is you would be, then do what you have to do."  In other words, WORDS are important and then they need to be FOLLOWED UP with the ACTION that actually AGREES with the words.

I look at this in my own life with regards to what example I am setting for my 9-year old boy.  Aside from the fact that I let him watch some of Mars Attacks (don't judge me LOL!) I really want to be authentic with him, and I want him to SEE that Mama does what she says she is going to do.  Because he is watching.  If I am SAYING "Mama is getting healthy!" and then he sees me acting in a way that is diametrically opposed to what I just SAID, he will not only learn that but he will ADOPT that into his own life.  I don't want that.  I don't want my son to think "Hey, it's OK for Mama to do, so it's OK for me to do!"  And our kids ARE watching. 

Part of my journey towards health was motivated with an intense desire to be the best role model for my son that I could be, because he needs to learn healthy habits himself to set him up for longevity.  He has a kidney transplant which he received at age three.  While he is doing fantastically well, the nephrologists told us that we needed to model health for him so that he would not be at a higher risk for obesity since what they are seeing these days in transplant-kids is that excess weight and obesity in the kids puts unnecessary and in fact harmful stress on their kidney, and will actually REDUCE its longevity.  WOW.  His doctor had the guts to say that to us when I was 150 pounds overweight and my husband was 50 pounds overweight. 

We ran with it, and we absolutely CHANGED our life and our health.   Now our son hardly remembers when Mama was so big she got stuck in the turnstiles at Disneyworld on his Make-a-Wish Trip.  He hardly remembers when Mama had a cane because her knees hurt so badly.  He hardly remembers when Mama had to utilize any nearby piece of furniture to hoist herself up off the floor after playing with him.  He sees Mama as a fit and healthy Mama who isn't afraid to strap on her running shoes and go run up a mountain (I'm headed out the door as soon as I finish this blog to go up South Mountain here in Phoenix).  He sees Mama as someone whose ACTIONS as regards health MATCH her words.

I wish that for all of you!  =)

Rinse and Repeat!