Ever heard the term crazy busy? I’m living it right now. My eyeballs died last night and my butt lost all feeling as I sat in front of the computer reading page after page of editorial guidelines. I am about to sink back into that black hole to crank out some writing that I have to submit before Wednesday and continue to affiliate myself with the necessary info. It’s all part of the process.

After such a sedentary night last night, my life needed action this morning. Enter the best spin class I’ve been to in awhile. A perfect instructor, a dash of motivation, and the glorious feeling of movement combined to form a successful workout. If I could bottle that feeling, I could sell it for millions I tell you. Then we continued action for the day with a free Gymboree class.

Movement feels good I tell you. And more of it will be able to come because Hallelujah…we have A/C!!! Which means I don’t have to avoid activity in my own house. It only took 9 months to commit to signing our lives away, but I can forget that when the sweet breeze of coolness flows across my body. I don’t know how I survived in GA heat as long as I did.

Today I experienced a bit of a life lesson reminder. I was running really late (in my mind) to meet up with my friend and totally frazzled by it. I was in the car driving like a mad woman and ugly grunts and comments kept emerging from my mouth. Suddenly, a song came on the radio to awaken me from my ridonkulousness. Ahem. That is 100% a word.

I don’t remember the song, but it made me slow down. Awareness enveloped me. Some things simply aren’t worth the energy to fret over. If something that seems insurmountable or overly important now won’t make a bit of difference or be remembered another month or two from now, give it up. Let it go. The “will it matter in X amount of time” question keeps me grounded and has done so many times. I am prone to stress and anxiety (and depression) thanks to some lovely family genes, but with awareness I will always persevere in those battles. It only takes time to think, removed from the emotion, to put it all in perspective.

On a lighter note, I am welcoming an old love back in my life tonight. Tofu! Don’t act surprised. I know I have been featuring some of my special eats in the form of Mexican food and ice-cream on the blog, but this chick is still noshing the healthy stuff all the time. I just don’t post everything I eat on a daily basis. Enter my Baked Tofu Broccoli Slaw.

This time with minor adjustments like the ones I noted in the original post. I can’t wait to see what the changes do for the recipe.  I think I look forward to leftovers for lunch the rest of the week even more. Perhaps it will help me be yen-like and take a breather.

• Do you get stressed easily over silly things? How do you get over it?
• What is your favorite way to move your body?
• Are you watching The Bachelorette tonight? Or, if viewing on Tuesday, did you watch it???

While I am off in a cabin in the woods mountains and enjoying a good time with friends, I decided to share a post about something I am always working on. It is no secret that I had some body image issues after my fitness competition when I had to put on weight in order to conceive our second child. I fought them and mostly appreciated my body, but I still had ups and downs. Even on the best of days, negative self-talk can make an appearance and we have to be mindful of it. One of the biggest ways I combat such negativity is to have a running list in my head on why I love my body and need to respect it. In no particular order, here are a few of those reasons.

1. It is strong. My body has taken a lot of beatings from me, both good (in the form of tough workouts) and bad (in not feeding it enough at times). Despite the many pounds it has lifted, the many miles it has racked up in various forms of cardio, and the fluctuations it has encountered in weight over the years, it still works properly and can make it through every day with energy and strength. That’s pretty impressive in my mind.

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2. It is smart. I don’t mean the “score a 1600 on your SAT” smart. I mean it is intuitive and knows what it needs. If I have a few days with more treats and less fruits and veggies my body will seek them out for awhile following that time. It tells me when it needs rest by a new pain or just pure fatigue. It doesn’t like being fed too much or too little and guides me to an appropriate food balance. It has instincts that can help keep me safe or drive me further.

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3. It is healthy. My body is currently free from illness, functions properly, and can move, walk, dance, and play. Health is something to be treasured and I am very thankful to my body for being a healthy one. Face an injury, illness, depression, or anything else that can hinder your health and I bet you gain a newfound respect for your body being healthy over it looking hot in a bikini. I fortunately have never had to face a huge health scare, but knowing others who have opens my eyes to appreciating my blessings and valuing my body for the health it gives me.

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4. It is alive. It is through my body that I am able to get up in the morning and go out and experience life. Without my body I would not be able to see God’s beauty, hear Makenzie laugh, feel the embrace of loved ones, or laugh at a good conversation. Without my body I would have no life. I love my life and therefore should love my body for giving me the means to live it.

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5. It is used to bring  life into this world. It is immensely fulfilling to know your body is capable of bringing a life into this world. Throughout pregnancy, the changes my body goes through are beautiful to me. They are all part of helping create life. And after the delivery, seeing that baby and knowing my body accomplished that makes it hard to hate it. Every day, seeing my  child is a reminder of the amazing things my body can do and I would not have my daughter without it. I love my body immensely for that.

6. Lastly, and most importantly, my body was crafted by God. God took great care in making me. He had a plan for me from the first moment he formed me in my mother’s womb. He thinks I’m beautiful and part of his perfect creation. God can do no wrong. He made me. That means I am not wrong. It means I am perfect in God’s eyes. How can I argue with God? If he believes I am beautiful and worth loving, why should I deny that I am? God says my body is beautiful…and beautiful it is.

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• Name at least one reason you think your body is beautiful. We ALL are beautiful so we all need a reason to believe so.
• What is something your body has done for you that amazes you?
• Please listen to this song. It is amazing and one of my favorites.