I passed up bagels and breads that my family and guest were eating this morning. I opted for oatmeal with raw almonds, cinnamon and a drizzle of honey. It was very satisfying. I just thought I’d share that quickly because I’m running to photograph a wedding in West Point NY and I am very short on time.

Kathryn won the LaraBar contest.  I am so happy that she won 4 Larabars. Congratulations Kathryn. 🙂

Have a wonderful weekend and I’ll be back tomorrow! XO Josie

Changing it Now! I am reminding myself that changing for the better is my goal for this year. Taking care of all aspects of myself. My physical, my emotional, my spiritual, and my financial well being are all aspects of taking care of myself. If any of these areas are suffering, it’s time to make a change in a positive direction.

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  • Kathryn Donatelli - March 29, 2012 - 11:33 am

    Good reminder. I needed this to be the first thing I read this morning. I can fool myself into thinking I am taking care of myself, but in reality I’m not. I need to exercise, go for more walks, love myself, be more open with friends and family, pray and give thanks more, be grateful and generate a lot more financial security in my life.

    Seems like a good “to do” list for today and everyday.ReplyCancel

When I started this blog back in November 2011, I had so much inspiration and enthusiasm and commitment. Nothing could stop me. I soared through the first 2 – 3 months without a hitch or without a cheat or without a deviation from my self proscribed life change. Fast forward to today… My 3rd month was a struggle. We had a family death, my mom got sick, (whom I care for) my  brother was in the hospital, I was having financial stress and on and on. Suddenly I couldn’t draw what I needed from within myself to stay the course. Just having this blog has kept me going but I have allowed myself to be human and make mistakes. Inspiring people and being inspired is a gift that this blog brings me. A few months ago, one of the women who was following me here told me that she was going back to the gym and choosing healthier foods because of what she was reading here. She emailed me last week and told me she is down 17 pounds and enjoying life. She actually did a two mile run with her daughter and left her daughter in the dust. Now she is inspiring me.

My inspiration for my blog originated with Jamie Eslinger. I met her through the “Women on Fire” group.  She made a one year commitment and blogged about it everyday.

I am so excited to be attending my third “Women on Fire” Tea at Lady Mendls in Gramercy Park, NYC . I’m going to get one big beautiful dose of inspiration today at Debbie Phillip’s “Women on Fire” Tea and I am so fortunate to be documenting the Tea with my little camera.

Here are a few images I captured from the “Mother Daugther Tea” in Dec. 2011.

 

 

 

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  • Loreen - March 23, 2012 - 3:00 pm

    Beautiful pictures, Jo! However, I think it’s the other way around. You are inspiring me!! I could never do what you did those first couple of months. We’re all human and must allow ourselves some slack, especially when times get tough. I can’t wait until we celebrate over lunch someday soon!! ♥♥♥ReplyCancel

  • Debbie Phillips - March 23, 2012 - 10:36 am

    oh, my gosh, Josie!! I love this and the pictures so much. Plus, you are such an inspiration … doesn’t matter about perfection. You are Changing It Now … what are the differences from last year to this?? I bet MANY! (and thank you for sharing many of them with us on your blog!!)ReplyCancel

Today is not very different then most days for me. I juggle 3 or 4 hats. Whatever I do today, I will do it joyfully. I am feeding my body and my soul with all good things today.

Some of my vegetable seeds or sprouting. 🙂

 

 

“Perfection is, broadly, a state of completeness and flawlessness.” I set out 4 months ago to be PERFECT and I WAS for about two and a half months. I have had some struggles since. Coming back to this blog helps keep the focus on my goal and I will continue to post  through this entire year and maybe longer. I am discovering that this journey is not about one year for me because on November 14th, 2012, I’ll be one year into my commitment to eat right and be healthy; my life’s journey. I am not defeated, nor am I quitting, I am merely owning up to my life’s challenges; Im not perfect. 🙂  So much so, that yesterday was 4 months and I’m blogging about it today. Oops!

I have been maintaining the weight I lost the first few months but I haven’t lost more. I’m not done yet though! I promised to evolve on this journey and today is a good day for a jump start.

I’m looking forward to the wonderful produce that will grow right in my backyard.

Getting my garden started:

I am planting seeds for the first time. These are only a few of the variety I’ll pant this year.

Vegetable-Seeds-on-ChangingitNow.com Vegetable-Seeds-on-ChangingitNow.com

I saw some Kale at the garden store and this is the perfect time of year for Kale. I love Kale in Green Smoothies but I always hesitate to buy it unless it’s organic. It’s probable just in my head but it never looks clean to me. Now I can pick the leaves and just add it my blender. Kale does well in the cooler weather. Here is a link to learn how to grow Kale. 

Kale-Changingitnow.com

Kale-Changingitnow.com

These cute little plants will provide wonderful nourishment for months to come.

 

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  • Debbie Phillips - March 15, 2012 - 8:20 pm

    Love that you’ve come back to your blog … your safe place … your home. Please know how much I appreciate what you are doing and how inspiring you are!!ReplyCancel

  • Ginny - March 15, 2012 - 4:00 pm

    Forget perfect; just stay the course and allow yourself to be human.ReplyCancel

  • Robin - March 15, 2012 - 2:51 pm

    I am drooling over your baby kales. Good luck with all the seeds too! So wonderful to turn little seeds like that into a labor of love and then onto your table.ReplyCancel

  • Anne - March 15, 2012 - 1:27 pm

    What a refreshing and inspiring blog post. Keeping realistic about yourself- all of ourselves, for no one is perfect- and staying committed to a goal, you motivate yourself and keep moving along, onward and upward. Not gaining back your weight is a success of its own. It seems your diligence and persistence are seeds in the garden of success (pun intended, however corny it sounded… oops, I did it again). Anyway, Your garden is going to be great, and I’ve been motivated by you to not give up on my own vegetable-herb garden dreams or my journey of healthy eating/lifestyle, however bumpy my journey is. I’m enjoying your posts… Thank you!ReplyCancel

  • Kathryn Donatelli - March 15, 2012 - 10:57 am

    Josie,

    Two and a half months is about the right amount of time to plateau with weight loss. It happens even if you are doing everything “perfectly”. Which in my opinion there is no such thing as perfection. Because our bodies will set our metabolism according to our activity levels, today would be a good time to change up what you are doing and do something different.

    How are you doing with the exercise DVD you started last week?

    Love ya,
    KathieReplyCancel

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