As many of you know I turned 40 two weeks ago. I was very excited to reach this milestone. For me 40 means the beginning of my true adulthood. Yes, I have technically been an adult for two decades now, but that was just a fact gathering phase. Now I’m ready to put all that I have learned through trial, error and exploration, to good use. I’m ready to be BETTER. A better mother, a better friend, a better daughter, BETTER. And I’m going to be a BetterME by utilizing the BetterU program.The American Heart Associations’ Go Red For Women BetterU Program to be precise.
This past year was quite an eye opener for me. After a few major things happened in my personal life I had a rude awakening, I was not the great mother that I had assumed myself to be. I thought that by making the sacrifices I was making with my time and my energy, being available to my children at every waking moment possible, attending to their needs in the immediate to the best of my ability, and sometimes to my own detriment, qualified me for a nomination for “Mother of the Year” quite frankly. But NOOOOO. What I realized was that if I am going to be a good mother, truly a good mother, than it is just as important for me to do for myself as it is for me to do for my children. Why? Because they are listening, watching and learning from my example, (whether they like it or not!). The way I live, the choices that I make in regards to myself, my happiness and most especially my health, is imprinting on them. So, I had to ask myself, “Self, is this the way you want your children to act when they grow up and become parents? Do you want them to ignore their health and happiness because they think that is the only way to parent successfully?” Goodness me, NO! Well then, be BETTER!
Let’s get to the heart of the matter…
I always say that my children are my heart. Well, if that’s true then I need to step up and make sure that I am taking care of my heart properly so it can take care of me for years to come. (Same principal with my children. If I take care of them hopefully they will take care of me when I am older and not just stick me in a home. That’s my retirement plan!). Did you realize that heart disease is the number one killer of women?! Numero Uno! And it’s sneaky too. It doesn’t announce loudly, “I’m here! I’m going to give you a heart attack now.” No, it hides in the shadows of the everyday exhaustion that we have come to expect. In the folds of our “menopots” and “muffin tops” that we pull our shirts over and try to ignore. In the meals that we eat on the go as we shuttle our children from one event to another. It’s there, waiting to strike. But heart disease can be conquered. And who better to conquer it than WOMEN! (HooRAH!)
That’s why I am taking this bull by the horns. (I’m a Taurus, get it? Some humor people! Laughter is good for the heart too!) For the next twelve weeks I am going to take a hard look at myself, inside and out. I am going to re-examine my eating, exercise, and sleep habits, and work to make improvements so I can be BETTER. It’s important!
But the reality is I know that I will not be as successful at this doing it alone. I need buddies, I need my tribe. I would really like to do this TOGETHER! Tell the truth. Can you honestly look in the mirror and say that you are putting yourself high up on your priority “TO DO” list? Probably not. So you need to walk with me, (literally!), and become a BetterU. And if you can say you have made yourself a priority then put on your sash and tiara and let us call you our Queen! We really need you, to help us along the way. That’s what a community does. It stands together, taking turns leading and following, all the while learning. So please join my community this Summer and TOGETHER we will be Better; for our children, for our future, for ourselves. Better me… BetterU!
SMILE On!
ML
This is a Level 2 post, Miss Lori is a Go Red BetterU Program Ambassador for the Summer of 2010
Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com , YoungChicagonista , and ChicagoMomsBlog. She is also the new Chicago Family Entertainment Blogger for Examiner.com and a Discussion Leader for MomsLikeMeChicago. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About misslori
