Miss Lori week 4 Go Red BetterU Program; Go Team!

Do you have a team? I have a soccer team that I coach. I have a PR team that I work with on ambassadorships. I have a Green Team song.… But apparently what I really need is a Better team. A BetterU team to be exact. This Summer I am serving as the Ambassador for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women BetterU Program. I am spending twelve weeks evaluating my health, and then making key changes to my habits. Some big. Some little. But all of them important. According to week four of the Go Red BetterU Program this week I need to assemble my healthy support team. It stands to reason though, don’t you think? There is strength in numbers. When you feel accountable to someone you’re more likely to stick to your plan. And then, when you feel encouraged, even celebrated, well, then you feel like there’s nothing you can’t do. Happiness is the fountain of youth for the heart, don’t you think? (Well, I’m sure my doctor would quickly point out to me that my heart needs exercise, and nutritious, low fat food amongst other things to remain youthful, but you get the idea.) Nobody’s ever said, “Oh, she died from a happy heart!”

But I digress. What were we talking about? Oh yes, a team. (Another great byproduct of a team is that they can keep you on task!) Now I have worked at my health in the recent past without a lot of success. During those times I had people around me who were the opposite of helpful. I always felt watched, even judged. It’s hard to stay on track when you feel like people are looking at you with disgust and disappointment. No, you need people who make you want to bask in the glow of the spotlight of energy and success. (Or at the least want to go out for a heart healthy walk and follow it with a power smoothie, instead of sitting on the couch with a bowl of Ben & Jerry’s in your lap!) Well, I’ve got just such a team, both young and old (Oh no, I just lost my adult team because I called them old. Let me say mature. HA!) My mature teammates are a group of women, some of whom I only get to communicate with through email or text these days, but they are all very present on my path. They are walking alongside me on this journey, picking me up when I stumble, and kicking my butt when I’m dragging. I am very thankful for their company. However, my best cheerleaders are my children. They are always telling me how beautiful I am, at any size. And they certainly keep me on my toes, running about trying to catch up to them. They are my source for health, my celebration of health and my reason for securing a healthier future. They are, in short, my heart. And being their mother has always made me Better.

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.