Kicking A**...

I would love to share with all of you an exercise I've been doing with a friend. If you want, you can take this exercise pass it along and/or do it yourself. I have more content with myself and life ever since starting this, and my hope is maybe you will too.

What is the exercise you ask....here it goes:

Every night we email each other 3 things we did that day for our health, something we are going to do the following day for our health and something we love about our body/self.

So much of our thoughts can be focused on negative energy especially when it comes to ourselves. Wanting to look a certain way, not appreciating our bodies and being overall critical of the way we look.

Turning negative thoughts into positive thoughts are not easy. But it's a great habit to start forming. Some nights I sit and stare at my email trying to think of something I like about myself. But when I acknowledge something I do like, I feel immediate happiness.

Here are a few things I've emailed. I thought I would share them with you, and spread the happiness. And when I said few, I meant here's almost everything...

I ran 8.65miles today and listened to my body and didn't push myself further than necessary today.

I took a nap during the late afternoon and plan on getting 8 hours of sleep tonight.

I took time to read today and exercise my brain. Something I feel is just as important as exercising the body.

I love my short hair. People always ask me when I am going to grow my hair out and honestly I don't know if or when I will. I love how easy it is to style in the morning and I think it shows off my eyes...which I also love.

I think my calves are nice. They are strong and muscular.

I didn't use my phone once while driving.

I drank a lot of water today and kept hydrated.

I love my happy face tattoo made out of my freckles. Every time I see her I smile.

I worked out after work, despite being exhausted from the long day.

I ate a healthy dinner, full of protein and vegetables.

I ate a healthy snack before working out so that I could be at my full potential.

Tomorrow I will not be critical of my thighs. The moment I have a negative thought I will turn it into a positive one.

I like my wrists. I think they are feminine and I don't wear a lot of jewelry on them because I like to show them off : )

I tried a new healthy snack today and it was amazing. Alive and Radiant Veggie Crunch- Sweet Onion. Raw, gluten free and vegan : )

Every time I had a negative thought about my body I turned it into a positive thought.

Tomorrow I will only speak positively about myself and others.

I like my pinkies. I use to have 6 fingers on each hand, an extra finger coming from my pinkies. For a long time I wanted the scars removed, now I realize how unique they make me and the story they tell.

I didn't stop smiling today. My hope was to spread happiness to all who came in my path today.

Tomorrow, I will meditate through any and all stressful moments.

I like my arms. Sometimes I am critical of them but today I woke up and looked at myself in the mirror and decided to be grateful for them and love them.

I woke up ready to work out and realized if I did I wouldn't have given my body the day off it deserved. I got back into bed, slept another hour and then went to get coffee with my friend before heading into work. It was amazing.

When I woke up this morning I prayed to God to help me through the day to help me listen to my body. When it was full and when it needed sustenance. Although I had frozen yogurt in the evening, I felt as far as the day went, I really was in control of my eating.

I had back to back work outs this morning. And it felt amazing. To have back to back work outs on my day off definitely made me smile.

I hung out with friends today. A friend from my Bible Study and girlfriends from the gym. With the girlfriends from the gym we went to Malibu Wines, had, on a whole, healthy snacks and we danced. It felt so nice to not have to be at work, even though I love my job.

Tomorrow I will run 10 miles. And I will be proud of my accomplishment.

I am learning to love my nose. In grade school I was called Pig Nose. I use to have kids snort at me. But what happened in the past has no bearing of how I should feel in the present. And I am learning to do just that.

And there you have it. It really isn't difficult or too time consuming. What it does, it makes you take a look at the positives in your life. It makes you appreciate, or begin to appreciate your body, your self. And it makes you accountable for the goal you set the following day.  2013 is already kicking ASS.