Life is Gradual

Our Guest Blogger - Deanna zipping while on vacation.

Our Guest Blogger -  Deanna Heiliger is a teacher and an inspirational writer and speaker. She is happily married, raising four sweet daughters. For encouragement with and support in becoming a "Better You” visit her weekly blog: www.metothepowerofwe.com and visit her fan page on Facebook for a daily dose of positive goodness: www.facebook.com/metothepowerofwe

How does it happen? One day we wake up and life has snuck up on us. We are no longer a child, no longer a carefree twenty-something...we are all of a sudden in our forties...YIKES!

I know a lot of women get blind-sided by extra weight gain, or being unhappy with themselves in one way or another. They wake up one morning and ask themselves, "How did I get here?"  It appears that life is going along as usual and one day your life isn't what you thought it would be. Have you been in that position?

Well, most things in life sneak up on us in a gradual way. We don't all of a sudden gain fifty pounds, thank God! We don't spontaneously have four teenagers in the house, double thank God for that! We don't become an alcoholic overnight and we don't advance to the top in one day.

Life is gradual. That is a good thing, because if we are present, we can make little adjustments along the way. If we are not present and we are just kind of sleep walking through life, that's when things seem to "sneak up on us".

A couple years ago my sisters, some friends, and I vacationed in Cabo San Lucas for a week. We all agreed to go zip lining. Most of us were tentative and not really enthusiastic about the whole adventure. But we were in this together and we all made a pact that it was all or nothing.

The first zip was very short and very close to the ground. We did a total of eight zips, and the last one was 600 feet in the air and over 1500 feet across a gully! WOW...it was scary…but we all did it! My point is this: if our last zip would have been our first, I'm not sure I would have gone through with it. But, there was a gradual increase that made me and the other girls very comfortable.

When something happens gradually it is naturally more comfortable than when it happens all of a sudden. This can be a good thing, as in the zip lining scenario. But, we have to be careful and watch ourselves, because we can get into a lot of trouble if we are not being present and in control of our lives.

I have seen many people who started drinking alcohol socially. Gradually, the once a week drink at a party or gathering slowly turned into a couple drinks a week at dinner, to an every night binge. That kind of gradual is not healthy for the drinker or for the people in their lives.

I have known people who have let their health go downhill. They were once fit and active, and slowly they became too busy to exercise and as a result their eating habits became lax and a vicious cycle began. Typically the overweight person realizes at some point that they have let themselves go...but their self esteem has been so injured in the process, that it takes a great deal of motivation and inspiration to reverse the negative effects.

We all have our struggles and shortcomings, and being aware of them is the first step to becoming healthy! If we are present, then we can safely monitor where we are and where we want to be. Setting realistic goals and having a healthy support system is a must...then the sky's the limit! Just remember: Returning to health will also be a gradual process; be patient with yourself, you can do anything you set your mind to!


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