Why Does She Work Out? She's skinny!

I know you don't get the title. But I know it sucked you in! And you'll learn how I work--I will tie it in by the end!

I ran into someone recently. I had not physically seen this person in a long time. We are "friends" on Facebook. We chatted a little and when I asked how she was doing, she said "Not as good as you, but I am holding my own." Whoah! Beep! Beep! Beep! Back up! I asked her "Why on earth would you say THAT?" She proceeded to tell me how it appears as if my life is all together. Her tone was as if she were standing outside my porch and looking into this whirlwind tunnel of bliss that is feeding me happiness through an IV. Beep! Beep! Beep! Let's back up again. Back up to earlier this morning when I was fumbling through several pairs of shorts on the floor, trying to find the least dirty ones because I have been too busy to do laundry. I put my hair up in a pony tail (because I have to...you know...that too many days without washing thing again) and start to think. Slowly, those negative things start lining up, single file, beginning to march in like a row of ants.

The screen on the porch is ripped again from Baby (my Jack Russell Terrier) trying to eat a cat that intentionally inflicts pain on my dogs by sunbathing on the swing set directly outside the patio.

The roof has a slight, but existent leak.

My car is now a 1999 Ford Conversion van that I LUH-VED when I got it because I was only 23 and I thought it was cool. Now, being 34, I feel too close to the time in my life when I should be driving a vehicle like that and I'm not that fond of it.

The insurance company sent a letter telling us basically to remove ALL branches from over our house or we will be cancelled. If you have been to my house, you know this means that essentially the whole tree must be cut down. I love this tree! I dread pollen season because the algae decides to take residence of my entire driveway and walkway. This leads to me almost busting my arse on a regular basis. However, it's a small price to pay for having a ridiculously low electric bill.

I started to think about how I painted the kitchen a gorgeous yellow, with a faux finish like Olive Garden. Sounds great, right? Well, we started remodeling 2 (That's TWO) years ago. I got tired of it looking like that...got tired of wishing Ty Pennington was going to come here and do...............the kitchen. I was ONLY going to say the KITCHEN! Focus, people, focus! Well, I painted over the drywall mud. Yep. One wall looks like a Mexican cantina with plaster & paint. But you know what? It looks better than it did and I actually have considered slathering some plaster on the other walls and painting it. I kinda like it!

Anyway, these thoughts started to come faster and faster and began to multiply. I had to shut it off. It's a choice, and it is a gift to be able to do so. I know this.

Fast forward to this woman telling me all of this. I started to consider that maybe I post too much happy. Too much positive. Too much kumbaya. I didn't specifically combat anything she said to me. I just told her things are never as they appear. (If I had a nickel for every time I said that, I could buy Donald Trump.) But, when I left her, I really started to concentrate on my impact on other people. I decided I wanted to clarify something. I thought of an analogy. You'll also learn how much I love a good analogy, people! :)

Do you ever see someone in really good shape exercising? Someone with a great body running or working out? Are you guilty of saying "Why does SHE work out? She looks great?!!" Have you ever stopped to think that it is BECAUSE she works out that she is skinny? I used to sit on the couch, with my bucket o' ice cream and a spoon and say those things about people working out. THAT'S how it works. Those that NEED to lose weight, can't get to where we need to be. We just envy those that do and wonder why they work so hard at it! It's work! It's effort! It's a choice! Those that read my positive message and happy blurbs might think "What is there to be so happy about?" or "I want to have what she has.....she seems so happy." I think everyone should know that my positive energy and my happy thoughts are MY WORKOUT. If I didn't do that, I would sulk in misery. I would be reminded of the roof, the car, the screen porch......my dirty laundry piling up. (Ok, maybe I NEED a reminder for that!) There will always be a to-do or a to-fix list. Being bummed out won't change that. There really is more to be happy about than there is to be sad about. The problem is it is easier to dwell on the sad things. And they cause more trouble. It's a cycle. You just have to drown them with happiness. My thoughts are work. They are effort. It's my choice. What's yours?

That's just how I see it. But maybe it's my misperception.