Sharing My Favorite Bits ... YSM ... Chapter One
I'm excited to share this book with you. Ok ... I'm not going to share the whole book. I'm not even going to tell you the majority of what it's about. What I AM going to do is share my favorite bits. The parts of this book that really touched me, caused me to think, made me want to make a change in my life.
I'm going to do it chapter by chapter ~ this book only has six of 'em so it won't take that long ! Unless of course I share my favorite bits of other books at the same time, which I may do, because ... 1.) it's my blog 2.) that's how I read ... about four books at a time !
~
You Sexy Mother
a life-changing approach to motherhood
by Jodie Hedley-Ward
Chapter One ~ The Real, Most Wonderful You
What mother has not, at some stage in the life of her motherhood, forgotten about who she is ? Forgotten what she loves to do, loves to wear, loves to eat ? Who of us have not found it becoming all about the kids ? Forgotten how important it is to take care of ourselves too ?
This chapter is all about reconnecting with yourself. Not trying to go back to who you were before kids but connecting with who you are now ... who YOU are, not who your kids are.
Jodie talks about the importance of exercise in this first chapter. Something I have lacked the discipline or motivation to do regularly. I know it needs to be done ... goodness, I've known it for years. I just haven't done it. As a result, I still carry a lot of the weight from my last pregnancy. (that baby just turned FIVE !!)
Since reading this first chapter, I've bought a bike ! The kids and I ride regularly. One of my troubles with exercise has always been trying to find the time when I'm not with the kids or not too tired ... By the time Rory gets home from work, the latter is true ! The rest of the time ... I'm with the kids ! So for me, riding bikes is perfect. It is something I can do WITH the kids ! As they are early risers, we do it before school. From time to time we ride after school as well. Just last week, we rode 5 km to a playground, played for a while and then rode 5 km home ! Exercise disguised as good family fun ! I love it.
Jodie also talks about not living in a cycle of negativity. Finding the silver lining, I'd say. We are all busy, we all have more to do in one day than the 24 hours we are given affords us, we all have the struggles that come with raising children, we all have lots of things that make us tired, frustrated, stressed ... but what do we do with those frustrations ? What do we do with those negative thoughts ? Is it helping ? Or is it making it worse ?
For me, falling back into negative thought patterns is easily done ! If I'm not careful, I can find my mouth and my heart full of complaints. Jodie's reminder to "simply stop and look for the most positive response you can find in the moment." is helpful to me.
This is just a glimpse of what Jodie covers in this first chapter. And most of what I've written is not directly from the book ... or even her wording. I want these posts to be about what I learned from what she has written. If you want to read her words, you'll have to get the book !
This chapter is all about reconnecting with yourself. Not trying to go back to who you were before kids but connecting with who you are now ... who YOU are, not who your kids are.
Jodie talks about the importance of exercise in this first chapter. Something I have lacked the discipline or motivation to do regularly. I know it needs to be done ... goodness, I've known it for years. I just haven't done it. As a result, I still carry a lot of the weight from my last pregnancy. (that baby just turned FIVE !!)
Since reading this first chapter, I've bought a bike ! The kids and I ride regularly. One of my troubles with exercise has always been trying to find the time when I'm not with the kids or not too tired ... By the time Rory gets home from work, the latter is true ! The rest of the time ... I'm with the kids ! So for me, riding bikes is perfect. It is something I can do WITH the kids ! As they are early risers, we do it before school. From time to time we ride after school as well. Just last week, we rode 5 km to a playground, played for a while and then rode 5 km home ! Exercise disguised as good family fun ! I love it.
Jodie also talks about not living in a cycle of negativity. Finding the silver lining, I'd say. We are all busy, we all have more to do in one day than the 24 hours we are given affords us, we all have the struggles that come with raising children, we all have lots of things that make us tired, frustrated, stressed ... but what do we do with those frustrations ? What do we do with those negative thoughts ? Is it helping ? Or is it making it worse ?
For me, falling back into negative thought patterns is easily done ! If I'm not careful, I can find my mouth and my heart full of complaints. Jodie's reminder to "simply stop and look for the most positive response you can find in the moment." is helpful to me.
This is just a glimpse of what Jodie covers in this first chapter. And most of what I've written is not directly from the book ... or even her wording. I want these posts to be about what I learned from what she has written. If you want to read her words, you'll have to get the book !
You can "meet" Jodie on her website ... sign up for her newsletter too !! I think you'll like it ...
Posts
4 comments:
If the first chapter is a sign of whats in the rest of the book, it sounds good.
Kudo's to you for riding bike!
Hi Bonnie
Thanks for the book review - I look forward to the next chapter and I will look for the book when I go to Mt. Gambier tomorrow.
Since I started blogging, I have been cooking from scratch more, trying to keep additives out of our diet and I walk each morning with a friend, at 6am. We do a 5 km circuit and it takes us about 50 minutes then I do the morning onslaught to get the kids on to the bus at 7.30. We walked all thru winter, brollies in hand, and feel much better for it.
Cheers - Joolz :)
I dito what Mari said, If the first chapter is this good, then the remaining chapters should be good too.
Negativity has always been a battle for me too. Looking critically at something has always been my "gift." Ha! Ha! Now, when a critical thought comes, I try to confess it to God and tell him that I cannot change myself....he needs to do it. My husband says that God is doing a great work in me. That is encouraging.
This book sounds interesting. I'll have to check at our library for it. I'm guilty of forgetting about me but once-in-awhile I take a day for myself. After, I'm a better mother and wife because of it.
Post a Comment