Turn your Can'ts into Cans and your Dreams into Plans!

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

~JS~ 🌞
#MotivationMonday

#goals #ithinkican #neversaynever #dreams #planning #motivation

What Impact Will You Make Today?

I'm so grateful for all those who make an impact on my life daily. I'm also mindful of all those who have gone before me, whose actions have impacted my life for the better. ~JS~ 🌞 #ThankfulThursday

Diet or Health? Which are you focused on?

Are your daily choices focused on helping you DIE or HEAL? There's a difference between being "unsick" and actually being "healthy"... 

One state leads toward becoming sick, while the other leads toward a vibrant, optimal life. ❤️ I choose optimum health... One healthy habit at a time! 🤩 

Do you want to come along on the journey? Follow my "Healthy Habits with Jumbled Sunshine" page for ideally-daily strategies to make your life better every day!

~JS~🌞 #StrategySaturday #optimumhealth #loveyourbody #takecareofyou 

Get up and Try Again!

"Never let a stumble on your road be the end of your journey." Get up and try again! 🚧🚸🛣️ 

~JS~🌞
#SacredSunday

 #goals #journey #repentance #mercy #forgiveness

"I Just Want Everyone to Smile!" Wise Words from a Child

This is so great! "Everyone just needs to settle down and be nice and be friends!" Wow, if I need advice in the future, I'll know where to turn! Isn't she adorable? 😍👧



This is why we have kids. They teach us so much!
~JS~🌞 #FamilyFriday

#cutelittlegirl #greatadvice #justbenice

August 2018 Weight Loss Progress Update!

Hey everyone - just wanted to pop in really quick and give you an update on my summer weight loss results! ⚖ You can see the external progress from the pictures above, but the real exciting part is how much ENERGY I have now!! 😄 It's incredible. I just can't believe how much easier it is to do everything when I actually have the energy to do it!

I recorded a video this afternoon about my experience that I'm going to post tomorrow. So watch for that! I'll post a link to the video here as soon as I get it published!

I'm so grateful for my renewed energy and zest for life! I have always tried to be a positive person, even when life throws me lemons, but wow it's so much easier when you FEEL GOOD. So grateful for the new journey that I'm on!

~JS~ 🌞
#ThankfulThursday

#weightloss #weightlossjourney #lifelongtransformation #onehealthyhabitatatime #healthyhabits #yourbodyisatemple

Be Proud of Every Step You Take

"Don't wait until you've reached your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take toward reaching that goal."

I'm so grateful for the things that I've achieved in my life and for everyone who helped support me to get me to where I am today.

I've got a long way to go to become the best I can be, but today I'm celebrating the progress I've made. 😍

Remember to pay attention to the little things that you accomplish instead of only focusing on the road ahead. Remember that if you make it partway toward a goal, that's not failure, that's successful progress!

Always focus on the good that's come from everything you try. You got this!

~JS~ 🌞
#ThankfulThursday

#goals #motivation
#patience #notfailure #gratitude #support #mentors #littlethings

Look to the Future!

Do something today that your future self will thank you for.
~JS~ 🌞 #ThankfulThursday

#inspire #succeed #gratitude #quote #quotestoliveby
www.jumbledsunshine.com

You are Worth It!

"God would not put you through a refiner's fire if you were not worth refining." - Brad Wilcox

Have wonderful #SacredSunday today!
~JS~🌞

I Didn't Ask For This Problem ... Or Did I?

You never know what future blessings will come from your current trials. Let your struggles make you stronger!
~JS~ 🌞 #ThankfulThursday
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#strong #motivational #sorelatable #problems #mentalhealthawareness #mud #depression #healing #gratitudequotes

Parenting with Random Intentionality - IDP009 Podcast with Shownotes and Links

How imperfect best efforts yield results over time

Today's podcast ended up being a huge boost to my day as I considered the long-range effects of random best efforts, consistently applied over time. If you're frustrated with the daily "drudge" of parenting and feel like your efforts aren't making any difference, this message is for you!

Shownotes

Here's what I was listening to this morning that sparked today's thoughts about random intentionality (such a fun concept!): A Slob Comes Clean 014 Husbands and Decluttering Podcast

Here's a related blog post by Dana White that I referred to in today's podcast:

Family Pick-Up Time (Or The Benefits of Random Intentionality)

Definitions from today's podcast:

"Randomness is the lack of pattern or predictability in events.[1] A random sequence of events, symbols or steps has no order and does not follow an intelligible pattern or combination." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randomness

"Intention is a mental state that represents a commitment to carrying out an action or actions in the future. Intention involves mental activities such as planning and forethought." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intention

"Intentionality is a philosophical concept and is defined by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy as "the power of minds to be about, to represent, or to stand for, things, properties and states of affairs." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intentionality

My definition of random intentionality as it relates to parenting:
Random intentionality in parenting is having a long-range view of the values you want to teach your children, and striving to teach those consistently over time in a variety of fun and ever-changing ways. Remember that inconsistent intentionality is ever so much better than no intentionality at all.

Having fun with my kids while teaching about using cleansing face masks for healthy skin!

----

I love this poem that I heard when I was a child, and many times over the years.

"The Race" by D.H. Groberg

“Quit! Give up! You’re beaten!” they shout at me, and plead. 

“There’s just too much against you now, this time you can’t succeed.”

And as I start to hang my head in front of failure’s face, 

My downward fall is broken by the memory of a race. 

And hope refills my weakened will, as I recall that scene, 

For just the thought of that short race rejuvenates my being.

They all lined up so full of hope, each thought to win that race. 

Or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place. 

And fathers watched from off the side, each cheering for his son, 

And each boy hoped to show his dad, that he would be the one.

The whistle blew, and off they went, young hearts and hopes afire, 

To win and be the hero there was each young boy’s desire. 

And one boy in particular, whose dad was in the crowd, 

Was running near the head, and thought, “My dad will be so proud!”

But as he fell, his dad stood up, and showed his anxious face, 

Which to the boy so clearly said, “Get up and win the race.” 

He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit, that’s all, 

And ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall.

So anxious to restore himself, to catch up and to win, 

His mind went faster than his legs; he slipped and fell again!

He wished then he had quit before with only one disgrace. 

“I’m hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn’t try to race.”

But in the laughing crowd he searched, and found his father’s face, 

that steady look that said again, “Get up and win the race!”

So up he jumped to try again, ten yards behind the last, 

“If I’m to gain those yards,” he thought, “I’ve got to move real fast.”

Exceeding everything he had he gained back eight or ten, 

But trying so to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again.

Defeat! He lay there silently, a tear dropped from his eye. 

“There is no sense in running more. Three strikes, I’m out, why try?”

The will to rise had disappeared, all hope had fled away. 

So far behind, so error prone, a loser all the way.

“I’ve lost, so what’s the use,” he thought, “I’ll live with my disgrace.” 

But then he thought about his dad, who soon he’d have to face.

“Get up!” an echo sounded low, “Get up, and take your place. 

You were not meant for failure here, get up and win the race.”

“With borrowed will, get up,” it said, “You have not lost at all. 

For winning is no more than this: to rise each time you fall.”

So up he rose to run once more, and with a new commit, 

He resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn’t quit.

So far behind the others now, the most he’d ever been, 

Still he gave it all he had, and ran as though to win.

Three times he’d fallen stumbling, three times he’d rose again, 

Too far behind to hope to win he still ran to the end. 

They cheered the winning runner, as he crossed the line first place. 

Head high and proud and happy, no falling, no disgrace. 

But when the fallen youngster crossed the finish line last place, 

The crowd gave him the greater cheer for finishing the race.

And even though he came in last, with head bowed low, unproud, 

You would have thought he won the race to listen to the crowd.

And to his dad, he sadly said, “I didn’t do so well.” 

“To me you won!” his father said, “You rose each time you fell.”

And when things seem dark and hard, and difficult to face, 

The memory of that little boy helps me to win my race. 

For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all, 

And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.

“Quit! Give up! You’re beaten!” they still shout in my face. 

But another voice within me says: “GET UP AND WIN THE RACE!”

----------------------------

Here's a fun dramatized video based on "The Race":

Love it!!! 😍😍😍


Have a wonderful weekend!
~JS~ 🌞
#FamilyFriday

Health and Wellness Journey Update: Plateau Broken!

I'm super excited today to report on my health and wellness goals! Unfortunately I'm not in a position to record a podcast today, or I'd totally be shouting this into a microphone!! 😉Suffice it to say that I think I made a breakthrough!! Aren't they the best? Sometimes it just seems like you slog away and trudge through the muck and difficulty of a challenge, and it seems impossible to overcome. But then, something happens, something changes, and suddenly you find yourself on the edge of a breakthrough. You wonder if it's the right way to go so you stew and contemplate and struggle with it (and if you're like me, you analyze it to death!) and then you decide to make the leap. 

Where I've Been

Well this week I made a big leap! And I am already seeing success, though I've barely begun. Where to begin? I suppose it's best to refer you to my last #WellnessWednesday status report if you'd like some background context. You can find that post here: First Official Wellness Wednesday Post. I wrote that in January 2018 and it's currently the middle of May 2018, so it's been awhile! I will try to catch you up a bit and then tell you what's on the horizon now.

In January I did the "no sweets for the whole month of January" until about the middle of January. Now that you're done laughing and I'm done crying (haha just kidding, I'm fine) I will just take a minute to congratulate myself for the couple weeks I did do! (Yay me! 💪💖 Go Erika!) Okay, now back to the story. So I visited my parents in January and went off of the "no sugar" thing after being there a couple of days because it was just so darn hard because I was on vacation! I did stick to my periodic fasting routine (mostly) but then I ate garbage when I wasn't fasting. So ... yeah, not the best approach, but by doing that I only gained a couple of pounds on that very long vacation.

After getting home, I got serious with my IF routine (intermittent fasting btw) by doing an eating window between 6 to 10 hours per day, on average about an eight hour window). For more details on the plan I was following, you can check out The Intermittent Fasting Podcast. I'm not going to go into detail on my exact plan because you can find it all there if you're interested. But from February until about a week ago, I basically waited to eat until about noon and then tried to eat reasonably the rest of the day, with my last meal between 6pm and 10pm. The freedom was nice because I could eat pretty much whatever I wanted during my eating window. And I think it will be a good maintenance strategy for vacations or other times when I want to indulge. BUT...

And there's the big BUT, haha. The problem is that once I got back down to my pre-2017-holiday weight, I could never break past the plateau. No matter how faithful I was to the eating windows, that scale just went up and down about 5 pounds but never went below one certain number. Grr! 😠Infuriating!!

Now to be fair, I completely know that if I had just eaten more reasonably during my eating window, I probably would have continued to lose weight. But I was just stuck on a plateau, and could never break past that spot. And I knew that I just needed to make healthier choices. But IF kind of gave me permission to not eat all that healthy when I was eating (which, like I said, can be kind of handy!) but some of that food really made me feel terrible. And I was in denial about that. When I ate healthily during my eating window (lots of veggies, moderate carbs, protein in every meal) then I felt great! But I just kept bouncing up and down about five pounds and could never get past my plateau.

A New Day!

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when a friend of mine and I were chatting in church about our health progress. She's lost 60 pounds in the last six months and it's been super inspiring to watch her progress! I thought a couple of times about asking her what she was doing, but we always had just a few minutes before and after the church meeting to chat and I was happy with what I was doing and felt like the plateau would break soon. But at the same time, I wasn't making the healthiest of choices and I knew it. And I knew that I probably needed another change.

This is how my brain works. When I start to lose enthusiasm for something, I need to change it up to make my next breakthough. A change of pace, strategy, environment, system or tools can make all the difference for my enthusiasm. Can any of you relate? 

So when Nancy invited me to listen to a health information meeting at her house, I decided to go check it out. I was super impressed with her friend Kirtley who shared her own journey. It was also fun to hear Nancy's own story in more detail. They shared some of the basic principles of the health  program that they used to reach and maintain their own health goals, and I enjoyed the get-together. I went home considering it for sure.

I found myself contemplating if it made sense for me to get a jump-start by trying something totally new, with the added support of a certified personal health coach who is also my friend. The idea of having someone to hold me accountable is probably what made me the most interested, honestly. I've spent a lifetime learning and studying, which has included many different health programs over the years, so I know in my mind what I need to do. The hard part is getting myself to do it! My daughter Jessica told me the other day that she heard something once about a study that found out that it doesn't necessarily matter that much which health program you use, as long as you faithfully stick to it and have a good plan for maintenance. In other words, you have to actually DO what you KNOW. Mind-blowing, right? 🙄 Simple but nearly impossible sometimes!

As I've visited with Nancy over the past week, I have been impressed with the details she asked me about, the knowledge she had, and her flexibility in working with me via video messages with the Marco Polo app. It works great because we get the face-to-face but we don't have to plan ahead to be on the phone at the same time. (Biggest problem with live video chatting.) Although for our "official health assessment meeting" we did both sit-down go back and forth for about an hour. She asked me about my current health situation, what my goals were, why I wanted to lose weight, and more things to help me really assess where I was and where I wanted to go. I felt like if I worked with her, I could really do this and finish getting down to my goal.

Exciting Progress

What makes this a new day for me? It's the accountability of having someone else know what my health goals are who will cheer me on and give me encouragement when I fall. It's just the sort of motivation I needed to get going on this again. And the best part?? For the past three days I have been "pretending" that I was already on the plan by eating six small healthy meals a day, every 2-3 hours. Oh and drinking half of my body weight in ounces. And guess what? Without even getting the foods yet or really officially starting, I BROKE MY PLATEAU!!! 😊😍👋

Full-disclosure here, I have peeked briefly at that lower number a couple of times over the past seven months, but never for more than a day. And it's so exciting because I haven't seen that number in the past couple of months, and now it's here! Even though it feels like I've barely started doing anything yet! So awesome.

I think that it's really about motivation and desire. I really want this because I want to be healthier for my kids and grandkids. About a month ago, I started having some heart palpitations, so I went to see my doctor and had a 24 hour heart monitor test. That really scared me. My mom died at age 60 from the effects of ten years' struggle with heart disease. She had her first heart attack at age 50. I am only a few years away from that! I realized the other night that if I died at the same age as my mom, I will not be around to see my sweet newborn grandson graduate from high school! In fact, I won't even see him enter high school. That is terrifying!!! I want to be around and keep being jumbled-y and sunshine-y for decades more to come. 🌞🌞🌞🌞

So anyway, it's a new day here for #WellnessWednesday!! I'm excited to have a COACH, to have ACCOUNTABILITY, and to maybe even earn some money for my efforts, thanks to also signing up for a DietBet challenge on Monday night. I am hoping to earn back some of the money I am spending on my new program! I just have to lose 4% in 4 weeks. Do you think I can do it? I KNOW I CAN. Who's with me? It's not too late to join me. Let's make this the best summer ever!!

I'd love to hear anything you have to share about your own plans and goals and challenges and breakthroughs. Accountability and friendships can make so much difference! I am so excited for all the decades ahead to keep learning and growing and enjoying my family and friends.

Have a wonderful day!
~JS~ 🌞
#WellnessWednesday

__________________________________________

ps - If you're interested in connecting with my friend Nancy, who is a Certified Health Coach, send me a note HERE and I'll give you an introduction or you can visit her website online HERE.

Happy Mother's Day Mom - I Miss You!

Happy Mother's Day to the original Jumbled Sunshine. 💕🌞🕊️ #SacredSunday
#godbewithyou #tillwemeetagain

"If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown! But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Be grateful for this beautiful world! ~JS ~ 🌞#ThankfulThursday

#beauty #heavens #nature #astronomy #night #night-sky #religion #sky #stars #byuwomensconference #laurelmcconkie

What Happens in Your House?

"You must read to your children and you must hug your children and you must love your children. Your success as a family, our success as a society, depends not on what happens in the White House, but in what happens inside your house." - Barbara Bush

Happy #FamilyFriday!
~JS~ 🌞

Daily Rules of Happiness from The Daily Boost Podcast

The last few months I've really gotten into listening to podcasts. I have an Android phone, so I've been using the Player FM Podcast Player, which I love! I'll probably write more details about this app and why I love it so much in another post. But today, I just wanted to share with you one of the podcasts that I really enjoy.

It's called "The Daily Boost" and it's a great motivational podcast that is only 9 minutes long! They also offer "daily nuggets" that you can have sent to you as messages if podcasts aren't your thing. I love getting these quick motivational thoughts every day. And the host is such a positive guy!

Here's a little summary about today's podcast message, to give you a sample.

Daily Rules of Happiness:

Happy people tend to see the world differently. Here's why:

• They realize that being alive includes challenges, which are part of the privilege of being alive.
• Yes, they get frustrated, but they don't give up because having challenges just means that, well, life is normal.
• Happy people accept responsibility for solving challenges. 
• They deal with what life throws at them each day, knowing that after a good night's sleep, they will be refreshed to get up and do it all again.
• When you think like a happy person, it will probably start to feel like not as many challenges show up in the first place, because you are seeing them as a normal part of life.

You can listen to the podcast related to these Daily Rules of Happiness, plus find more episodes and information about The Daily Boost podcast here: motivationtomove.com/podcasts/daily-boost-podcast

Happy #MotivationMonday!!
~JS~ 🌞

The Wisest Person I Ever Met - Inspiring Speech!

For #MotivationMonday today, I wanted to share with you this awesome video of a commencement speech that I came across last night. It is just so inspiring and I encourage you to watch the entire thing! There were so many amazing concepts presented in this speech that I'm not sure how I can narrow it down to the most impactful ones. But here are just a few, followed by the embedded video published by Goalcast on YouTube.

• The first one is the idea of combining knowledge and wisdom to make an impact. He calls his father a "simple cook" and refers to his father as a third grade dropout. I know he's using that term for impact, but I wouldn't use the term dropout to describe this incredible man who left third grade to help out on the family farm because he was needed. I would call that sacrificing oneself for the good of others, for the good of your family.

• I love the quote by Mark Twain: "I've never allowed my schooling to get in the way of my education." Despite being someone who has finished a college bachelor's degree myself, and though I have been married for nearly 27 years to someone who has two post-graduate degrees, I fully realize that formal education is not the only way to educate oneself. While it does provide a framework of stepping stones that can help you to "become educated" (whatever that really means) by those who have gone before you and know something about what types of things you need to learn to understand about the field you are going into, learning is not about attending classes per se, or getting a bunch of letters behind your name. Education is really more about having a thirst for knowledge and continually seeking it out each and every day. This small habit of being curious and exploring the world around you, and learning with an open mind about everything around you is how you will prepare yourself for everything that will come your way, and prepare you to teach the next generation.

• The next amazing principle in this speech is the idea of challenging oneself each and every day to be the best that you can be. This can be tough order to fill, because sometimes we just don't feel motivated to be motivated! This is part of why I created #MotivationMonday, because I need the motivation myself! But it's so important, in the word's of Dori from Finding Nemo, to just keep swimming! Never, ever give up is another lesson we learn from this speech in a very powerful way.

• The speaker's father taught him, "I won't have a problem if you aim high and miss, but I'll have a real problem if you aim low and hit." What great advice! It's important to reach high enough to stretch yourself so that you can become a little bit better every single day. 

• Aristotle said, "You are what you repeatedly do." I learned this in another setting just yesterday when I heard a speaker explain how over time, all of the seemingly insignificant, private decisions that we make over and over, can shape our lives. Thousands of little positive habits, when made consistently over time, can lift us to great things.

• The next quote I really like is, "I know you're tough, but don't ever forget to be kind." It's one of those things you learn in primary school, "Remember this, kindness begins with me!"

There are so many more great quotes and principles in this talk that I just don't have time to share them all! I encourage you to watch it all the way through, think about the truths that speak to your heart, and resolve to take just one of them and integrate it into your day today.

Go make today a great one!
~JS~ 🌞

 

The Day That Changed Everything - Happy Easter!

“He is not here: for he is risen.”  

Matthew 28:6 

#SacredSunday

Strategy for a Happy Life

Here is today's #StrategySaturday post,  a reminder to look for happiness in whatever life brings. Reprinted with permission from: https://happinessisajourney.com
~JS~ 

*****

Happiness is a Journey, by Crystal Boyd

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we’re frustrated that the kids aren’t old enough and we’ll be more content when they are. After that, we’re frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We’ll certainly be happy when they’re out of that stage.

We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.

The truth is, there’s no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when?

Your life will always be filled with challenges. It’s best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D. Souza. He said, “For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.”

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with…and remember that time waits for no one.

So, stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you’re off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you’ve had a drink, until you’ve sobered up, until you die, until you’re born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

*My youngest son holding my first grandson.*

I'm Grateful for the Beautiful World Around Me!

Wow, today it was just so wonderful to wake up early enough to see this gorgeous sunrise!

Today's View from my Back Porch! #nofilters #noautocolorcorrect

* * * * *

I often have a difficult time getting up in the morning, and I have to lay there talking myself into it, or I find myself just sleeping right through waking up when I know that my husband's got a handle on the stuff with my teenagers in the morning. 😯 This getting-up-early thing is one of the challenges that I've had throughout my life, because my natural tendency is to be more of a night owl. If I want to get up early, I have to do a lot of mental gymnastics and positive self-talk to prepare myself for it the night before.

But today, for whatever reason, I just woke up automatically around 5:00 A.M. At first, I thought I was going to just go back to sleep for awhile. But I ended up listening to a podcast in bed, and then finally about 6:00, I just decided, "Heck with this, I might as well get up!" Wow, my efforts really paid off when I looked out the back window around 7:15 A.M. and saw this gorgeous sight!

What a great wake-up call! #nofilters #noautocolorcorrect

* * * * *

I often find myself taking pictures of sunrises and sunsets in the beautiful country town where I live. We just seem to get so many incredible sunlit views punctuated by the mountains and fields all around us.

See what I mean?!? #nofilters #noautocolorcorrect

* * * * *

There's just something so majestic and magical about seeing the sky all painted in a variety of colors. It just lights me up inside as I stare at it in wonder!

Makes me want to never move away! #nofilters #noautocolorcorrect

* * * * *

So though these photos don't do it near enough justice, maybe you can catch a tiny glimpse of what I saw in person this morning. To me, it's a little tender mercy blessing from heaven, given to me by a loving Heavenly Father as motivation to get myself out of bed the next time that I don't particularly feel like it. :)

This is the only one I brightened a bit... I just had to do it so you could see those cute little chickens wandering around happily in the back field! #smartphonephotography

Today I'm just feeling super grateful for the beautiful world around me!

~JS~ 🌞