give yourself permission

“Mama, may I go to Nan’s??”

Henry asks me this everyday around 2 o’clock.

He asks for permission.

After calling to make sure it’s actually with Nan, I usually grant him this permission.  I’m the adult.  He’s the kid.  There’s a power hierarchy here.

So who grants ME permission to do things?

I do.

As an adult, I am in control of myself.  Whoa. Novel idea, right?!?

Skittles. All day. If she was in control.

I am in control of my body, my relationships, my attitude, my fitness level, what I eat (or do not eat), how I perceive myself.  Guess what?!  You are too!

With this control, we have a great responsibility.  And with that responsibility, the chance to make our lives better or worse.  I see a lot of people (mostly on Facebook – I don’t know why I even get on there) blaming others for their own situations.  This I cannot understand.  I also hear it when I talk to others about their weightloss or their fitness level – something or someone is getting in the way – never THEM.

Me?  M&M’s all the way.

What we sometimes fail to do is give ourselves permission to be in control of our own lives.  To allow ourselves that responsibility and THEN to accept the outcome of those choices.  To quote Star Wars, “take care of yourself…it’s what you’re best at.”

Today, let’s give ourselves permission to:

• REST, if that’s what our body needs.
• REST, if that’s what our MIND needs.
• eat healthy foods to fuel our workouts.
• eat chocolate-covered cashews to fuel our souls.
• move a little. 
• move a lot.
• drink that Diet Coke if it’s what we need to get through that trapped, snowy day.
• force down that green drink that helps us poo.  (you know the one….)
• sit on the couch for as long as it takes.  All day if need be.
• forgive a friend who has said things behind our backs.
• ask for forgiveness because WE were that bad friend.
• change our attitude when it needs to be changed.

Here’s the one rule (and where that darn responsibility part comes in to play):  Whatever we give ourselves permission to do, we have to take OWNERSHIP of.  Because we are the ones in control – every individual for himself.

WE are allowed permission …. and we needn’t even ask for it.

Whoa. 

QUESTION:  How often do you blame others?  Know people who chronically do this?  Do you enjoy being an adult?  <-not always.

splendid…lindsay