"It’s possible to stay in love, but it takes more than fireworks. Falling in love only requires a pulse. Staying in love requires a plan."

"It’s possible to stay in love, but it takes more than fireworks. Falling in love only requires a pulse. Staying in love requires a plan."

A friend of mine came up with this and posted it on facebook the other day. Ever since I read it, it's been something I've been pondering.

Number one, I'm a plan person. Planning is what I do best. I even try to plan my life, every detail, all of it. As you all my know that even our best laid plans do not work out and that despite our best efforts life takes us where it wants us to go without really asking our opinions. So when I saw the word plan in this quote I found new meaning in the word.

I think a good synonym for the word plan in this quote should be devotion. It's not talking about plan in the sense you plan on being with someone for X amount of years, it's not saying you plan on moving here with this person or going there with this person, it's not saying you plan on spending your forever with this person. What it's saying is staying in love, cultivating real love, and taking care of that love requires you to plan on being devoted to another. An active thought process in which you continually think (plan) on how best to love that person. A day by day, week by week effort. One which is constantly changing, evolving, and growing. Bottom line, if you don't plan on persistently applying your best efforts in a relationship through thought, words, and above all actions, then what's the use?

It is true, sometimes there is an unexplainable and underlying connection you make with another. A rare connection that you do not find with many but that's only the beginning. Anything good in your life takes hard work to attain or sustain. Love is no different. If you've been given the amazing gift of finding this connection then don't lay down and become indolent. We take advantage of relationships in our lives assuming that they're always going to be there....until one day they aren't. I tell everyone to ask themselves if they are a blessing in every life they touch. If the answer is no in some cases, then they need to figure out how to become one.

People always say that the love in the movies doesn't exist. It's just a movie. You're filling your head with hopeless thoughts and unrealistic ideas. I don't buy it. Love is something you create. It's not that this love doesn't exist, it's that all too often these days no one wants to put in the effort to create this love. Astonishing, soulful, once in a lifetime, kind of love. How hard would it be to buy a birthday cake, light candles, and sit on a kitchen table for some one's birthday? How hard would it be to dance in the middle of a street on your way home from a date? How hard would it be to stand outside some one's window with a boom-box playing a love song? Or taking a night and helping them check things off on their bucket list? I'll answer it for you, not hard at all. You have the chance to create something beautiful and then share that with someone. Love is simply, understanding how to best love the person you love. Love like this takes a plan. A thoughtful plan of devotion, diligence, and effort.

I was at a wedding this weekend and the reverend made a valid point. Relationships aren't 50/50 they are are 100/100. Always plan on giving 100% no matter what.

Count Qualities not Calories

To be completely honest, I've been struggling a lot with body image lately. I don't think I'm alone on that mark either. I seem to do really good for a couple weeks, work out, begin to eat better, and then I get on the scale and time after time I am discouraged. It seems lately it's a lot harder to drop weight when even just six months ago I could drop a few here a few there and not think twice about it. As I was dripping sweat tonight I kind of got mad at myself. I am letting a little number make me hate the way I look and because of that every time I look in the mirror I get a distorted view of myself. I decided instead of counting calories or numbers on the scale that I'd try these things for awhile:

1-Ditch the scale. I'm not saying ditch my workout schedule or trying to eat healthy when I can, I'm just saying I can tell when I feel better physically and I'm going to try to start holding on to that not letting outside factors take it away (like the scale).

2-Stop picking apart bits and pieces of myself rather try to feel beautiful as a whole. I think as women we sometimes constantly strive for our idea of perfection instead of feeling more comfortable with the beautiful qualities we already have. I always say well if this were a little tighter, or if this little bit of my stomach would tone a little more, or maybe if I could lose some weight around my legs I'd feel better. I need to work on celebrating the good parts of my body not constantly creating bad ones.

3-Keep positive role models in my mind. I don't think genetically I was meant to be stick thin. I've got wide hips, I've got curve to my thighs, and I've got a butt. I love seeing women in the media who celebrate their bodies.

What up Kate Upton?

"I won't starve to be thin."

O hey, Miranda Lambert

"I don't care about being stick-thin. I don't want stuff to jiggle. Really skinny actresses make me hungry—I see them and think, Honey, you need to eat! I'm lucky I don't have to live like that. I feel my best when I'm a toned, not flabby, size 8. Women come up to me and say, 'You're beautiful and confident, and that makes me feel I can be, too.'"

I love seeing these women, they inspire me, they help me feel more positive about myself, and they make me feel beautiful! Any time I need that extra push I'll keep these two beautiful ladies in mind!

4-Not give up on my workouts. Yes everyone has different body types but working out doesn't just have to be because of cosmetic reasons. Most importantly, it's to remain healthy. While it's important to love your body and be comfortable in your own skin, it's paramount that it's a healthy body that you're falling in love with.

-and-

5-Every time I say a negative thing about my body I am going to say one compliment to myself out-loud. I know it's cliche, but I need to start realizing everything on my outside will never come close to the amazing things I have on the inside. I don't know why we let ourselves say the nasty things we do but I've come to the conclusion:

To have a healthy body I need to have a healthy mind.

[that starts with me and no where else].