We're Not in OZ Anymore

Happy Halloween!  As I embark on a festive fun night, the real work starts tomorrow. 

I am participating in the NaNoWriMo for the month of November. The Wizard said  "It's time!"

National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.

The Wizard gave me this assignment as it is equal to pursuing the Wicked Witch's broom. 
I will bring it back to him in whatever means possible.  With all that writing, I hope to keep you posted as to my travels and what I may encounter.

Wish me luck!

Thank you for all the well wishes!  It is amazing how when you wish.....you can become focused.  Lots of changes a foot for me.  My journey, of re-entry into blog world, started just a few months ago but it has evolved quickly.  My thoughts and action plans are in line with what I am trying to create. 

Often, people have called me a dreamer.  I took that as a bad thing for many years.  Seth Godin posted recently a short, but powerful statement.  He said, "Big ideas are little ideas that no one killed too soon!" 

That is me!  I am known by my friends and family as an idea person.  Creative.  I went through some struggles earlier this year (and at times each year prior for that matter) of trying to balance the practicality of others with my BIG dreams and a knowing inside that it was a BIG idea. 

The changes afoot are resonating all through my life.  My other blog, A Slice of Life Diet, has morphed and is now more inline with the vision I had for it when I started. It is now, BIG GIRL BOMBSHELL.   
I have said NO to others trying to kill my ideas and my dreams.  I am following my gut. That is something I tried to instill in my children as they were growing up and I am giving myself the same permission.

Don't let others kill your big ideas!  Follow them through with tiny, daily steps on the Yellow Brick Road. You too, will land in the merry ol' land of OZ.  By then, you will have tools to continue on the journey!

 

A horse that changes colors.  I relate that to perspective.  We view things from our comfortable "frame of reference", our old thoughts and beliefs.  It is still a horse but its not your basic black or white.

It's Wednesday, time for wishes.  Jamie asks, "What treat do you wish for?"  My personal wish? To view treats differently. To view something differently, I  look at the basics or the root. Please, indulge me for a moment.
I am taking an English grammar class to help me with my writing. So, I looked up the word.  Treat as a noun is something that gives great pleasure.  Treat as a verb it means to act or behave in a specified manner.  That is the treat I wish for.  To act or behave differently in how I view treats. No more thoughts of FOOD, specifically chocolate and sweets, as my treats.

My halloween bag of treats I wish for:
To enjoy myself and PLAY on my favorite holiday:  To release myself from my self proclaimed tower.
After all these years, believe it or not, this is my costume: I thought only skinny chicks could dress up like this. Thanks to my daughter and my special guy, they sternly encouraged me to try on the costume.

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Secondly, an abundance of learning to treat exercise, cooking and eating healthy food as pleasures.
Lastly, giving myself permission to be BOLD and purchase clothing that I have denied myself until I lose weight.  The biggest treat I wish for is a leather jacket that I have longed for, for many years.  I found one I truly want and as I searched for the image for this post, I discovered it is also on sale!  THAT's a treat!


Happy Halloween EVERYONE!  No more tricks on myself because of my size  ONLY TREATS~

As I stand before the large doors at the Emerald City, I knock on the door to my dream, my wish. 
I have signed up for NaNoWriMo.     The Challenge:  Write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days

Why would I sign up for this?  Because its time.  Win or lose, I will be farther along than I am today. It is the same as my commitment to living a healthier lifestyle.  Writing and creative endeavors are large motivators toward my self-care. It helps me to recognize my self-sabotage and take positive steps toward many things that I have not allowed myself to pursue because of my weight.   

My commitment to myself is to no longer use my weight as an excuse for my happiness.  That is why I signed up for the challenge. 

If you are interested in supporting me in this challenge, please commit, sign up for the challenge yourself or go to my fundraising sponsor page.  ALL proceeds of your sponsorship go to the Office of Letters and Light which pay for NaNoWriMo's youth and adult novel-writing program

What are some of the challenges you can make for yourself that you haven't pursued because of your weight?

My last week and a half has been a huge lesson in being conscious, like waking up in the Poppy Field, with Glinda's magic, just before entering Oz.

I fell at work a week ago and sprained my hand and wrist and skinned up both my knees.  My week was tough.  Biggest part was writing and typing.  I write morning pages everyday, have for over 10 years.  My lessons in being conscious came from having to use my left hand.  While you are reading this, put your left hand (or your right if you are left-handed) on your mouse and type without using your dominant hand.  Next, try eating for one day, without using your dominant hand.  It was a HUGE eye opener for me.  
 But a MUCH NEEDED eye opener I must say.  

Being forced to slow down, I realized just how busy I keep myself and how UNconscious most of my efforts are.  When they say, "Stop and smell the rose (or poppies in this case) I know what it means.  It means SELF CARE is being conscious and aware of the simpliest things.  My hand is doing better but I am still forcing myself to eat with my left hand at least once a day. And typing, well I have gotten pretty quick with my left. hand.

So now the journey to Oz can continue.  A little slower (and a little lighter -- I hit my first 10lb loss goal)

As you can see, We're Not in Oz Anymore, has a new look and a new server.  Thanks, in part, to the wonderful, supportive group who come to visit each Wednesday, I took one more step toward Beyond Oz.

Jamie said it so truthfully : It is a joy to see you dream, to see big dreams grow even brighter and new dreams start to sprout. It is affirming for all of us to know that wishing makes a difference, that when we open our hearts to exploration and wonder, magic happens! You are the magic, each and every one of you. You are the magic. Thank you.


The magic is occurring right before your eyes.  Beyond Oz and Somewhere over the Rainbow, to me, is the stars and the moon.  The new look is to HONOR that belief.  It brings me peace, hope and faith.  The twinkling stars and the powerful moon that luminates the darkness.  Its beauty is my constant.  It, perhaps, is hidden behind the clouds, the fog, or the man-made obstacles like tall buildings or artificial lights that hinder is wonderous view.
It fuels my faith of something much bigger than ourselves; A powerful force I can trust.  Like Glinda, it pops in when I need it the most. Something that I can't control that is there to encourage me, guide me, and pushes me to believe in myself.  The one thing I can rely on to ALWAYS be there, even when I can not see it.
So my wish for today (and everyday from here on out) is to finally release Julie from the years of the weight cloud, the fog inducement from food, and the man made obstacles of judgments, fears, and what others want from me.  I am now moving toward becoming the shining star I truly AM.
I wish to say YES! to my own beauty, to no longer hide it, and to BELIEVE IT!

As the cowardly lion once said:  I do believe, I do believe, I DO BELIEVE!

Time for a new look and server.  Stay tuned for more!

In my story, the flying monkeys represent my fears and negative affirmations.  The book, Click 3 Times, is about moving through some very difficult issues and learning to heal myself, change my life, break the cycle of violence and abuse that I was raised with and to share in order to help others.

My re-occurring nightmare for years had me trapped in the Wicked Witch's tower, with the face of the Wicked Witch being that of my stepfather saying "I will get you my pretty!"  That nightmare stopped over 25 years ago but the flying monkeys have stuck with me, representing all the fears and negative things that I use to hear or believe. All those negative emotional things that lead me to food as my sanctuary.

I am a survivor and have broken many of the patterns and cycles and my kids had a very different upbringing.  Of that I am extremely proud.

My wish for Wish-casting Wednesday, is I wish to let go of the negativity of the flying monkeys that still buzz in, to try to take me off guard and wreak havoc on my path on the Yellow Brick road. I wish to let go of all the old beliefs I have about my weight.  The things that hold me back for no other reason than I let them.  I am no longer in a position that I cannot choose. It's just been a mindset that no longer works for me.

So I release the flying monkeys being under the control of the Wicked Witch and encourage them to be my friends, to help me fly and soar above the control that I have allowed my weight to have over me.

Blessings to all my friends that visit me on Wednesdays.  I wish for all of you, what you wish for......

Magic is for Miracles and Miracles are for those that wish and dream and share from their heart................

Click 3 Times and BELIEVE!

 

A picture is worth a thousand words.  The scarecrow represents intelligence and wisdom.  The yellow brick road and the magic of the ruby red slippers is all about believing in ourselves.  As Glinda said on the steps in Oz, no one could tell Dorothy, she had to learn it for herself.  She had the power to make her dreams come true all along. 

Children are our future is not just a cliche.  We must make the changes now, as adults, no matter how hard it is, to break any cycles that were created in our past generations.  Whether we care to admit it or not, we carry on those traits until we sign up for the hard work. The hard work of being present, encouraging children - not just our own - to believe in themselves and to support them lovingly.  Family should be the most important foundation in any child's life!

Scarecrow comfort is that fun, whimsical, young in heart spirit that we should honor always.

Thank you to my good friends Sylvia and John for sharing their young Scarecrow with me - to in turn share with you.  Loving Friends and Family first!  NOW that's wisdom!

Please go to http://www.notinozanymore.com

Dorothy now has her entourage all in place.  Moving through the dark forest is always the hardest for me.  This is one of the places that I always seem to get stuck.  The places where all my fears and all my flying monkeys take over and attack my brain with all their negativity.  Oh wait, its not quite time for the flying monkeys yet.....It's time for a break.  its wishcasting Wednesday when all those supportive comments appear. When, even for just a brief moment, someone takes the time, to read my words, leave their own little tidbit of encouragement.  It's truly magic!  It makes me feel like I have a readership, a following, I am part of something big.....It supports my dream of sharing through my writing and the hope that my writing will help others or at least inspire them. The feeling of all those supportive wishes that welcome me after a long day at work. The support and sense of not being alone on my journey.  The visitors have all become my Scarecrow with their knowledge, my Tin Man with their big hearts, and my Cowardly Lion with their courage and strength.  Oh yeah, and my little dog, Toto where I know that on Wednesday, that spike of comments and readership will be there to make me feel supported.

The wish of the day.......What do you wish to complete?  That's hard! My first answer is EVERYTHING! I have so many goals and wishes, a lifetime of them have been put aside either out of fear or by putting everyone else first. So here is my list of things to complete...

• Complete and publish my book -- Click 3 Times


• My weight loss journey to a healthier lifestyle


• Complete phase one of my Affiliate for Kids program and move to the giving phase


• Complete the Slice of Life Diet workbook

The rest of the things on my list are things that truly will never be complete just ever evolving.  My journey to believing in myself, my journey of the ruby red slippers, the magical slippers that will take me home. The home my Grandma taught me when I was little that I often forget.  My body is just my house, who I truly am is my spirit inside. When home is no longer based on my house, but the spirit of the great little girl who is forever young in heart and still believes in the magic of people!  

As we are in the midst of the dark forest, we meet the cowardly lion who appears to be afraid of everything.  I once heard that there are only two fears we are born with, the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises.  I have often wondered if that is true, why are neither of them in a top numbered list.

The top ten fears listed on the Boston Globe.com were

1. Public Speaking


2. Snakes


3. Confined Spaces


4. Heights


5. Spiders


6. Tunnels and Bridges


7. Crowds


8. Public transportation (especially airplanes)


9. Storms


10. Water (as in swimming and drowning)

All of these are "supposedly" learned, but none the less, it still gives the same feeling. It provides us with the fight or flight feeling that the cowardly lion displays so well in his rant about Put em up, put em up, or during different times where he just wants to run away.  It often takes more than a badge of courage to face up to these fears, feel them, and stay put through the feeling. 

What are some of the things you are afraid of?  How have you dealt with those fears?  What gives you your badge of courage?

As I stated yesterday, the dark forest is where all the fears come from.  Those dark corners in your mind that cause all the anxious feelings.  I told you that mine are a combination of a fear of success and a fear of the unknown.  I had a comment on my Lions, Tigers and Bears post that so resonated my dark forest. 

I get extremely anxious and fearful, that feeling of the heart pounding, the steps quickening, not knowing where to run to but just wanting to run, when others are wanting more of my talents or kindness when I am not prepared.  Let me explain. 

Growing up I lived in fear constantly.  I lived in an abusive home and so much was demanded of me and I had no where to turn, no where to run.  Certain things became my escape, MY thing.  Like food.  It was the only thing I had control over.  It was the only thing that was my choice.  Trying to find balance between the chaos and some quiet control was difficult, to say the least.

So as I grew older, my talents, my big heart, my capacity to listen and share some wisdom, were some of the few things that I could base my worth on.  When someone asks for my help, whether that is in creating something or giving of my time, I use to just jump right in.  Then, often times, it was taken for granted and it no longer had the special meaning to me that it did when I started.

Then you add to it, people offering to pay for it, in my mind, became a job or something I HAD to do, not something that could be used to make me feel good.  I use to think I was just lazy too but anyone who knows me, knows I am not lazy.  It is just that when it becomes a chore or a job, I procrastinate, dig my heels in, and say NO>>>>  It is my choice, and I don't want to do it..  Like the little kid throwing a temper tantrum.  Like the cowardly lion.. Put em up! Put em up!  I go kicking and screaming into survival mode. 

This is one of the things I am trying to learn to re-frame.  Just like my body image and weight issues. It is my choice and just because others told me i should when I was little but did not do it in a supportive way doesn't mean that I can't choose to make the same choice but just have a different support system and to remember I AM CHOOSING to take care of me and I am older now and can make new rules!

What about you?  How do you re-frame some of your old behaviors to match what you want in your life but may have a little rebellion about?   Let me know!  I WANT to hear from you!

The Dark Forest is always the hardest place for me.  Too many bad memories but it is also the place that I  learned to re-frame.  To me, the Dark Forest represents FEAR.  So what does that have to do with Food, Exercise and Weight!  EVERYTHING! 

 

My biggest fear is the fear of success.  That could also be viewed as the fear of the unknown.  They go hand-in-hand like Dorothy and Toto. 

 

The wise sage, Yoda, in the movie “Stars Wars” says, “Fear leads to anger!”  Anger is a fear-filled emotion.  Often peoplee eat to suppress the emotions.  Whether those are titled good or bad emotions.  This is where I started to look at my emotional eating.

 

Perspective is Reality.  Your reality.  How you view things, your perspective on things is the reality of the situation at the moment.  I had to change my perspective on so many things, especially fears, before I could change my reality and how I thought about things in my life.  Blogging helps.  Tomorrow more about the dark forest but I want to end today with this........Red Shoe Blogging....

 

Over at ProBlogger, there was a guest post Why Blogging is like the Wizard of Oz and there's no place like home.  An excerpt from the post....."A Red Shoe Blogger is not blogging exclusively for money. A Red Shoe Blogger has a mission and is animated by passion and all the tips and tricks and hacks and tools and tweets are harnessed in service of that divine, cosmic, helpful, genuine, meaningful objective. That mission is Home."   

 

My home is where my Ruby Red Slippers take me on the Yellow Brick Road ...which is currently about Food, Exercise and Weight.    

Just on the edge of the Dark Forest......Remember this....

Lions and Tigers and Bears OH My....Lions and Tigers and Bears OH MY.... The music speeds up...

Lions and Tigers and Bears OH My...Lions and Tigers and Bears OH MY... Is your heart pounding, yet?

Lions and Tigers and Bears OH MY...

The next few posts will be dedicated to the Dark Forest.....Those deep seeded fears

Want to help me with this part?  What is a fear that you have?  What fear makes your heart race?

What fear have you overcome recently?   Let me know and check back in a couple of days.....

Thanks to all who commented on my site yesterday!  What an exhilarating feeling to have such wonderful support.  Yesterday, my new Wizard of Oz DVD arrived!  What an awesome surprise.

I am in the progress of trying to launch a new program to help public schools in some creative fund-raising.  The program is called Affiliate for Kids.  It uses affiliate marketing and online shopping to build a fund to then give to a classroom or school for a creative fund-raising project that uses the arts and technology combined.  It is slow going but that is exactly how it needs to be.

One of my affiliates is Amazon.  Since I cannot purchase items through my own store, my Mom purchased the new Wizard of Oz, 70th Anniversary collection.  It arrived yesterday.  It is all packed nicely in a cigar box type package.  Inside were a collectors book about the actors who played the main characters.  A book compiled of all the marketing materials used to originally promote the movie, 4 DVD's with the movie in HD, outtakes, documentaries, and items about other stories by L. Frank Baum.

The surprise was a nicely packaged Wizard of Oz watch, emerald green, with the characters on the face. So those days I need a little magic, I can now where the watch when the Ruby Slippers aren't enough.

The bonus was the purchase earned me $1.80 toward my Affiliate for Kids program.  Slow and steady. That is the beauty of the idea.  It is something I would purchase anyway and it also is building something beneficial. 

Its a win-win-win all the way around...............

Have a magical day!