People Are Watching
I haven't blogged in a while because, well I've had nothing to say that I've felt like was worth reading. I am all for entertainment, healthy debates, weighing in on hot topics and even a little fluff but I've become very conscious of what I'm putting out. It's been a daily exercise in not putting out what I dont want back, so it's been best to say nothing. I've been tested recently and have resisted the urge to "fire back" when I've been "fired upon" (not to mention making sure friends and love ones dont fire on my behalf). There was one situation recently where I had to apologize to someone after later realizing that my well intentioned involvement ended up hurting someone, the lesson; sometimes information can hurt, but otherwise my conscious, daily effort has been going well.
I emphasized conscious for a reason, because unconsciously I've had influence on people I dont know.
If you didn't know I like to walk and last year I began walking like crazy because I found myself 217 pounds, feeling like, for lack of a better word, shit (emotionally and physically). I started walking in the morning, then the evening then in the morning AND the evening sometimes 7 days a week. I ran briefly, very briefly but unless I'm being chased I'll stick to walking. On my route I'd see "the regulars" walking, we'd smile we'd speak in those brief seconds you have when speed walking and keep it moving. In the fall of 2010 and I found myself down to a low of 189. I wont focus on the weight but I'm always get asked what I did and it's simple, I walked and walked and walked some more. I walked in the heat, I walked till my hair looked like shit (and if you know me you know I was serious if I let my hair go). I also changed my eating habits (here's part of the eating habit change:
http://coleyco.net/2010/05/02/the-smoothie-that-turned-it-around.aspx).
Fast forward to Spring of 2011, the suns back out and so am I in full force in the flyest exercise gear and wearing my "exercise cologne" (AXE). This year some things have changed, my schedule isn't what it was last year so I've found myself out on many occasions before 9AM sometimes just at or right after 8AM. I never stopped walking but the weather during the winter months does is hit or miss for powerwalking, but back to 2011. Since I've been back at it and hitting it hard I've been stopped 3 times. Two have been compliments "looking good" and "alright now, keep up the good work." Both were strangers who pointed out they have noticed me over the past year. The second person said she needed to start walking with me and I told her when she's ready I'll still be walking. But the third encounter was the one that stopped me in my tracks. On my route there is a lady who has a Yorkie, hers is 1/2 the size of mine and he's adorable. On multiple occasions the dog has run up to me and of course I'd stop pet him and the lady and I would talk for a few minutes then I'd go on my way. Well a couple of weeks ago about a 1/2 a mile away I see this familiar Yorkie charging up to me and I look up and I see the lady. The lady is in a very cute form fitting powder blue jogging suit, hair braided up and she was walking her ass off! After we exchange greetings she tells me "I wish I had your commitment" I ask her why and she says "you never stopped, you kept walking even when it was cold, I saw you walking when you didn't see me." I told her "I dont always feel like doing it but it beats the alternative and I LIKE walking". In that moment it hit me "people are watching me." That encounter reminded me of two situations; one was a lady I walked with one night in 2010 who joined me walking after telling me she started walking because she noticed I walked almost every night. We only walked that one time but in 2011 I've seen her and one of her friends walking 3 to 4 times a week. The second was someone I was talking to in a store who bought something on my recommendation who told me they'd noticed me two weeks earlier and (I'm paraphrasing) was impressed by my presence. And as I sit here writing this I'm reminded of the compliment I received yesterday by someone who I thought paid no attention to me.
All of those situations have reminded me that my unconscious actions are effecting people. It's also reminded me of something Joyce Meyer has said for your years, (paraphrasing again) "you can help or hurt people with your actions and never know it because people are watching you." I know people look at what I wear, my hair etc, basicly the superficial but it never occurred to me that I was being "watched" but I'm glad I am now aware. I've never made it a secret that I want to do great/big things and I'm going to go out on a limb for the first time in my life and say I know I am, I've always known, the details are still a mystery.
As I head out to get my walk on for May 6th, 2011 I'll close by asking who are you effecting; who's watching you?
I emphasized conscious for a reason, because unconsciously I've had influence on people I dont know.
If you didn't know I like to walk and last year I began walking like crazy because I found myself 217 pounds, feeling like, for lack of a better word, shit (emotionally and physically). I started walking in the morning, then the evening then in the morning AND the evening sometimes 7 days a week. I ran briefly, very briefly but unless I'm being chased I'll stick to walking. On my route I'd see "the regulars" walking, we'd smile we'd speak in those brief seconds you have when speed walking and keep it moving. In the fall of 2010 and I found myself down to a low of 189. I wont focus on the weight but I'm always get asked what I did and it's simple, I walked and walked and walked some more. I walked in the heat, I walked till my hair looked like shit (and if you know me you know I was serious if I let my hair go). I also changed my eating habits (here's part of the eating habit change:
http://coleyco.net/2010/05/02/the-smoothie-that-turned-it-around.aspx).
Fast forward to Spring of 2011, the suns back out and so am I in full force in the flyest exercise gear and wearing my "exercise cologne" (AXE). This year some things have changed, my schedule isn't what it was last year so I've found myself out on many occasions before 9AM sometimes just at or right after 8AM. I never stopped walking but the weather during the winter months does is hit or miss for powerwalking, but back to 2011. Since I've been back at it and hitting it hard I've been stopped 3 times. Two have been compliments "looking good" and "alright now, keep up the good work." Both were strangers who pointed out they have noticed me over the past year. The second person said she needed to start walking with me and I told her when she's ready I'll still be walking. But the third encounter was the one that stopped me in my tracks. On my route there is a lady who has a Yorkie, hers is 1/2 the size of mine and he's adorable. On multiple occasions the dog has run up to me and of course I'd stop pet him and the lady and I would talk for a few minutes then I'd go on my way. Well a couple of weeks ago about a 1/2 a mile away I see this familiar Yorkie charging up to me and I look up and I see the lady. The lady is in a very cute form fitting powder blue jogging suit, hair braided up and she was walking her ass off! After we exchange greetings she tells me "I wish I had your commitment" I ask her why and she says "you never stopped, you kept walking even when it was cold, I saw you walking when you didn't see me." I told her "I dont always feel like doing it but it beats the alternative and I LIKE walking". In that moment it hit me "people are watching me." That encounter reminded me of two situations; one was a lady I walked with one night in 2010 who joined me walking after telling me she started walking because she noticed I walked almost every night. We only walked that one time but in 2011 I've seen her and one of her friends walking 3 to 4 times a week. The second was someone I was talking to in a store who bought something on my recommendation who told me they'd noticed me two weeks earlier and (I'm paraphrasing) was impressed by my presence. And as I sit here writing this I'm reminded of the compliment I received yesterday by someone who I thought paid no attention to me.
All of those situations have reminded me that my unconscious actions are effecting people. It's also reminded me of something Joyce Meyer has said for your years, (paraphrasing again) "you can help or hurt people with your actions and never know it because people are watching you." I know people look at what I wear, my hair etc, basicly the superficial but it never occurred to me that I was being "watched" but I'm glad I am now aware. I've never made it a secret that I want to do great/big things and I'm going to go out on a limb for the first time in my life and say I know I am, I've always known, the details are still a mystery.
As I head out to get my walk on for May 6th, 2011 I'll close by asking who are you effecting; who's watching you?
Comments