Mantra vs Mission Statement

So, I'm a big believer in self talk. You should hear the dialogue in my head while I'm running ... or playing tennis. I'm especially vocal (in my own head) when I play singles. It's one of the reasons I enjoy singles tennis so much. I like to hear myself THINK?

I showed a lot of improvement this year in my tennis game because I worked with a coach. Now, he's not like the coach for Maria Sharapova or anything.. he's pretty basic in his skills, but what I LOVE about Jerry is that he's old school coachy. He uses little "postulates' that I can repeat in my head and use over and over again.

"Drive the ball, athlete."
"Feed the computer... your body knows what to do."
"Feel the shot"

Though rather cryptic to some, to me I know just how to use these words to focus and reset quickly for the next point or shot.

So, as I work on my resolutions for the new year, I'm giving some thought to creating a mantra ... or as we Taylor girls call it, a "postulate". Postulate is code for the stupid, cryptic stuff my dad used to tell us as we walked through the living room on a Friday night in our teenage years. When we had a teenager in the house, I came to understand that postulates (minimum 5 word edicts) are all you get with them. So make it count. Some of Dad's include: "Make something happen" what that something was is still a mystery.  "Keep it between the lines" presumably the car and the lines on the road. To name a few.

I'm going to create 2 postulates for the new year. One that is internal for my goals to be lighter, leaner and more competitive in my athletic pursuits. And one for my life in the world with others. I'm just not sure I should have two they kind of cancel each other out. I'lll add more info in a day or so.

Want more info about a mantra vs a mission statement? Here are a couple of good articles: http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/the-world/article/reality-checklist-do-you-have-a-mantra-guy-kawasaki 

http://zenhabits.net/notes-on-life-mantras-small-things-lists-and-such/ 

2010 An Incredible Year

Wow! I can't believe another year is coming to a close. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love New Years. This is just a great time of year... I start at Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday) reflecting on all I have to be grateful for and then skate through Christmas, with the real excitement building for New Years.

New Years (birthdays too) is about new beginnings and reinvention. Something I think I am really good at. So.. the next couple of days, I think I'll take some stock and come up with my resolutions for 2011.


First - as always - I'm so grateful for my wonderful husband and our great relationship. He's IT for me! The reason I exist and the reason I work hard to make good decisions so that our life together just gets better and better. And of course because of him - I have a family to call my own and love! Chloe, Jenn and Cade are the blessings I never knew I could have ... never knew what I was missing. And we enjoyed TWO trips to England go hang out with Lil' Miss Jackson. January and November to celebrate her first birthday. 

Second - my health! I intend to work hard to preserve it in every way I have power to do so. I think with the discovery of this new WeightWatchers plan I'm going to be a thin person for the rest of my life. I'm seriously not dieting, but eating healthy as a way of life. And I feel like an athlete on this program. It was one of my goals this year (2010 - to live as an athlete... and ... looks like I discovered the tools to do so right here at the wire. OH - reached my 2010 goal to be bumped up to 3.5 in USTA. So.. check that one off too!

Third - my relationships and friendships. Brooke and Roy, Brooke's family (I adore her kids) the Bennetts, Hollie, Milton & Dia, Jim & Kristin, Volley Girls tennis team. Even Tammy Dyer showed herself this fall. I don't add a lot of people to my inner circle but am grateful for those that I do have.

 So.... tomorrow.. I think I'll blog about my resolutions. I'm forming them now. They are going to be way more than just weight loss and miles run.

Have you considered yours yet? I encourage you to do it!  

New Found Outlet

So when I first set up my Twitter account, I had it automatically repost to Facebook every time I tweeted. Which I now find stifling. On FB, my mother and more importantly my mother-in-law and her friends/family follow me. (Hell, my mother follows me on Twitter. She's where I get a lot of my material.) I have to play nice. No cussing... no bitching. Very positive & up-beat.

Turns out... it's killing me inside. Slowly but surely.

On, Twitter, I'm anonymous (somewhat) and I can be my bitchy self. I disconnected the two yesterday and I have this overwhelming feeling that I have been liberated.

I'm gonna piss off a lot of people. So... just stop following.

The reality is... I am a positive person, I just think it's funnier to focus on the shitty part of a situation. I don't even take it or myself too seriously. I just like sarcasm ... a lot.

Wanna follow a sarcastic, 44-yr-old wanna be athlete, grandma? @jilljxn is your girl!

My New Project - A Little On The TAME Side

"TAME" I said... NOT "lame"!!!

Okay.. so for my last feat ... wakesurfing ... I waited a little too late in the season to get going on it. Perhaps next spring I will get to try this dangerous new hobby.

In the mean time, this fall, here's a new project. Requires couch time and is a lot less dangerous. Hmmmmm.... Maybe I'm growing up?

Anyone want to play along?

http://blog.lionbrand.com/2010/09/15/join-us-for-our-special-guest-crochet-along/

And now for my latest feat...

I intend to learn to WAKESURF!

See a video here:

http://twitvid.com/JG5N1 

 

This is from a retweet of Alex Franco (AKA Digits) one of the DJs I listen to on Mix 94.7 in Austin. He's "not a watersports guy" and he was able to get up after just 6 tries he said. So, a 44-year-old, fit, grandma, who's slalom skied almost her entire life should have nooooo trouble, right? That's what I'm thinkin!!!

Yes, of course I got on it in the little WT pool! DUH!

Two weeks ago, Jimmy bought me a board. And we get the boat back from the mechanic on Friday evening. I hope to post my own video here as well! August is all about being on the lake!

 

One more reason to "grin" about my life and my health. 

Waiting For My New Running Shoes

K-Swiss Tubes Running 100 (oooooh... aaaaaahhhhh)

They shipped on TUESDAY!!! Ready to run in them. Although it is so wet outside, I think I'll wait 'til it stops raining. I haven't tried them on yet. I hope I like them... arch support is a big deal for me. We'll see.

I intend to run the Gruene 10K on Sept. 11th. Time to get serious!!!

44 (foh-ty-foh) And Lovin It

Okay... where to begin on the birthday extravaganza!

The week of 6/20, Father's Day... we had something going on every night! Dad, Matt & Josh here Sunday night. I cooked a wonderful dinner, with dessert even.

Monday Jennifer & I went out to dinner at PF Changs and she and Dave and Matt spent one more night while he went to basketball camp in G-town.

Tuesday night was my tennis lesson and we started late and finished early because it was so hot but did some good drills.

Wednesday - Blues on the Green with the Bennets, Evans and Paula Smith. What a fun night and Carolyn Wonderland was AWE-SOME (sing song). She's my new girl crush.

Thursday was mixed dbls tennis - played WELL! Afterward we met Bennets and Evans at Razoos.

Friday - BIRTHDAY!!! Took the day off work and Brookie hooked me up to play tennis that morning. We did 2 hours of ladies doubles tennis, then 3 hours of lunch at Z-Tejas! Brookie, Susan and Amy Gold. They had to tell us once we were being too loud. We really were. But hey, we were sitting in the bar and drinking margaritas! That afternoon I got my haircut then went home, cleaned up and we went to Brooklyn Heights for dinner and Karaoke.

FUN Peeps: Jeff & Susan Bennet, Brooke & Roy, Jeremy & Cantrell, Justin and Carly, Holly Chacone, Sharon Joiner came too but she didn't sing. We had a great night but the KJs started an hour late. And they don't have "Need You Now" so Brookie and I only sang 1 song together. WREC-KERS (sing song) it was fabulous of course.

Saturday Jimmy worked with Roy all day and I made dinner for the 4 of us - but they were very late getting home. Beef fajitas w/lots of guac, Brooke's homemade salsa and ... my favorite birthday cake. Angel Food w/strawberry & berry medley middle iced with COOL WHIP (sing song). Everyone said they enjoyed it. Ate leftover cake for 3 days. YUM!

I also ordered my new running shoes during the day on Saturday. K-Swiss Tubes 100. Can't wait for them to come in!!!!

Sunday - well, Jimmy and I kicked some 30-year olds' butts in mixed doubles. Yeah-baby!

Okay.. I officially declare my birthday OVER!!! I know... everyone felt just a bit older when we were done! Now, we have 360 days or so to recover ... start all over again!

Grateful for good health, good friends and a great life at FOH-TEE-FOH! (sing song).