Shedding the Newlywed Ten

As you may know, before I got married, my weight hovered between one hundred and thirty (130) and one hundred and thirty-five (135) pounds pretty steadily.

(135 when I went really heavy on the baked goods.)

About six months after I got married, I watched my weight SHOOT UP from one hundred and thirty-three (133) to one hundred and forty (140) pounds!

I became HYSTERICAL!!! My God, I thought, I'm going through a crisis!!!

What happened to me?

I'll tell you. I forgot about myself.

I forgot the things I liked to eat, and traded most of them in for things my husband and son liked for me to cook.

I forgot the kinds of exercise I liked, and traded that in for the kinds of play the family enjoyed together.

I forgot about the time I needed to meditate and traded it in for teaching my son prayer and family time.

I forgot about taking out an hour to go to the gym and used that hour (instead) to cook breakfast.

I forgot about how important it is to GOD that I remain healthy, and whole, and happy... me as an individual... NOT me as a part of a family unit.

I have had my share of issues with regard to forgetfulness, but this is probably the first (and last) time I've seen it manifest in the form of seven pounds.

Newlywed women, don't forget yourselves.

Love your man, love your children, love your family, but love yourselves honey.

You need to keep your premarital health in tact.

That's for real.

Smiling Now at 137,

TJM

The Point of Release

While I was visiting a brother-in-law, he asked me an important question:

"Where did you put your book?"

My reply was:

"The copies are at the house, still in the boxes."

Why was this true? Was it because I didn't realize I could donate the book to the library? Was it because I didn't know to take it to the Arts and Entertainment section of the local newspaper?

No; I knew full well that I was supposed to be marketing this, my first fruit of authoring. What stopped me was anxiety at the point of release.

We have all experienced this. You may have practiced a speech for weeks, but felt mortified the second you stepped on stage.

Perhaps you read stacks of books on parenting, but choked up when you actually got the baby home.

Maybe you studied for a test for a year, but when it came time to perform in the testing environment, you drew a degrading and discouraging blank.

When it came time to release what you had, what you had stored up for the exact time that you needed it, you felt stifled, choked, fearful.

I admit, this is what I felt. This is where I was.

Call it what you may: stage fright, fear of failure, etc. The bottom line is that when it came time to push what I knew would inevitably market itself, I thought twice. I wasn't ready to let go.

What are you not ready to let go of? Be for real about that.

Let that thing go. Your letting go will ultimately affect your success.

-TJM

"Escaping Huswifery"

The walls
close in
when you
can't find
nourishment
outside.

The
perfume you
used to love
smells
stink and
your
favorite TV
show is
stupid.

Your husband is
an idiot and
your kids
drive
you crazy.

Your hair
needs fixin.

Your friends are
all
happier.

Your best days
seem
gone.

Your fingernails
are always
broken.

Your mind is
always
tired.

Your hands
get
restless.

You feel a
MESS
when you are
SOLELY DEFINED
as a
housewife.

-TJM

100% Ecstatic; Yeah ;)

It's been about a week or so since I got my box of books, and I'm still making contacts to find folks who would like to read and review it.

I have not been e-mailing or calling big time celebs. I've been e-mailing and calling folks who would be into my topics: women's lib people, people who talk about indecision, people who talk about broken families, people who work in social services, etc.

It's enticing to contact the big names, but I really want this book to affect people who are around us everyday.

I want people I might actually walk by or talk to in passing to read this book.

I want you to read this book. ;)

TJM