Thursday, June 23, 2011

It’s Just Me.



This week I just wanted to post a little more about myself in general, I just feel like I should share a few things that I have come to my mind about the person I was and the person I want to be. There are a few stories that I still don’t want to think about – they are not my proudest moments, but I’m sure in time I will learn and grow to accept them as part of my past and then I may be able to share with you also.

Last week I was catching up with a friend that I hadn’t spoken to in a while, and she asked me how I was and… what drugs I was currently on for my back. It is so hard to describe the feeling I got when I could say; ‘well actually… none.’ She asked, ‘What? Not even tramadol?’ (For those of you who don’t know, tramadol is a strong pain killer which has some fairly nasty side effects that really took a toll on my body). And I could honestly tell her that no, I wasn’t on any pain killers; no steroids, no tram. The most I’ve been medicated in the last two or three months is a couple of panadol.

The last 6 years of my life have been filled with different drugs and it did affect both my body and my mind. It kind of feels like a haze which I have finally stepped out of. I read an article in Bmag (a Brisbane city publication) yesterday regarding addiction to prescription medication which is a real issue within our community and one that needs more attention. I was addicted to pain killers and it is a vicious cycle. I had pain so I took pain killers that the Doctor had prescribed. But, the doctors don’t stress just how addictive these drugs are. It astounds me now (as it did my mother at the time) the blasé attitude some doctors take to really strong medication. Like one physician in Hobart who prescribed steroids to me with a repeat on my first visit to him, without a second glance.
I was taking way more than the recommended amounts to just take me away from my body. To be in that haze and not be living what I perceived to be, to be honest, a crap life. I also on many occasions did stupid things like drinking alcohol which at one point lead me to believe that the bones in my arms were on fire. Which seems like a humorous anecdote now but was really dangerous for my health.

Please remember I will never write anything here for your feelings of pity. I just want to be honest and let other people know that you can turn your life around. You can go from depressed, addicted, sad, flat, lazy, upset. To AMAZING. WOW. WONDERFUL. OUTSTANDING. Try using some of these words in your everyday life. It’s super cool to see people’s reaction when they ask me “how are you” and I reply “Awesome thank you!”

If anyone wants a little inspiration in their life I would whole-heartedly recommend The Muscle Professionals Blog. The studio is located in Moray Street, New Farm for those Brisbane-ites wanting to check it out. Luke Archer, the director at the Muscle Professionals, is a professional body and lifestyle specialist. He has changed my life, and he can change yours too.

You can check out The Muscle Professionals blog at http://themuscleprofessionals.wordpress.com/blog/


Live and love every moment.

Hannah
x

Saturday, June 4, 2011

WHY???

(My goal for exercise at the moment... abs!!).

My thoughts are really jumbled at the moment - I must apologise for the messy-ness of this post - I have just finished a 6,000 word assignment and my brain is a little frazzled. I do have alot to share with everyone about all the things I have learnt in the last couple of weeks. I'll touch on a few:

The last couple of weeks have been an interesting journey. There has been tears, laughter, fun and change. All wrapped into a neat little package called LIFE. It's awesome isn't it? I have learnt so many new things - how to budget when things may be tough, that the pomelo came before the grapefruit and is delicious(!) and that when things change and uncertainty seems to be ruling your life, take a deep breathe, relax, take time out for yourself, and just ask for what you do want.

I've asked for a few things from the universe this past week - they may only be small things but I'm testing the 'ask and you shall receive' theory. Thus far, it has worked a charm!! Seriously, I begin my days now with a simple request. Sometimes it is for someone to bring me a coffee before my shift is over at work, other things are longer term goals that bring opportunity into my life (this week it was employment). It is incredible how it works!! I'm converted. You have to ask for what you want, put a specific idea in your head, a timeframe and believe!! But it has to be specific, so instead of saying 'I want more income' be specific. More income could be a dollar!! State exactly how much you want, when you want it by, the job title/position you desire. Put it out there and the universe will provide.

The second thing that I have really been itching to write about is one simple word...
WHY
How can we expect to achieve anything in life if we don't define exactly what it is we want? It's like an assignment... the very first thing you do is define the topic. And defining why is so important. If you think about it, why is the reason we do anything. And why is the most important thing to remember everyday. Whether it is your why for getting up at 5am on a Saturday morning to go and run up and down stairs, or why you need to finish an assignment, it is what drives you. It is why you want to loose weight, gain muscle, eat healthier - any change in your life. Your reason for doing something, your why will get you through the change. It's like quitting smoking. I used to smoke. It is a horrendous habit. But when I was at Uni I didn't have a why to give up. I know there are health risks but you can block them out because you think that won't happen to you. My grandfather died of emphysema but that still didn't stop me because I thought that he was old, had smoked for years and that I would quit one day before it damaged my health. My 'why' came about in the form of a fairly brutal wake-up call. My best-friend was in hospital, as she often is, and I was there visiting, as I often am, and she found a pack of smokes in my bag. She is one of the approximately 3,000 people in Australia with Cystic Fibrosis. She has no control over her lung function. Yet I do. And I was destroying the very thing that she was willing to spend her entire life fighting for, lungs. Once I had my why, it was so much easier. Things don't seem so hard to achieve when you have why. For example, remembering your why when you are working out will get you to push a bit more, go a bit further. Remembering why will get you through your tough times. And it is important to clearly define your why. Make sure you have it set out so you can refer to it throughout your day to get you through the moments that seem unachieveable.

Why is so important.

If you don't know it then you can loose focus, loose direction.

Think about what drives you today, write down some goals and rules for your life. Write down your why. And gain perspective.

"Worse than losing your sight is having no vision"

Love,
H
x