Dream Big 65
Today's column is all about changes, and what's to come for Dream Big. It's not only for the column itself, but for the show as well. My personal goals for the column will still be as they have always been: including sharing my ups and downs, my achievements, and my plans for the future. As for the show, there are some big changes to come. But first we shall have our season finale due to come out next Monday so stay tuned right here on my website, and my YouTube channel. I'm not going to say what new things are in store right now, but if you're a fan of the show now, you definitely don't want to miss out on what's to come.
I myself am always a constant chameleon. I love change; you could say I live for it actually, but what I enjoy most about change is growth. It has taken me years to perfect my current image, and in the past I have gone back and forth with what I thought I should look like. For instance, I naturally have black hair, but in the past I've been every shade of the rainbow, literally. I've worn it in the same style now for a few years, since growing out a shaved head. Prior to my experimental punk phase, I had near waist length hair and short bangs. But off and on before that I wore various hair colors between blonde, red, and other variations of the sort. I used to not wear bangs, most of the time I had all one length hair with a center part; until I'd get bored and cut a severe straight across bang right above my eyebrows. One thing is certain, I will never have the desire to bleach my hair, or shave my head again; once was enough in a lifetime for me. But my hair hasn't been my only epic change.
Once upon a time there was a girl who had no tattoos. Then on her twenty-first birthday she got her first one. She wouldn't get another until she was thirty-three. The next time she got another was when she was thirty-eight, and she didn't stop with just one more. Several more tattoos were added until there were sleeves, back pieces, thigh pieces, and her lower legs were almost completely covered. I never knew why I desired to be covered in art. Perhaps it was the story of me that had to be written; not just in terms of words and sentences, but of pictures that shared the untold story. There may not have been enough words to describe the inner growth that had come to fruition over the years, but sometimes holding back who you really are on the inside can explode in a vast array of creativity. And like any cave drawing set in stone on the temples of history, I am also decorated in the same fashion. Wisdom symbolized with art, as my body is a sacred temple, thus my story is written in time.
Transformation is not only of the hair, or the skin, it can also be of the mind, body, and spirit. I've been sharing my walking experiences with everyone as well, and I'm proud to say that I'm almost at my final weight goal. It's not been easy. I've been struggling with my weight off and on over the years. Adolescence was the first battle. It wasn't easy to be a pre-teen with a pants size of a large grown woman. I found at that early age that walking, going swimming at the lake, and watching what I ate had the impact I needed to lose the weight. I finally went from a size sixteen, to a size six. As I grew up, and had my children I struggled getting the baby weight off. But I went back to the very thing that had always helped me in the past, walking, and a balanced healthy diet. When you're happy with yourself you are able to put your mind at ease. When your mind is at ease, your spirit is more open to happiness. I don't compare my body type to others, but I do however compare it to how it should be for me. There is a fair balance between your height and weight, if it is not in balance then you tip the scales, and also cause unbalance to your entire body. I love the skin I'm in when I'm healthy, as you should be too, but you must also love your health more. Trust me, your body will thank you for it. I know mine is already starting to thank me. I'm having less breathing issues, less sugar fluctuation, and I can walk further than I have in a long time. I can enjoy my surroundings and the walk so much more now, without complaining to myself how much I couldn't wait for it to be over with. Now when I get ready for a walk, I can't wait to get on those trails. And taking those few hours a day to make the time to walk is the best start to my day I could ever have.
Change is quite effortless. It can be a little, or a lot. It may not be for everyone, but it happens naturally whether you want it to or not. Did I want to allow myself to change myself in such a permanent way? Do I regret some of the changes I've made to my body? Yes, sometimes I feel the sting of regret, but it's more from outside sources dictating in my mind what is defined by normality. Sure I can allow my nose piercing to heal if I remove my rings, but I cannot remove the history that is inscribed into my skin. I have written my own story. I have shared it with all of you. Just as you are reading this right now, I am letting you be a part of my very own story. A tale that only I can tell. Is this the end of my story you think to yourself? No my friends, this is just the beginning, and I am here to share it with you every step of the way. So please, don't turn back now. This is just the beginning.
No matter what changes you seek to make on your own, it's what you do with them as they come along that matters most. Make life count, and always dream big.
