Goals and Priorities

For the past 9 months, my parents have taken part of wonderful program called

Take Shape for Life

The program is designed to get America healthy and to teach healthy habits. Simple ideas such as eating every 3 hours, lots of GREEN veggies, smaller portions, ZERO sugar, etc. My parents found out about the program through a friend at church who said to try it. 

Well they tried it. And the food wasn't the best, but they started loosing immediately. They stuck to the rules and spent a lot of time on the toilet, getting rid of all the water they are required to drink. (half their body weight in ounces!!!!!)

Their success brought on more people to see them and ask questions. My dad is the bishop in their ward so it was as if he was on a pedestal for people to see. 

My parents are such a big example to me of persevering and knowing what they want. They put their priorities in order. 

My mom would say "Of course I want to eat an entire pizza, but I want to fit into those jeans more."

People have their opinions about weight loss and certain programs. A lot of people turn their noses up when they think of pre-packaged meals and following certain rules to eating the food. They don't think it's natural and good.

To those people who feel that way, I invite you to look at the website and read about the program because the food they give you may be dehydrated and lacking in flavor, but it is FULL of nutrients that your body doesn't get when we shove high amounts of sugar and carbs down our throats in record time. It is a soy based product and it feeds your body everything it may possibly need. 

People are free to think how they want regarding weight loss programs like Jenny Craig/Nurtisystem/any other kid of program, but I want to show this picture that will say the remaining words. 

My parents ROCK!

Being a Baby or Being Safe

So on Monday I began the official training for my half marathon. I had pushed past all the fears and doubts and now I was excited.

Ran 35 min on Monday- about 3 miles for me.
On Tuesday my left foot began to really hurt. It progressed into a severe pain in my foot so that walking became a dreaded action. I went running again, even with the pain and weird enough, my foot didn't hurt as much when I ran with it. But once I was walking, BANG. The pain returned. Then I had Zumba wednesday morning.  Dancing with it felt as if I didn't even have an injury.
So now I'm thinking to myself that something is off.
I research different foot injuries and even call my brother to see if he has any idea. (I mean, he knows sports so he must know about sports injuries.....)
Nada.
So now I am scared.
I'm scared that I have really hurt myself.
I'm scared that I have made this goal and told the whole world about it and now I can't do it.
I'm scared that this will make me give up more easily when and if I decide to start back up.
I'm scared that I am just being a baby about this.... I mean that is nothing new.

But then there is McAllister (aka Callie)
I posted on my ward page asking if anyone had an ace bandage that I could use for my foot.
Callie showed up with a bag full of supplies.
She sat down on the couch and asked what's wrong.

I honestly wanted to just start crying and tell her all my fears, but i didn't. I told her where it hurt and she gently felt and probed. Then she guided my foot into the brace explaining how to wrap it and maybe an ace bandage would help... She soothed and helped me understand that I can start my training back up just as easily in a week and still be ready. She said to not push myself and really give my body the chance to run 13.1 miles.

It's not being a baby when you hurt yourself and you have to let go of some of your expectations. In fact, it shows that you are an even more disciplined person because you can say yes AND no.

So if any of you out there have been called a baby, or you yourself have called someone a baby, maybe take a step back and consider how the person is feeling.
scared, mad, confused, jealous
we all act out of emotion.

So my training will resume in a week.
see you then.

Some Inspiration for the New Year!

When we make a focus to be better, to do better, to become better, we are blessed with better experiences, friends, memories in the future. 

I was talking to my mom a little while back about how we are always worried about the past or the future and we find it hard to actually "live in the moment".  She told me something interesting about the future....

She said, "The future doesn't actually belong to us because it is based off of decisions that we are making RIGHT NOW."

We can't concern ourselves with the future, when there is no certainty in it. The only certainty we have is right now.

I have faith and hope for a future that is full of blessings and good things, but I also have to remind myself that I cannot expect things to ALWAYS happen the way that I want them to. 

This quote was posted on Facebook by a friend and I thought it to be absolutely brilliant.

“Maybe this year, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives not looking for flaws, but looking for potential.” 

My biggest goal is to look for ways to improve myself each day from the previous day. I find one thing that I didn't like and I make a change. 

I be better. I do better. I try.

I'll let you in on a secret.....

So this has been a secret, well, sort of.... I have talked about it, but while being home it has become official....

I am planning on beginning my training for a Half Marathon.

Yup.





13.1 miles.





If you have known me for a while, you know that I am most definitely not a runner, in fact, I loathe it because I am terrible at it.

So why am I going to run 13.1 miles?


Well because I want to do something for myself. I want to be able to make a goal and complete it. I am giving myself the entire next year to do it, but I would like to do it by the end of next semester.  I want to one up my brother.... ;)
He ran a half marathon, but the idea that his little sister who can barely run 3 miles is going to run 13.1 is a one up. (better go run a full marathon Matt)

I want to do this because I want to prove myself wrong all these years. I am not a bad runner, just untrained. I am capable of doing anything I want! I am not the one in my family to just watch as my siblings do fun, adventurous things.

my fears.
I'm scared that I will talk myself out of doing this.
I'm scared that I will injure myself because I have no idea what I am doing.
I'm scared of running for a long time all by myself.
I'm scared that I won't be able to do it in less than 4 hours. (like i said, i'm a bad runner)
I'm scared that my family will let me talk myself out of it and won't push me.
I'm scared that I will have to do this alone.

So now that I have those useless fears out of the way, watch out world, here comes me, a girl with a head full of dreams.

My name is Emily Jex.
I am going to run 13.1 miles in 2014.
And I am telling the entire world.

Here I come.

Rejuvenate

Sometimes you need a good reminder that you can run faster than you think and love more than you believe.

• Once in a while go run a mile or two.

• See people you haven't in days, months, or even years.

• Be Ambitious To Be Great In The Eyes Of God.

• Do a little Yoga or Zumba or move something other than you eyes on the computer screen. 

• Deliver a loaf of pumpkin bread to a friend.

• Blast Christmas music throughout your entire kitchen.

• Read your scriptures for hours and realize how much you love the gospel.

• Make jokes about your life, always laughing and smiling.

I don't know what this week holds in store for me, but I can say that is going pretty good so far. I have come to understand that I am still that wonderful person that Nauvoo shaped me to be. And I can continue to be that person as long as I trust that that is who the Lord wants me to be. 

Today I went to the Gym with my bud Shelby and I happen to run into 5 different people that I haven't seen in a really long time. 2 of my wonderful sisters from Nauvoo, Natalie from Efy in 2011. 2011!!!  (That's a long time people) Then 2 people from work! It was a fun time and it reminded me of who I was when I knew them and how much I loved that person (all of the pros of the past). 

Today is a day when I realize how much I love my life.

Day 2

Gratitude is a funny thing. It makes any worries or hardships you're facing seem like a feather blowing in the wind.



I am grateful for modern technology that allows me to call my family and talk to them every day. My worries that are affecting me are turned into little bits of information when my mom explains to me that life is to be lived in the present. The future needs to be prepared for, but taken in stride. When I feel like I am the lowest of the low, my dad encourages me to get back up and face another day. I feel on top of the world again and then something happens and I end up calling my sister crying. What does she do? Picks me up and gets ice cream for me. Then my brother is just the best brother in the universe of brothers. If only he lived in Provo still.... hahaha. nope. never again ;)

I call my family nearly every day and they make each day worthwhile. Through the struggles of college and financial instability, my family lifts and guides me to a place where I can see what I can become.

Life is great and I am grateful for the time in which I live where I can communicate with my family, no matter how far away they live.

Shout Out!

So this post is all about my sister.

Cali.

Tomorrow she will be running a marathon. Her first marathon. EVER.

That is a big deal folks! I mean how many of you can say that you have run over 26 miles.

Well Cali will be running 26.2 miles and she will be rocking it every step of the way.
Keep her in your prayers that she will be able to do it. I have total confidence in her.

YOU ROCK CALI!

(it was really cute, she dedicated each mile to someone who has helped her some time in her life and then asked that person to give her a couple songs so when she hears the song she will think of that person)

So this was the song I picked for her and I really think it fits perfectly. :)

1st Day of School

One of my earliest memories of the first day of school was when I was in 1st grade. We had moved to New Jersey and this was my second school for 1st grade. I didn't know anyone and I felt super strange....

I remember 4 tables put together and all 3 girls at my table had dark hair and brown eyes. One girl, named Nina, was super mean and I didn't like her at all!

My next recollection of my first day of school was in 3rd grade. We had just moved to California from New Jersey and my mom dropped me off.  All the kids were waiting underneath this pavilion until the security guard told them that they could go. I saw a girl I met a church and to my dismay, we had the SAME EXACT SHOES. Now if you know anything about the first day of school, it's always about the outfit. ALWAYS. don't let anyone tell you any different.

Then zooming past all the years, I now sit in the Joseph Smith building on BYU campus on my first day of school. I may have said that it was all about the outfits.... well I am wearing a worn out pair of converse, rolled up jeans and a girly blouse. No makeup and bed hair. Wow, I live up to my comments, don't I?

Well, I start my classes at 10 which is in 50 mins. I can't wait to get back in the swing of things.
I don't think I can convey the dedication that I want to give my academics this semester.
I want to be accountable for my goals so maybe you guys can help me if I write them on my blog!

Goal 1: Quit watching Hulu. Done with all the TV shows. (except for the weekends)
Goal 2: Don't go home for lunch. Pack a lunch the night before and eat in a building on campus.
Goal 3: STUDY STUDY STUDY in the library. NOT at home.
Goal 4: Go to the temple at LEAST once a week.
Goal 5: Plasma. A MUST.
Goal 6: Go to bed at 9 pm.
Goal 7: Have Fun.
Goal 8: Read my scriptures and Pray all day long.
Goal 9: Smile and say hello to people I see on campus.
Goal 10: Keep my mission with me ALWAYS.

Maybe you guys could help me. Keep me accountable. I want to do my best and I want to stay focused.

Thanks for all you guys do. I love posting on my blog and you guys make it worth it!