Quick fix: summer body

'Tis the season of quick fixes. The summer is in 35 days. What a lot of people do is get desperate and ask themselves: how can I get the best results with the least effort?

I don't blame them. Working smarter is a thing. The problem is when we have to keep starting and restarting our health journeys. Talk about frustration. 

A common barrier is the number of holidays between now and the summer. After Mother's day, there is Father's day, memorial day, and independence day. Don't forget about Juneteenth, family birthdays, and summer vacation. 

How in the world am I expected to say in shape with all of these things going on in my life?

The problem with quick fixes and desperation is that the results may not be long-lasting. 

I'm not sure about you but when I'm desperate, my decision-making ability decreases. The decisions I make in a stressed estate are not the same as the decisions I make with a calm mind and clear heart. 

I've been there too. I didn't like how my clothes were fitting so I'd look up the quickest, most ridiculous diet on the internet. 

I never received lasting results from such approaches. Looking back, I wish I asked myself the following question: What will this approach cost my body and pocket? 

A lot of "miraculous" solutions are pricey. Starving my body is costly. Spending hundreds of dollars to damage my body and mind is a price I am no longer willing to pay. 

Six years ago I decided to go on a solo health journey. The journey would give me more than a "summer body," I gained the satisfaction of never having to look for a quick-fix solution because I was able to finally figure out how to live a healthy lifestyle continuously. 

When you live from fix to fix, it takes a minute to realize what true freedom looks like. In my case, a corporation didn't give me this. Plans and programs are tools. I'm the one responsible for the results I obtained. 

I recorded a podcast giving you more details on my solo health journey. You can listen to it here

If like me, you are too tired to try another expensive program again, listen to the podcast and reach out. Freedom is closer than you know. It is also free of charge because you hold the key. 

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Adapting to a new job routine

I took a step back from my usual approach to engaging in a new job. My usual approach is to jump on a train that is going 100 miles per hour. It's not pretty, fun, or safe but that's what I've done in the past. 

I decided to offer myself grace. I decided to give myself 3 months to fully adapt to this new job and the routines that come along with new ventures. 

3 months is a good amount of time for learning to happen. You have time to learn the best way to get home. You have time to learn traffic patterns. It also gives you a good start with people. I don't know a human being out there that can be completely known in 3 months. All we can do is start the journey. 

Here are a few things I learned during this time of adaption:

* Morning routines are important and unique. Just as each season of life changes, so do the needs of my family. My morning routine is not a solo routine because the kids and I rely on one another to start the day with family, faith, food, and encouragement. It looked complex and tight at first. I learned to ask for help. I also learned to help myself. Preparing the weekend before is how I help myself. Praying is also how I get all the help I need for the day. I'm grateful we established a new routine that works for us. 

* Stress is manageable. I noticed I was stressed during my commute. Side note. My commute can be an entire blog post. It has been a delight to find out that I can manage stress. I learned to include God in my commute by listening to an audio Bible. The Bible has changed my mindset. I now think of what I am hearing. Faith, peace, and encouragement are constant companions during my commute. I appreciate this extra time with the Word of God. 

* Resting well at night starts with going to bed on time. I learned to stop whatever activity I am doing to prioritize sleep. Sleep is the key component of an energetic day. There are multiple challenges to getting enough rest at night. The benefits outweigh those challenges. I am determined to get the proper amount of hours per night so my days can be energetic. 

* Fight the proclivity to feel sorry for yourself. I'm often tempted to get on the 'woe is me' bandwagon. While this makes me human, it also makes me lean toward negativity. I can't afford to drag myself down. I fight when I use my tools. They are spiritual discipline, physical discipline, and good ole reaching out to a friend. The fact is, I'm blessed. The fact is, I prayed for 15 months and waited for this opportunity. I'm grateful to God for entrusting me with the blessings I enjoy. 

* Preparation can lead to progress. I made peace with the immense preparation I practice during the weekends. Each task leads to progress in an area of life. For example, last Saturday, the kids and I turned off the wireless and we chose to prepare our home for the following week. There was a lot of cleaning, decluttering, food prepping, and laundry folding. Last night, as the kids and I read a few bedtime stories, I looked around. We were all at peace, ready to rest in tidy rooms. Dinner, which was prepared on Saturday, was delicious and nutritious. I didn't worry about it during CrossFit a few hours before. All we had to do was eat. Peace is the side-effect of preparation. I will pay the price for peace. 

I have more lessons but I will stop for now. I bet if you look back on your life, you can identify lessons for your journey too. 

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Camp Listenbee 2022

 Camp Listenbee is coming to a close! We always start the summer speaking about the importance of being a good steward of time. 24 hours is what God gives us. We get to decide what to do with it. We need wisdom and a strategy to use our time wisely. I draw a pie chart and I use black beans because they are part of our cultural context. 

We kicked off the summer with the Renaissance Festival. It was our first time. It was a hot but fun day. We stayed hydrated and walked around mostly. The kids went to a ride and enjoyed it quite a bit. The people-watching aspect was pretty fantastic.

We spent quite a bit of time going to the library to get books and play games when we needed extra time there.

We could have driven to the pool but we decided to walk most days. It was a great way to include more activity in our days. The kids played water polo for the first time at the end of the season. Swimming in our neighborhood was a fun way to meet our neighbors.

Award season arrived too fast. These kids worked hard every day and we are eager to continue our journey as swimmers.

VBS was a blessing. I thought last year was the last one for my oldest two but no. New Hope has 6th grade with kids ministry, so the kids had another chance to experience VBS. They had a blast. We love VBS. I volunteered again. I try to volunteer every chance I get. My group was the missions group. We visited our church's garden. This ministry is unique, fruitful and much needed. It was so much fun!

Our friends, the Berry Family came to visit us on their way back to Texas. We had an AMAZING time with them. They are fundraising to go on their mission assignment. Join me in contributing to their efforts here in this link

Summers are for birthdays. We celebrated Zelia's birthday at the beginning of the summer. We had friends over for a birthday party. We all had fun! It's hard to believe that my youngest is 10 already.

We loved going to Crumbl cookies for the first time. I've given it to people as gifts but this was our first time trying. They were really all that jazz.

This summer we were all supposed to travel. My husband and I were going to a mission trip together but he went by himself because of a change of plans for me. The kids went to grandma camp with my sister. We all had a great experience. We prefer to be together. Being apart will become the norm as the kids grow and go pursue God's purpose. For now, we're hip to hip as I like to call it.

A long-awaited dream for the kids was to meet Ricky Dillard. His 34th-year anniversary concert was in our hometown so we all went. We're fans. Zeke has been blessed to write for Ricky for a few years. The kids loved meeting him in person. He's a good guy. He is the best at what he does and a very encouraging brother in Christ. You can find his music here.

My sweet second baby is 12! Her birthday is the last kid birthday of the year and the last summer birthday too. On top of the celebrations, we had a program and a tea in her honor. We called it "a young lady according to God's own heart." It was sweet and a blessing to us all!

We closed the summer with a goal-setting activity at a local coffee shop. The Fall will be here before we know it. We always set Fall goals because if you aim for nothing you will hit it every time" as Zig Ziglar said. We set goals in the following categories: academics, savings, faith, and new. Academic goals are the grades and habits we want to cultivate during the school year. Savings goals are goals for our money. Faith goals are spiritual disciplines we want to develop. New is something new want to try whether it is a sport or something new we want to do. I also set goals with the kids. We spoke about how we can encourage one another as we set and pursue these goals.

We had a chance to do so many other things. Now we live closer to our family we visited with them more than we normally would. What blessing! We spent time with friends from church. We had the pleasure of visiting the Atlanta Aquarium and we visited the Olympic Park with an Olympian! God truly blessed us with some amazing friends and mentors at our church.

We're still adapting to our new hometown but thus far, the Lord blessed us with a peaceful and friendly neighborhood and neighbors. We're wanted, loved and treasured. We are reciprocating the same towards everyone. I believe that the summer is more than a time to consume endless fun. It is a time to live what God calls us to do. It is a time to learn. It is a time to love. It is a time to live God's purpose as a blessing in action in the lives of people around us.

Thank God for creating summers.

More in this series:

• Summer Camp 2021 • Camp Listenbee 2020 • Camp Listenbee 2019 • Camp Listenbee 2018

• Camp Listenbee 2017
• Camp Listenbee 2016
• Camp Listenbee 2013
• Summer Organization Tips for Mothers of Preschoolers
• Preschool Summer Camp Coop

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Goals: Small steps, big leaps

I'm between a travel week and a moving week. I'm reminded of the importance of following the steps that will lead me to my goals for the year. 

I am aware that having grace is important. I'm also aware that the steps that led me to where I am will continue to lead me to where I am supposed to be. What do I mean?

Listen to this episode here:

I don't think it is wise to abandon my dreams just because I am traveling or moving. Let's take moving for example. 

For years, getting organized was a goal of mine. I found a system that works for me. I kept using the same system and over the years, my life has become more organized. Organization and order are two things I need to move effectively. It makes sense to stick with what works. Why? The benefits of this lifestyle I chose. Moving hasn't been hard. Living with endless clutter is hard. Not having a great decluttering system is hard. I am encouraged to stick with it. 

I am learning that the benefits of staying organized outweigh the proclivity to let my systems go. I can't abandon my systems. 

Consider the example of traveling. Traveling can be what you want it to be. I enjoy traveling. I also enjoy feeling good while I travel. My mindset is: how can I feel good (not sick to my stomach because of food or lifestyle choices) while I travel? In order to feel good, I learned what to order when we eat out. I learned how to choose my indulgences. I also learned to rest so I can have the energy to enjoy the trip. 

While I did not go to the gym, I took a walk one day. The trip included a lot of walking so I decided not to push too hard. I had been super faithful to my workouts. I also knew not to turn back to the life of a couch potato I used to have. 

I took a water bottle and aimed to drink at least 2 a day. I can't tell you how great I felt because I was hydrated. Small thing that made us all feel amazing. 

My systems were not identical to the ones I have at home. The benefits I enjoyed because of the systems in place were incredible. I was so excited about feeling well before, during and after the trip! 

One of my big realizations was that I no longer needed to obsess about a certain food item. Food will always be there. How I feel is way more important. One day, everyone except for me was eating fried chicken. Historically, fried foods and I haven't been great friends. When I was asked why I didn't want to share, I said, "I know I won't feel well if I eat chicken, so I'm choosing a variety of veggies instead." My choice was the best thing I could have chosen for myself. Instead of thinking "I'm gonna miss out if I don't eat this food item!" I thought: "what will I gain if I eat the foods that will make me feel well?" 

I'm not sure if you are thinking about your goals for the year. I am encouraged to think about small steps that can lead me to the results I want to see. 

Small steps add up to big leaps towards your goals.

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Because of COVID

I'm not sure if you pay attention to language like I do but everywhere I turn I hear "Because of COVID...." followed by a negative statement. 

This is very understandable. COVID interrupted our lives. It also took the lives of our loved ones. COVID took away previously known freedoms we no longer enjoy. It rearranged the way we lived our lives all over the globe.

Here is what I want to ask. What is something good that happened "Because of COVID..."?

You may not be ready to be that positive just yet. The good thing is that you don't have to be. I just want you to entertain the following idea: bad seasons can catapult us to good ones. 

To be catapulted is intense. You fiercely and forcibly move from one place to the other. What if, last season served to catapult you to a pleasant season in life?

It takes letting go of the hurt and pain of the past. 
It takes seeing yourself as worthy or being in a pleasant season. 

It takes reassessing your personal goals. 
It takes admitting that you are worthy of being joyfully content. 

I know you have what it takes. 

Much like yourself, I lost loved ones before, during and after COVID. I'm still sad about those losses. I often think, what kind of life my dearly departed would want me to live? The answer gives me a little hope each day. 

Each day, the sadness is not as suffocating. Their memories become brighter and happy again. None of this came until I cried all the tears and felt the pain of loss. 

Today, I am challenging you to ask as I've been asking myself: What is something good that happened "Because of COVID..."?

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Hacking Christmas

This season, I decided to hack Christmas. To hack is to use your expertise or skill to overcome a problem. My problem is, there is no time to do anything worth doing. This is the busiest season of the year. There is no way around it. What to do?

The way I overcame this lack of time problem was to think about which activities are meaningful to our family. Among these activities, which ones will make the biggest impact in our lives? Once we identified them, we organized our days around them.

These activities and readings are not done robotically. We purposely enjoy them. We think about the meaning of the season and we savor each moment, the best we can.

Readings: 
The Holy Bible - because we all need to be reminded of what the Bible actually says.
The Way to the Manger - we are in our second year of reading this wonderful book. The kids love it and we all are building amazing memories around this devotional time together.
When Christmas came to Bethlehem - I realize this one is way above their heads. Lots of difficult words BUT they listen attentively and each year, we marvel at the message of the Messiah.

Activities: 
• Christmas lights - we usually wear pajamas and we swing by Starbucks and grab hot cocoa on the way.
• Church - we appreciate all the ministry our children receive during this season. We are also loving the current sermon series in our church called Shadows of Christmas.
• Caroling - we went twice. It was so much fun! My favorite part was the see the smiles and sometimes tears on the faces of the families opening their doors. Music is such a wonderful gift.
• Baking - The kids and I baked quite a bit. We still have gingerbread cookies we need to bake. The kids really love baking (and eating).
• Cards - We bought our Christmas card and mailed it to friends. We delivered quite a few to local friends. I printed individual photos and mailed them with some of the cards. Next year, I'm including our photos in the card. The kids were a big help with all the cards we mailed out. I love that I have three extra pairs of hands willing to write Christmas cards!
• Gingerbread House - we started decorating a gingerbread house a few years ago. I buy the already assembled type. The kids really love this activity.
• Singing - I want my children to know as many Christmas hymns as possible. I have a Youtube playlist with songs I want them to learn. We also listen to Christmas music before school and when they come home. We sometimes sit around and sing different hymns so they kids can become familiar with the lyrics. Before we moved, we took the kids to the traditional service at church. Our goal was to expose them to as many hymns as possible. Hymns are filled with timeless Scriptural truth. Many have been translated to multiple languages. Christmas hymns are special. I believe they need to be part of my children's upbringing.
• Remembering - most of the season, we remind ourselves that Jesus is the reason for the season. We say out loud: we are Christians and we are celebrating the gift of God to the world through Jesus.

I haven't mentioned the Christmas festivals we sometimes attend. There are multiple Christmas parties and countless activities. The important thing is to know what matters to your family. Ask yourself, in light of eternity, what will matter most?

Go after the God priorities. Enjoy the family God gave you. Forget about creating the perfect "moment" and remember to savor the now.

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Don't give up on your goals

You and I have 154 days until the end of the year from today. I am here to encourage you not to give up. The plans we made for 2019 were grand indeed. We set goals and we said we were going to achieve them.

I will be honest and say that I'm the person who gets depressed when she reads her goals for the year. "What in the world was I thinking?" is what I often ask myself. After that brief moment of disbelief, I  start thinking about how I can actually reach my goals.

The most important thing I can do, regardless of my goal is not to give up.

I remember being on the other side of a few stressful years. I wanted to take care of my nutrition. I just didn't have the bandwidth. Still, I didn't give up. I kept saying "I won't give up on myself." I stayed positive and I fed the possibilities that were right in front of me.

That magic moment finally happened. Everything lined up correctly and I started following a good plan to help me gain the balanced nutrition I needed.

I'm so glad I didn't give up. I wouldn't be where I am if had given up on my goal. I would be in a bad place actually.

Not giving up on our goals gives us hope. Hope that things can and will change. Hope that we have what it takes to live the life God called us to live.

I don't know what you want to achieve. I do know you can't give up. 

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Rediscovering you

I had $200 in my pocket and two suitcases in my hand when I arrived in the U.S. The year was 1998. Shortly after settling in my college dorm, someone robbed me of $100. 

The moment I noticed I was robbed was the moment I realized, it isn't about what happens to you, it is about who you become. 

I prayed and went on to look for a job. I started working in the college cafeteria. Thank God, I finished my degree and graduated with honors. I went on to start and finish graduate school. 

There has never been a better time to rediscovering you then now. Who will you become? Take time to answer this question.

I know life hasn't been fair. I know some of you are having a hard time. The fact is that you are becoming someone and you have a choice in the matter.

How do you discover who you are becoming? Should you take your clothes off so the internet can see you? Please don't do that my friend. 

Do you rediscover yourself by altering your outside appearance? That's not the answer either. 

"Rediscovering you" starts with the original blueprint. Only God has that in His hands. 

God's blueprint for me includes persistence. I am to persist in the midst of difficulty. 

Let me tell you a secret. The things in God's blueprint cannot be photographed and shown online. One must live it out. Once you live and learn it, it is your duty to tell others. 

I know some of us had awful things happen. Abuse, abandonment, addiction. Although these things are serious, it is not about what happened to us. What really matters is who we are becoming. 

Out of ashes, beauty will rise. God meant it to be this way. That is part of His blueprint for your life and for mine. 

Today I want to encourage you to rediscover who you were meant to be. 

Start with asking God the following question: despite my circumstances, who am I becoming?

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CEO Mom: daily routines

I enjoy learning how to make my daily routine effective. We now have a little over one week of our Fall routine under our belt. The kids are back to school and our main volunteering activities are starting soon. Looking at the past week, I can see how I can improve my tasks so I can get the results I want.

Every Fall I get a new chance to implement a routine that will help my family succeed. All routines have one common goal: nurture. Nurture means “caring and encouraging the development of.”

Nurturing my family is what I do best. No one can do it for me so I take that privilege very seriously. Nurturing happens when the digital screens are off and I spend time with my family. We may be doing chores together. We may be praying together or even relaxing. All of my organization and routine is vain, unless it leads me to nurture my family.

When it comes to nurturing, I am the Chief Encouragement Officer (CEO) of the Listenbee family. Having the CEO mindset has helped my perspective and purpose for this season.

Everything grows better with nurture. God blessed us with a yard filled with fruit trees. We are watching citrus, peach, pomegranate and fig trees grow. I nurture those trees when I water them daily. My family needs words and acts of encouragement daily so they too can grow.

Nurturing is a test of motivation. Being a CEO requires long hours, extra work, patience, and selflessness. The selfish mindset will not survive this lifestyle of a nurturing mother. The knowledge that God is at work through what I do helps me find purpose and peace every day.

I’m learning that anyone can hear productivity tips and apply them. Few choose a life of service from a heart that reflects God’s character. This life requires a lot of selfless acts based on love to done in secret. God’s rewarding system works in secret too (see Matthew 6).

I can have the best daily routines worthy of multiple social media posts. But if I don’t have nurturing my family in mind, I have nothing.

Have you ever thought that your productivity and daily routines should lead to nurturing? Do you see yourself as the Chief Encouragement Officer of your family? Do you find hard to truly put others first? How can God make a difference in your daily routine?

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Life Lately

Running with a stick. Must the new route!

Hey friends! I hope you had a great Easter season!

• We moved in 16 hours. It was intense but we had a lot of help. Our friends came through and we are currently unboxing everything. I will write a post about organization when it relates to packing and moving. I learned a few things we can do before ever having to move. This morning I ran in my neighborhood. I took a stick just in case I saw wild life. I've seen deer and wild pigs during my runs. I'm sure this stick would totally scare them. Haha!

• My friend Nylse interviewed me and I'd love for you to go to Life Notes and read it. Just click here.

• My scale broke last week so I went to the store and I bought a cheapo one. I will fill you in this week as my Weight Watchers series continues.

• I realize I also have to update you on the "Showing up for the Audition" post. I've been singing with our church choir as well as with our worship team. It's been an honor to serve, no matter where I am. I feel strongly that I don't need a microphone to sing to the Lord. I also feel strongly that I need to show up for the audition and be open to do whatever God asks of me. I will tell you more about leading worship in Spanish and Portuguese at church. It's been fantastic to say the least!

• Now that Easter is over, I understand that the Bible story goes on. Jesus showed up in a bunch of places before He went to heaven. I'm determined to keep reading the story so my kids have a good sense of what happened after Easter.

• If you are a new reader, please make yourself at home. This is a place where we spread hope online, one post at a time. You can connect me everywhere on social media as well as here on the blog. You are welcome and I'm so glad you are here!

Have a great week everyone and please come back to read the blogs I told you I will write :)

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I'm Thankful you Exist

Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord!

Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!"

1 Chr. 16:8

Today I woke up with several specific reasons to thank God. While I'm turkey baking, kid watching, house cleaning and exercising, I will keep those specific reasons in my mind, heart and lips.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm thankful to God for my sweet family. I'm thankful to God for you.
I pray that this blog can inspire you to be the best you can be.
Enjoy this amazing day, no matter where in the world you are.
I'm thankful you exist. 

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The Week in Instagram Photos

Baby bunching is not for the faint of heart! I realized that this week as my son went to preschool for the first time. For 3 years he went to "Cintia's Academy" (aka, our house) but he's been ready to join other kids out there and have even more fun. Here's my attempt to label everything and not to lose any more cups out there. We got these from Mabel's Labels.

Here's my incredibly great looking husband at church. We have a quick choir rehearsal before service, so he's speaking in this photo. 

 We went to the Brazilian Festival Sunday night in Houston. I'm glad we waited to go that late cause it was very hot out there. It was pretty enjoyable.

 This week I said goodbye to my vacuum cleaner. It turns out my house wasn't as clean as I thought, who knows how long this thing was malfunctioning...

 A lady from one of my mommy groups lent me her snap'n go so now we have a stroller for the baby. My youngest child "helps" me to push the stroller. She's really enjoying her new job.

This hasn't been the easiest week for me but I am so glad I'm persevering and getting out there to work out. I like this old t-shirt, specially when I really sweat in the gym. No, no one saw me taking this photo. The folk who come early in the morning are trying to get in and out, they have no time to see me taking photos and posting on Instagram :)

This week I realized that weight doesn't come off without a fight. I fight in the gym, I fight when I use my food journal and I fight when I don't get obsessed with the scale but celebrate non-scale victories. 

I'm off to pick up my young scholar from school. I pray that you have had an amazing week so far. Tell me, what has been the highlight of your week?

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