A Team Is Born

 (Originally published 2 February 2011)

I did it! The Babysteps Brigade launched this morning. (I'm taking my personal holiday off from work.) So far I'm the only member, but I joined all 5 team goals. I had planned for 6, but there's a limit, so I created an extra challenge and encourage others to track it on their Other Goals page.

And it really doesn't matter how many others do or don't decide to join. Using these tools is the way I'm working my program to create the home and life I deserve and desire.

I had fun looking through free photos for pictures of babies taking steps or learning to walk. I chose our team image for several reasons. She's smiling—getting where we want to go can be fun and exciting, it doesn't need to be frightening or hard. There are helping hands ready to assist her--but she's not clinging to them, in fact she's only holding one, but she knows the other one is there if she needs it. She's not just standing still—her foot looks like she's ready to take another step, or maybe even start to dance. May all our babysteps make us all as happy.


[Update from 2021: We remained a small team—just over 90 members, with only a handful of those active. But we have maintained our joyous celebration of all progress. As our team description says: Do your organizing and fitness goals seem impossible to reach? Join us and let your babystepping buddies lend a hand as we all learn new skills and habits one tiny step at a time.

And each new member was welcomed with a group hug goodie and this message: Here is a group hug from your 3Bs—your Babystep Brigade Buddies! We are here to lend an ear, an idea, a hand, an encouraging word, or a high-five and a happy dance to celebrate any and all victories. We are so happy to have you with us!

Your Team Leaders, Amanda (BLESSEDBEING) and Mary (WATREKKIE)


With Spark People ending, we have moved our team over to Discord, where we are continuing to chat, offer suggestions, and be silly as we explore a wider world of emojis and GIFs. I continue to be blessed by this little team every day!]


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Babystepping My Way to Glory

(Originally published 26 February 2011) That phrase, “babystepping my way to Glory,” came to me while speed walking yesterday on my afternoon break, as I gazed towards a golden sun in a sparkling blue sky that was reflecting off the still white patches from our last snowfall. I had been doing my Louise Hay affirmations* and my lovingkindness meditation phrases* and my heart was full of gratitude, joy, and hope; I was delighted with the beauty of the moment and pleased with myself and the progress I'm making. This was a much different and better place than when I wrote my Bad Days blog less than 48 hours earlier. Yet while I could feel the power and energy flowing through me so freely, I did not fall into the trap of thinking this is how will always feel or should always feel, or it's going to be easy from now on, or I'm always going to get as much accomplished as I had that day. I won't automatically earn as many nutrition and fitness points or get as much declutte...
Read more

Bad Days

  (Originally published 23 February 2011) I really know I'm making progress now. Work was OK, but it's been a rough evening at home. Frustration and disappointment over vacation planning issues, with more frustration and disappointment over the failure of the new resistance cord DVD to offer modifications for stiff knees. In the old days, any stress at work or in life was an excuse to buy and consume comfort food — in my case wine and chips, or other high-fat foods. Not this evening. OK, I switched from salad to soup, but chopped and added fresh veggies before emptying the can of soup into the pot. I made sure I was maintaining my Oases of Order (those small sections of real estate I have liberated from clutter) in the kitchen while I cooked. I cleaned the litterbox (one of my daily routines I'm establishing) and put in my (minimum) organizing time in order to fulfill my Babysteps Brigade team challenge activity and earn my corresponding Other Goal point. I wasn'...
Read more

It doesn't have to be hard!

(Originally published 8 March 2012)  This is a comment I wrote on a Spark Friend’s blog about living with a recovering type 2 diabetic:  “What saddens me the most is that people assume change has to be hard. It doesn't have to be. Moderation and babysteps will produce improvements. We don't have to be perfect. As long as we make better choices most of the time, we will get stronger, slimmer, and healthier. To me, that's not hard--it's fun, it's empowering, it's motivating!” Losing weight, getting stronger and improving your health (or getting organized or making any other improvement in your life) does not have to be hard. But if you tell yourself it will be hard, or worse yet impossible, that will most likely be your experience. The question is, do you want it to be hard or not? Notice, I'm not saying it will be EASY to change. But it does require a willingness to make changes in the way you do things, and especially in the way you think. I love Louis...
Read more