Skating Uphill - July 2020

 
“Change your (your word here) and change your life!”
– The Uphill Skater –

I’ve heard it, you’ve heard it. Any number of magazines, self-help books and websites all hold the magic promise. Change your diet, change your life. Change your spending habits and be wealthy. Change your job and change your life, and so on. Well, I am here to add one, so get ready to listen to the REAL thing that can actually change your life if you actually want to do it: Change your attitude, and change your life, and boy, do I really mean it.

We are bombarded daily, hourly, if not minute-by-minute by people trying to tell us what to think and what to do. We are told what to wear, how much to weigh, how much money other people have and how we can get it. Worse yet, we have to look at pictures of the “rest of us” whether we want to or not. The last time I watched network TV, I saw a total of 14 commercials in the one hour time frame. I am not going to put up with it anymore, and I am advising you not to put up with it either.

Politics used to be just that. It used to be something we were interested in and could discuss and talk about. Try that now, honey. Elizabeth Millen, our publisher, posted on social media that free speech was dead unless you said the “right” thing, and she was sure right. Statues are falling, names are being changed, and wild ideas on both sides of the spectrum are actually being put out there like they make sense. How in the world did this all happen and what can we, as women, do about it?

Well, this issue of Pink is a start. It is about strong women, and I think that since the beginning of history the concept of strong women, though sometimes a bit undercover, has always been a factor in life. We women have gained so much during the last 40 years it literally knocks me over. Sometimes strength can be a mixed blessing, as in so many single mothers. However, statistics show single mothers are the backbone of American small businesses and often support themselves with unique website ideas that allow extra income to support themselves in style rather than the old concept of “Oh poor me on welfare.” Inner strength is power, and power is the key to making your own decisions, having confidence, and yes, having attitude.

My daughter is a doctor. Her best friend is a veterinarian. Another friend is a mentor teacher. Another owns her own adventure travel agency that she built from the ground up. A young girl that I used to mentor at the Boys and Girls Club works at Target, and she loves it. She has her own money, a cool apartment and that dream of all young people—car payments!

Making it can have many different faces. I have a dear young friend who is a Mormon and lives in Utah. She has seven children and her Facebook page is always hysterical. She has made her life full of fun and laughter. Her husband adores her, and even on down days, she seems to be able to find a silver lining to share. Did I say a strong faith helps a lot?

Times are bad. I could go on about how not true that is for the average women going on day by day, but social media and “shaming” each other, and yes, even death threats and random violence against innocent people wont let me. We can’t and shouldn’t ignore what is happening around us. People say that fundamental changes are going to take place, and I can only hope that they are changes for the better. Change is not wrong if something needs to be changed, and yes, some things do need to be changed. I said changed, not burned down, just in case you did not notice.

All right, so where does the healthy Lifestyle come in here? Well, my tag line says that Skating Uphill is hard, but when you get to the top, the view is worth it. I am going to stick by that because I believe it with my whole heart. I hold to my values, and I know that you will hold to yours. In order to do that, we do NOT need to shame or berate each other’s views, insult, tear down, destroy or hate. A choir is made of voices singing in many different parts, ranges and sometimes even in different keys. The sound of a good choir can move the soul. Can’t we all sing together?

Judith Lawrenson is a former Hilton Head Island resident who has a huge heart and is loved by all who meet her. She has served and volunteered with numerous charitable organizations while living in the Lowcontry making an impact wherever she went. She and her husband recently moved to the wild hills of West Virginia to be closer to grandchildren. Judith is an avid sailor, a retired reading resource specialist, and a children's TV host whose local show originated from the Boys and girls Club. Judith is also a long time seeker of healthy, happy living and a lifestyle dedicated to service to others balanced with love of God and love of self. Check out her BLOG www.skatinguphill.com for fun info, recipes and nutrition ideas, current updates on nearly everything in the world, and lots of comments and opinions.