Tag: Inspiration

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About Those Goals…

Educate Yourself

I am where I’m supposed to be.

A few years back, I’d decided to become an RN. And as it often happens, life had other plans. After years of doubts and allowing myself to be my biggest obstacle; I decided to go back to school and pursue my dream.

Last year was tougher than 2020. The amount of pain and frustration I have endured it’s no joke. I have sacrificed so much and worked so hard in the last months that just looking back gets me tired. I feel anxious. I am mostly anxious because of the tremendous resilience I have displayed and the extraordinary determination to fulfill my goals. I don’t recognize myself. Perhaps, I just didn’t know what I was capable of.

I am amazed at how much I have endured and overcome. If 2021 taught me anything it’s that we humans, are amazing beings. There’s so much we can do and accomplish when we set our minds to.

I don’t know where you are in life but, if you have a goal or dream, go for it. Life goes by so fast and before you know it, it’s over. Life is not about how much money you have, but rather about how much you have accomplished. Have you been a good person?, do you help others?, are you good to the environment? Have you taught others? Have you shared your wisdom and experiences? Have you loved or have you been loved? These are just a few questions to ponder and review as you get older.

Remember, be kind to yourself. Life is what you make of it and you are in no competition with anyone else. Dream it. Love it. Live it.

Take care,

MJ JONES

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Sun Kissed by Self Love

Love Thy Self

Summer is almost here.

Are you getting ready? Are you anticipating the warm summer nights and hot, hot summer days? The warm sun kisses that summer brings or the heat wave it guarantees?

I am and I am ready. As you may have read in my previous posts, I went through Gastric Sleeve Surgery in order to bring my weight back into the normal healthy range. I have lost 70 pounds in about 15 months and I am loving it.

I love that my knees no longer hurt, I love that I no longer snore and I love that I can climb up the stairs without going into what it felt was a mild heart attack. I love the physical benefits my body now enjoys from being less heavy and I definitely love the mental benefits that also come along with it.

Is my body perfect? Absolutely not. I have some saggy skin, I have lost some muscle tone and have a little wiggly thing under my chin. Guess what? I still love the transformation.

I am trying to get my body a little more toned so I have been working out diligently and slowly but surely my body has started to change. I see a little definition in my arms and thighs now. The point being that it’s my body and only I can take the steps to make it better.

Now that I have come to love myself and my body with all its imperfections, I feel that I can finally begin to enjoy myself the way I always pictured it. What do I mean? I mean that I have finally become a woman with more than one bathing suit! Yes, I have joined that fabulous group of people that just can’t have one bathing suit but multiple. In different colors and styles.

I am over 40 and this is a huge deal for me. All the years of yearning to love myself and be proud of my body have manifested into the woman I am today. Happy and with a positive outlook towards the future.

I wish everyone out there took the time to care for theme selves, life is but a fleeting moment, a blink of an eye. Do what makes you happy today and work towards to an even happier you tomorrow. Don’t give up don’t give in, keep pushing until you find that happy little point in your life that makes you smile, like my joy of having different bathing suits this upcoming summer. It’s the small things that sometimes give us that push, a glimmer of hope into what life should be like.

Take care,

MJ Jones

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Lil Money, Big Goals

Plan, Plan, Plan…

Long time no post. Yup, I’ve been missing in action. Too much going on, life has been busy. Im lying, I’ve been working like crazy. Too much. And it’s taken a toll on my mood and hobbies.

I’m not sure what your life looks like but let me tell you, mine has been crazy. And not only crazy but stressful. Ever since I became separated I’ve been focused on setting and achieving my goals. And now I feel overwhelmed. Extremely overwhelmed because I am trying to accomplish alot with very little.

My goals? Higher credit score, debt payoff and a better paying job. Oh yeah, and finish school. And all of this while keeping up with my bills and sanity.

Im currently debating whether I should invest on a resume writter. I feel like the chances of landing a better job rest on a good and updated resume. What do you think? Is it worth it?

I consider this an investment because it’s the only way I can justify such an expense. I am not joking when I say that I live by my budget. I’m not playing about my goals and so every penny counts. But Lord, it’s hard. Im sure I’m not the only one going through this so if you’re on a budget then you know how difficult it is to justify the expenditure of unplanned costs. It’s a pain.

Because of this stress, I have been focused on working and saving my money so as to be able to deal with unexpected costs (investments). And due to this, I’ve been away from my blog. Plus, I get tired of the random messages about follows/creepy requests so I kinda stayed away from the scene.

Tonight though, it felt like a night to type a few words together and let my mind speak for itself. My brain is overworked and tired. My body is tired, hell my soul is tired.

I don’t know where you are on your journey but let me say this: you got this, we got this. The trick is to remain focused and positive. While there’s alot to deal with, there’s still alot more to be thankful for. So just take a deep breath and get it done.

Til next time, stay safe and kind.

MJ Jones

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The Weather and its Moods on us

Fire is always nice on a cold day

My oh my! What lovely weather we have in Central Texas today. As many of you know, Texas is known for being hot so when we get anything under 70 degrees we ENJOY it. Earlier today, I noticed the temperature had reached 66 degrees and we are now 48 degrees. So in true Texan spirit I had to make something nice and warm for dinner. I decided to make Caldo de Albondigas with spanish rice as a side and a few homemade blue corn tortillas. Ooops, I almost forgot to mention I also made a nice homemade salsa to give it some heat.

The husband and kids loved it. So of course, I was happy because what mom doesn’t love hearing her family praise her cooking right? I know I do, and my mom does too as my grandmother did when she was alive. It’s a right of passage I think, bragging rights to the kitchen.

Even after my bariatric surgery, I have managed to continue enjoying my cooking. I love to try new recipes and more often than not, while I work from home at my desk I plan dinner depending on my mood or source of inspiration. I can’t eat the same amount of food I did before but that the whole point right? It is why I chose to do this surgery, to lose and manage my weight. Having bariatric surgery doesn’t mean that I can’t enjoy my food, it only means that I have to choose wisely and manage my portions.

I’ve come across posts on social media about people that have this type of surgery and can’t wait to go back to old eating habits. It’s strange, because I wonder what was the purpose of doing it in the first place right? I think there’s some misconception about what this surgery does to us and what the expectations are afterwards. Anyways, that whole different subject for another day.

Back to this beautiful weather and how it makes us feel. I don’t know about you but cold weather is definitely my favorite. I do believe it is because we have so little of it here though, some folks up north might hate it and that’s because they truly experience cold weather unlike our mild temps down here. It sort of how we like curly hair when we have straight hair right? and vice versa. We want cold temps here and they want hot temps up there…ha!

Currently, since dinner is over and done with I am now sitting on my bed writting this post and looking out the window. I can see the breeze moving the trees and the grey clouds saturating the sky. Not a peep of sunlight can be seen, just thick grey clouds over us.

Do you prefer cold weather or hot weather? Why?

I will continue to stare out the window and hope this cold weather will last us at least a few days before we go back to our normal 80s. With this, I bid you good night.

Take care,

Mrs Jones

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Selfcare on a Sunday Morning

Squash and Peppers

Good and blessed morning! I hope your sunday started off fine and continues that way. We’ve had very hot days here in Central Texas and wanting to go outside has been a struggle. However, my vitamin D levels are very low and the sun helps me with that so I braved the heat and went to work on my vegetable garden for a little while today. Two hours to be exact.

Let me first say that working on my garden brings me peace. It allows me to focus on my peace of mind by giving me the time to sit there and enjoy nature while tending to it. I am not a pro in gardening but I am trying to do my part in learning how to grow my own veggies, herbs and hopefully frutis too. I do have a beautiful squash growing and have been tending to it for a few months now.

As I sat there I was able to enjoy the sun, even though it was already hot at 8 am, it made me feel good. As I have mentioned before, I had bariatric surgery early this year and theres a chance that vitamin deficiency might occur. Well, vitamin D is low so I am currently deficient. My doctor prescribed me some and suggested I went out and got some sun while making sure I took care of my self by applying sunscreen and wearing a hat for my face. This is why I went outside today and decided to take care of my physical needs while also taking care of my emotional and spiritual needs.

While I gardened I made it a point to thank Mother Nature for her blessings, and assured her that I was not destroying the grass but rather bringing in more plants to enhance its environment. I know it sounds crazy but I do like to communicate with nature as much as possible. I pray for it and try to do my best not to harm it.

I ended up with a nicely weeded area and with two of my pepper plants from my indoor pots planted firmly in their new outodoor spots. I prepared the regular soil with food and good top soil while also covering them with mulch at the top. I feel satisfied and look forward to the next opportunity I have to transfer my tomatoes and my basil. Doing these things make me happy and cleanse my soul from negativity.

I hope you find something to do today that will allow you to take care of yourself physically, emotionally or spiritually.

Find something to do and immerse yourself in it. Pray while you do it and release any negative energy you might be carrying with you. Take a deep breath and know that you have the power to make yourself better, only you can affect the outcome of your day. Happiness is a choice, and that choice is yours.

Seize the day and be productive in your selfcare. Tend to your needs, to your soul and live your best life. Til next time.

MJ Jones

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Bathtime and Peace of Mind

Treat yourself to sweet scents and a good read.

Good evening. I hope you’re well and enjoying your night. Its now 8:24 pm and I find myself preparing for bed. Best way to do this? A long hot bath.

As I stated before, life seems to move at a faster pace every year. Every day really. Our daily routines can and will take time away from our self care. Often, we have a list of to do things or tasks but more often than not, we never mark anything down to help us with our own self care needs.

Besides time, we often think that taking care of us means we have to spend money we may or may not have, the truth is that a good oil essence added to out bath water can often be enough to relax us and help us release our stress. Stop overthinking and just indulge in some personal time. Set out some candles and just breathe. Relax.

Im not saying that pampering yourself at an actual spa is not great, what I ak saging is that sometimes thats not financially possible. However, it should be ok for gou to enjoy bathtime at home with your favorite candles and oil scents. A few drops of oil will do the trick, no need to use half a bottle in every bath. Some of my favorite scents are Lavender, Vanilla and Sandalwood, depending on my mood. A hot bath with low dimmed light works wonders. If you have a speaker that you can safely use in the bathroom without risking it being too close to your tub then use it. Set it to low volume and play something nice and mellow. It will improve your mood and allow you focus on your breathing and relaxation.

Lastly, love yourself. Your peace of mind and mental health matter. What you do today will improve your tomorrow.

Til next time,

MJ Jones

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Less Stimulus, More Sleep Please.

Step away from electronics

Feeling tired? Join the club!

Millions of Americans suffer from sleep depravation. Many have no choice because they have to work more than two jobs or maybe because they have to work and attend school. Others is because they are single parents or because they have to care for others. All of these are understandable situations. But whats the excuse for those of us who have only one job, no real extracurricular activities or care for others? Lets chat about that.

Each of us is responsible for our own well being. Thats the first thing to understand. When we choose to keep our eyes glued to the tv or to our personal gadgets, we have no one to blame but us. The truth is that more and more we immerse ourselves in social media or binge on shows that take away from our sleep time.

I dont want to sound like a broken record but if you find yourself tired and its not due to some medical condition or one of the situations described above then maybe its time to do some self care? Maybe it’s time to care for you first and foremost. Are you in? I have a few suggestions that will help you with your rest and to create better sleeping habits.

First, lets set up a time to wind down. Choose a time that works with your schedule and stick to it. Turn your tv or gadgets off an hour before bedtime. Prepare yourself by taking a shower or bath, use essential oils or bath bombs to help you relax. If you’re achy, just use Epsom salt in a bath. Relax and meditate. Prayer and/or meditation works to help you focus and release tension from your body. Do what works for you. Visualize and tune yourself with your inner peace. Bring it forth and get your rest. Next, make sure your bed is clean and made, a messy bed with dirty sheets is no place to rest. Set the room temperature according to your preference. Lastly, turn off your phone notifications and the lights. Take a deep breath and go to sleep. Focus on your body and its needs. Your body needs rest so make an attempt to do this.

In time, with a consistent routine you will feel better and your body will know when bed time is approaching. It will let you know when you need to get to bed and start getting your routine together. Trust me, we are overworked, over binged and over stimulated. Its time to calm down and take care of us. Hope my blog helps you feel better and achieve a better nights sleep.

Til next time,

MJ Jones 🌜

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Food choices and Bariatric Surgery

“Let thy food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food” – Hippocrates

Obesity, the silent killer everyone sees but no one speaks about. Obesity, the reason for my drastic choice. To succeed I must learn to first: respect and appreciate real good food.

It has been a long while since my last post. I have been busy trying to adjust to my new life after Gastric Sleeve Surgery. To say that it was a big change is an absolute understatement.

Not only is this a physical change but also a mental one.

One of the things that I must write about is the fact that once the surgery is done, there’s no turning back. With most of the stomach having been removed, theres hardly any room for food. The width of your new stomach pouch is 14 mm. So you are able to eat and drink very little. As time goes by, theres room for about half a cup at each meal.

However, I would be lying if I did not write about the mental anguish and longing for food that comes everyitme I eat. I sit with my family and yearn for a full plate, not three or four bites of food.

Along those lines, I end up eating my food cold. It takes that long to eat it now. The pain is real.

But not all is bad, I am now down 47 pounds and learning to make better choices. Protein intake is at top of my list every single day. Then water. Then anything else. I also make sure to take my supplements daily as the level of nutrients absorption diminishes after surgery and the chances of vitamin and mineral deficiency increase.

If you are looking into this procedure, I urge to do some research. Nothing is the same after it, therefore you must be ready to accept the pros and cons from it. It wont be easy but is definitely doable. With patience and a positive attitude, you too will see the results and will begin to enjoy your new body and life.

Til next time,

ThatMrsJones

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Sunday Thoughts

It’s cold outside. In the state of Texas, this is a a good thing. Well, central Texas. As you might know, we get pretty high and dry temps during most of the year. As a matter of fact, so far we have yet to have Father Winter come pay us a much needed visit. In the meantime, Mother Nature has graciously gifted us cooler weather this weekend. As I sit here, I find myself enjoying my family and the current temperature outside. The only damp on my mood comes from the realization that tomorrow will be; Monday.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, we are done with our precious time off. If you are one of the lucky ones to not have to work 40 hours a week in an office, then let me say: I envy you! I so wish I had your life right now. (A small exception to this is, if you are unemployed then no, I dont envy you and I hope all gets better for you) Ok, back to you, the one that has control of his/her weekly life, I so wish I had your life..lol..and I am not ashamed to say that I go through this emotion every single sunday at around this time, everytime.

What do you do? Are you an investor? An influencer? I mean, share the secret and pass the good juju around my friend! Share your wisdom and help us out. Us meaning me and the rest of the working class souls that make up a large percentage in what we call the USA. We want a break too! ha!

Anyways, enough! I can go on and on whinning but I will stop. Because, as many of us know, being employed trumps being unemployed any and all days. Most Americans are two paychecks away from losing everything they have so yes, I am grateful and will count my blessings.

You, the one reading this blog and getting ready to start your week tomorrow should too. It really does beat living under a bridge, and trust me our homeless population issue is a whole different conversation.

So take pride in what you do, prep your meals, iron your clothes and plan your schedule for the week because tomorrow will be here in a matter of hours. You got this, I got this. Try to get an education if you can or increase your skill set. Whatever you do, dont give up and dont sit stagnant, keep moving, keep working, keep planning and keep dreaming. Dreaming is what will get you through everything until you make your dreams a reality. It can be done, it has been done. You and I, will keep moving and improving, dont give up and walk with faith into tomorrow.

Until the next time!

With Luv,

That Mrs Jones

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Rainy Days at Work


The worst day for me to be at the office is on a rainy day. I would much rather be at home, reading, cooking or even playing video games.

Coming to work on a rainy day is just so boring. Dont get me wrong, I do work and complete my tasks on time but dang it!, I prefer to be off work and at home. Or, even out walking downtown. I have never shyed away from a rainy walk while being surrounded by nature. There is absolutley something comforting about the sound of rain drops hitting the leaves and the soothing scent of wet dirt.

It never fails, as soon as I make it through what I call “Hade’s Traffic” and enter the office my spirit just fades, I know it sounds dramatic but come on, surely you feel it too?! The agony of it all, the darkened clouds and the rain tapping softly in the windows has to be a trigger for that “oh, I wish I were home today” feeling.

Ok, enough lamenting and whinning. Until the day we get to win the lotto, we must do what we have to do right? So don’t despair and keep pushing. One of these days we will find our sunshine within our rainy day 🙂

Take care,

Mrs Jones