I am turning 32 years old October this year.
By then, I’m officially off the calendar! If I was still my old self, I would have locked myself in the bedroom and go into hiding forever. But that’s not the person I am now. And I couldn’t be happier.
Yes, strands of white hair are now more visible, and so are the laugh lines around the eyes and mouth. Losing weight is no longer an easy feat. Crash diets no longer work. This time, I really have to exercise and watch what I eat.
There’s a whole life of being a 20-something-year-old behind me, and God knows, those were great times! And to be honest, I can’t wait to rock my thirties just the same. Not with the endless parties and bad hangovers. But with mortgages, car loans, insurance plans, graduate school, business ventures, finding the one you want to spend the rest of your life with, marriage, starting a family, etc. All these, but not necessary in that order!
It’s a different ball game, being in your 30s. The sense of accountability and ownership is all up to you. No one else can be held responsible for what you do with your life from here onwards, no one but yourself. And that my friend, is a challenge right there. And that was the challenge I took that led me to where I am now.
[Tweet “The sense of #accountability and #ownership is all up to you. @thechedproject”] [divider type=”linebreak”]
I woke up one day and told myself, I want to welcome my 32nd year in this world with a bang! I wanted to live a healthy lifestyle. I wanted to do it, and I wanted to do it now. See, for the longest time, I haven’t been very good to myself – from smoking my life away, drinking booze like there’s no tomorrow, to eating junk food and no exercising, I have become an ideal candidate for a healthy lifestyle makeover. So just over five weeks ago, I’ve decided to do just that.
Like everything else, I started to write down what I wanted to happen. I’m a firm believer that writing your goals is proven to help make them into reality. And indeed, one by one, they all materialized. I now work out three times a week at Curves Eastwood. I wouldn’t have thought that only after a few weeks I’ll be addicted to working out! I mean, my body literally looks for it, craves for it, if you may. It’s a pain that’s addicting, a good kind of pain. So addicting that I want to consider working out every day. Imagine that!
But all the exercise would have been for nothing if I don’t eat the right kind of food. After all, a healthy diet is 30% exercise, and 70% healthy eating. That’s why, I have The GoodBox PH who delivers my calorie-controlled meal five times a week. To be honest, I wouldn’t know what to do without them. Being a full time professional and a full time MBA student, time is of value to me. Prepping food is something I wouldn’t have time for. That’s why this service works well for those who doesn’t have time to do grocery shopping and meal prepping.
Lastly, (and this is probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my adult life) I kicked the butt. Yep, I have been smoke free since July 29, 2015! For someone who has been smoking for 17 years, which is almost half of my life, one would think that it would be impossible. But like I said earlier, I just woke up one day and told myself, I want to quit, I must quit, and I did. I didn’t go cold turkey though. Instead, I seek professional help from Contours that offers AcuQuit treatment for those who want to quit smoking. After the laser acupuncture treatment, I haven’t smoked a single stick of cigarette. And I couldn’t be any prouder.
So what made me change? ME. Together with hard work, determination and the drive to succeed, all those coupled with love and support from family and friends. I’m one of the living testimony that if you want something done, if you want something to change, you don’t need a New Year’s resolution, or the 1st day of the month, or something drastic to happen to start. You simply write them down and do.
[Tweet “You simply write them down and do. #Planning #SelfTransfomation @thechedproject”]
I still have a long way to go, but I am not disheartened, because all the changes that my body, mind and spirit have been through these last few weeks were all worth it. My lower back is no longer killing me, my endurance has improved, and I can now bend down and reach my toes! I no longer have that dull smokers’ skin. In fact, I always receive compliments about how my skin glows. But more than the physical improvement, I have become an overall positive person. I have become more appreciative, grateful and happy. And that alone, is probably the most rewarding feeling of all.
Yes, I still have a long way to go, but there’s no turning back now.
No ifs, no buts.
Just off I go.
A Journey of Self-Transformation by Ched Dayot of The Ched Project. Ched is also known as the Slasher-Executioner, Ched plays a few key roles that she is passionate about. She’s a working professional during the week, a student over the weekend and on her free time, a freelance professional focusing on marketing, public relations, social media and events.
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