Dear Self,

This photo has nothing to do with my post. I just liked it. And it's my blog.

It's been quite some time since the sugar monkey has reared his fuzzy little head around here. Brad was commenting at dinner the other night that I need to bring him back for a visit.

Have you missed him?

I haven't. Not that he hasn't been hopping up on my back still. I just haven't written about it.**

I've been participating in a healthy lifestyle challenge since November, and I have to say that I am finally learning what my body needs and what my body only thinks it needs (and later, I hate myself for my bad choices).

A few weeks ago, I wrote myself a sort of health manifest--a concrete list of NOs and YESs to remind myself what I really want for myself. I was going to keep it private, but Brad saw it on the counter in the bathroom, and he thought I should publish it here. I thought about it, and publishing it has two positive side effects: 1) It keeps me even more honest with myself, and 2) It could possibly lead someone else to make a similar list for themselves.

So, I'm posting my list today, with a giant disclaimer and no small amount of hesitation.

This list is mine, and mine alone. I took a lot of time thinking about my own personal eating issues, my own personal exercise routine, and my own personal needs before making this list. It was enlightening and helpful for me to be this honest with myself. This list is not intended to be universal or to fit anyone else. I invite you to make one of your own. It's empowering to articulate your weaknesses and your strengths. Just having it all written out and not floating around in my head has made this list meaningful to me.

To be honest, I haven't done every one of these things every day. I have been making mistakes, but the last point on the NO list and the last two points on the YES list have come in handy more than I thought they would. I'm learning that forgiving myself is one of the toughest challenges I face daily, and I'm learning how to do it.

That in itself is a huge step in the right direction.

So, before I chicken out, here's my letter to myself. I hope it leads you to a place where you can better understand yourself, too.

**If you would like to read more posts about my sugar monkey, type sugar monkey in the search window in the side bar. There are plenty of posts there.