Breakaway

This morning while I was working out and listening to my iPod, the song Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson played.  And it just hit me.  Like a ton of bricks.  I am breaking away from my old life and old patterns and into a new, healthier version of myself.  When I think of my raw vegan journey, this song is a great representation of me right now.

My favorite, empowering phrase in the song is:
"I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change and breakaway"

I wish I was better with words b/c I have so much more to say about this, but at the moment, it's more of a feeling...that I'm letting sink into my soul.  It's a good feeling.  One filled with excitement, accomplishment, defeat, change, remembering the old me, dreaming about the new me - the person I want to be.  Sure I have said in the past that I want to be healthier, but healthy people behave differently than I used to behave.  I am trying to become a person who does healthy things so that I can be a healthy person!

Now for the lyrics.  Maybe this song speaks to you in a different way than it did for me this morning.

Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I'd just stare out my window

Dreaming of what could be
And if I'd end up happy
I would pray

Trying hard to reach out
But when I'd try to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me

Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I pray
I could breakaway

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes til I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway

Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I loved
I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway

Wanna feel the warm breeze
Sleep under a palm tree
Feel the rush of the ocean

Get onboard a fast train
Travel on a jet plane, far away
And breakaway

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes 'til I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway

Out of the darkness and into the sun
I won't forget all the ones that I loved
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway

Buildings with a hundred floors
Swinging 'round revolving doors
Maybe I don't know where they'll take me but
Gotta keep moving on, moving on
Fly away, breakaway

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway

Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget the place I come from
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway, breakaway, breakaway

Next Phase: Exercise

Part of my search for better health can be found in exercise.  I have known for months that I would eventually incorporate physical exercise into my new lifestyle change.  But I also know how I am and didn't want to try to change EVERY aspect of my life and get overwhelmed and then do nothing.  So I have purposefully waited until I had this raw vegan stuff more figured out.  Despite what I wrote in my last entry, I really am feeling more comfortable and ready to take on a new challenge.

So last weekend I started exercising regularly.  I've had a few couple week stints in the past, but like everything else, I am trying to make this stick more than two weeks!  So far so good this week!  Boy do I have absolutely no muscle of any kind. But what a wonderful challenge it is to see where I can grow and how much more I can do even from just a few short days ago.

I've been doing cardio-like the eliptical and the treadmill-and then I tried a Power Circuit class (that was tough and very good!) and then this weekend I'm going to see if I like the Aqua Exercise class that my gym offers.  I'm just trying out different things to see what I might actually enjoy doing.

What is your favorite exercise activity?  Maybe I'll give it a shot too!