I've remained soda-free this month, but it's been really hard. January wasn't so bad - I got through the month without major cravings, but February came along and nearly did me in. I want a Dr. Pepper so bad. It is a daily battle. I have to give myself pep talks. "Stay strong, Britt! Look how far you've come! Don't drink The Sauce!"
I wish I was the type of person who could enjoy an occasional Dr. Pepper without worry, but I know no moderation! I go back to Dr. Pepper like a bad boyfriend. It doesn't matter how much it's hurt me in the past. All I need is one slightly flattering encounter, and I go all in with my loyalty.
Part of the problem with staying off soda is that there is no visible reward for doing so. I don't feel different, I don't look different. I'm not richer. I'm not a better person. I'm still Britt but without something to look forward to in the middle of the day.
Last month I wrote a little about how I feel like should accomplish something great this year. I used to be a very goal-oriented person. Blogging helped me become that way - having a place to write about my progress and having an audience to be accountable to has been a great blessing to me in my past goals. At some point in the past few years, I lost that. I now struggle with setting and reaching goals, but I find myself feeling drawn to something. Some sort of accomplishment. I have this great desire to set a goal and work toward it.
A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking about how much I loved Personal Progress when I was a teenager, and I wished that I had something like that now to motivate me toward personal growth. I always hoped to earn a YW medallion as a leader or as a mother of a young woman someday, but I haven't served in YW since my early 20's, and I still have a couple of years until I have a daughter in YW.
With the new youth initiative rolling out next year, if there is something I can earn in a leadership position someday, it's likely that it will be different from the current program. I started wondering if I could earn the YW medallion as a regular Joe Shmo since the leader/mother thing isn't going to happen. According to the Personal Progress book, "Other women who desire to participate in and complete Personal Progress may do so by completing the same requirements as young women and by assisting a young woman with a portion of her Personal Progress." (p 93).
So I'm going for it! Scotty is taking the place of "parent and/or leader" as I fulfill my requirements, and we've had some good discussions as he has signed off on my progress. I called our stake YW president and made sure I was interpreting everything correctly, and she was really excited for me (she was my YW president when I earned mine as a youth).
For the past two weeks, I've tried to spend at least an hour a day (multiple hours on Sundays) working on Personal Progress, and it has been wonderful. Just as Marie Kondo came into my life at the right time, Personal Progress came to mind when I needed it! Another answer to my prayers!
I encourage you, if you're feeling drawn to doing the same, to give it some consideration, especially if you have any interest in the current program. I think it would be cool if a bunch of women in my ward earned theirs, too, but the season isn't right for everyone (and the season is short... because 2020 will be here before we know it! I mean, look at February with its foot out the door already!)
The great thing about Personal Progress is that there is so much I'm doing already that coincides with the requirements. I'm just putting more meaning and more reflection into those things now, and that adds a greater measure of the Spirit each day. I'm also becoming aware of some areas of weakness and neglect that I've developed over the years. I thought I was already "aware," but now I'm tragically aware. Needless to say, I've wandered a bit
So enter March. I have some work to do.
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