Words of Encouragement

Hello again. 

Fancy meeting you here.

good golly, it's been a while. Hasn't it?

Can I just say that this last little stretch of my journey has been quite a difficult one? It has been pretty wild. I have forged my way through the forest of doubt, trudged through the muddy river of failure, and have even climbed the mountain of insane temptation. [Paints a beautiful picture, I know.]

Needless to say - I've made it through and am ready to keep going. 

You see, I am half way through my journey. I have lost TWENTY-Something pounds... I have made it half way up that mountain, and now have the opportunity to make 1 of 2 choices. I can keep moving forward up the mountain, assured that it will not be easy... but regardless will be worth it once I reach the top. OR I can make the dumb decision of going right back down the mountain, ending in the exact spot where I started. 

Right here and now, there is only one obvious thing to do...

I'm headed back down the mountain.

HAH Just kidding.

I'VE GOTTA KEEP CLIMBING OF COURSE!

Now, the old and slightly tired version of me would probably have made the same decision (that is to keep heading up the mountain) The difference between the OLD Sydney and the NEW Sydney is this:

ATTITUDE. 

I thought of this quote the other day... I think I made it up, but if you know the originator of the quote... then don't tell me because I would prefer to consider myself a genius.

Here is the final message I want to leave with you today:

"Change your mentality to change your reality..."

[just give me a fist pump... because we both know that I am smart.]

Our minds have an insane power to change the way we feel about things. Our mentality will change the actual outcomes of our lives if we believe in the power of our attitude. Think good things about yourself and good things will come of it.

"Success doesn't bring happiness, HAPPINESS brings success." - from the book The Happiness Advantage

Think positive and you will be able to make it to the top of your mountain with much more ease.

More to come on this...

I love you all. Keep the faith!

Email me with thoughts or questions!

sydneytittle@gmail.com

Happy New Year!

'tis the season for fresh starts & new beginnings!

It is a time spent with family, friends, the ones you love.

The season for me has been all of the above.

I've had a lot of time to sit back and think about the incredible things this last year has brought me. I've had so many opportunities to go out and accomplish many of my greatest life-long goals. It truly was a year filled with "Action" for me. I am grateful that I can look back now and say that I feel I have been successful with my theme for the year - which was "Just do it!" 

As I continue on into the new year I think I will feel a heightened level of accomplishment and an added desire to continue on with the patterns I set in the year 2011. I know now that I can do anything I set my mind to with the Lord at my side. I am so grateful for the wonderful people who have helped keep me going this year. Including Family, Friends, and those who double as blog readers.

One of my greatest accomplishments of 2011 was setting a goal to learn to live a healthier lifestyle which in return would help me to lose the weight that I have been holding onto for years. Today as I weighed in I smiled to myself as I looked down to read a weight that was 20 pounds lighter then when I began around 15 weeks ago. Here is a picture of the before and after. The Journey is 15 weeks in progress but is only the beginning of a life-long challenge to live healthy!

Now, as I said before, this season has been one of fresh starts and new beginnings for me.

One of the new beginnings being a new theme for the new year. This year, my focus will be on LOVE.

This year I want love, gratitute, and optimism to be big parts of my everyday life. I will try to love everything I am involved in. Doing so will bring greater happiness to my life. I will explain more later.

For now, I wish you all a happy new year! I hope that yours will be filled with happiness and that you will be able to love everything around you. I pray that we can all find joy in our journey this year.

Talk to you again soon!

Sydney

'tis the season to be jolly!

Merry Christmas! 

It's been wonderful... I love the Christmas Spirit!

Here's my Christmas in pictures!

My gift to Dad

Cousin Amber and I meeting the REAL Santa.

 'tis the season for awesome sweaters.

Last minute Shopping at Walgreens

 Christmas on Sunday was awkward for everyone... we tried to make it as normal as possible

 Dad's Gift

 Struggling in the Wrapping Department

The sweetest Grandparents you'll ever know

 The married one

The married one and the husband

Christmas was a wonderful time... 

It always is.

I love my family.

Over & Out
Happy Holidays!

These are a few of my favorite things..

In my life I have come to know a few things. First, I have come to know that Julie Andrews is a SUPER nanny. 

(Eloise, Mary Poppins, Sound of Music...Yeah, the woman knows a thing or two). Another thing I have come to realize is the power that comes from finding joy in the little things in life. Things like "raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens."

I believe that being positive is truly empowering. It enables you to turn even the gloomiest day around!


These are a few of my favorite things.

1. Christmas Scented Candles & a warm bath on cold winter days
2. Warm fuzzy slippers
3. The sound of rain

4. Laughing yourself to tears
5. A child sitting on your lap telling you a story
6. The laughter of three little girls
Gabi, Sophi & Ali are their names


Let me tell you a little story.

Once upon a time, there was a young teenager who loved babysitting. At the age of 12 she quickly realized the love that she had for children, and began getting little jobs around the neighborhood. A few years later she was asked to be a nanny for one of those families and there began her career. 

The girl grew up and went off to college. She missed that family dearly, and was sad that she was missing out on seeing them grow up.

Here they are now, a few short years later.


This past week I got to babysit these girls again for the first time in a long time. I think it is safe to say that I was consistently laughing myself to tears. 
Perhaps this video will give you a glimpse of why that is. 

I hope you noticed the sneezes?...Best parts.

"I mustache you a question..."

If you couldn't tell from the pictures and videos, these three girls are overflowing with talent and energy. I literally can't wait to see where their futures take them, I am blessed to be back in their lives again.

This second video is my sweet Ali, dancing her heart out in the NYCDA Salt Lake City Competition. She competed in October. She is 11 years old and won 1st place - high score soloist. 

She is such a beautiful dancer.

It's moments like these that make me so grateful for my life and the little things that fill it to the brim.

Heavy sighs & Goodbyes

The evenings have gotten quite cold,
I think that means winter is quick approaching.
I can almost smell the snowfall that will shortly be upon us.

Once again, tis the season of love, of giving, of charity. I feel very grateful for the wonderful things that have come into my life this year. The people, the opportunities, the trials.
They all combine to make a wonderful year.

In addition to the changing of season's and with the coming end of the year means the end of a semester.
A semester which was very much so a blessing.
I'm unaware of whether or not I have stumbled upon the topic of UVU yet, but that is where the majority of my thoughts are tonight.

The past semester I have been solely attending UVU for institute while I work and save up money. Tomorrow is my last day of class. The last day I will be taught by the two wonderful teachers I have been taught by all semester. The last day I have with two wonderful classes, filled to the brim with special people who have had a serious impact on my life.

I'm feeling a little sad. How to you tell so many people thank you for all the little things they have said and done? Man, I can't tell you what a profound influence these two classes have had on me. I'm not ready to say goodbye. Oh brother, how cheesy does that sound?

There's a guy in my first class who always says the most profound things, I find myself perking up at the sound of his voice. Simply because I know it will be legit. I'll miss him... and everyone else so much.

It is interesting how people come in an our lives like a blink of an eye... Sometimes it is those people who have the most lasting impression in our lives. I think that is the case here.

Anyways. No sob stories, just a little downheartedness about my last day tomorrow.
I wish I could tell them all how much they mean to me.

Goodnight bloggers... wish me luck with the weigh in tomorrow!

-Sydney

"I think I can, I think i can!"

Good Evening dear friends.

It's been a while. 

I promise I have an excuse,

A few of them actually.

November 22 - My dear sister got married (So clearly the days previous as well as the day of were insane.)

November 24 - Happy Thanksgiving... I am SORRY but I was off spending time with my family... you know - the loved ones. So Happy turkey day! Hope you all had as much to be grateful for as I do. As hard as life can be at times, we are all very very blessed.

Next, {Insert work here, there was a lot of it}

I've just been busy. 

Oh... I failed to mention my parents.

Yes, I love them.

I really do.

But when they fly out to Hawaii the Sunday after dear sisters wedding, and leave 3 siblings for me to care for...You start to go insane.

So basically...I am exhausted.

But weigh in day is tomorrow, and I think I am at least down a pound. Woot!

This journey gets more and more intense every week.

I feel like "the little engine that could."

Your mom ever read that to you?...

Here's a clip to explain what I mean.

(Man, everything was better in the 60's)

Moral of the story is... No matter how difficult a situation gets... Don't quit.

Keep telling yourself you CAN... and you WILL.
And then all at once you'll be standing at the top of that mountain, and - like the little Engine - you will be saying, "I THOUGHT I could!"

Goodnight

-Syd

PS.. Coming soon, "Confession Session," and "How I survived the Holiday"

Just a Jot... Or a Thought.

Sometimes all you need is someone to believe in you... even when you don't think you can believe in yourself. I am grateful for the people who support me... the ones who are there to encourage me, even when I'm not sure if I am cut out for the tasks that lie ahead of me.

Whether it be this weight-loss journey, or serving a full-time mission for my church... Both tasks have seemed very daunting to me at times, even now... I am grateful for all the support and love that keeps me going. It's good for me to think that I am not just doing these things for me. There is a greater purpose, a method to all the madness that I am grateful I am realizing now.

Decisions determine destiny.

I am grateful for the decision I made those few weeks ago to start this journey, because look at how far I have come!

I love you all!

Syd Tittle