41

Last year’s birthday was such drama!  See here:  Turning 40 Sucks.  But 41?  I like being in my 40’s.  Why this sudden change of heart?

I had this realization the other day – due to that weird time warp memory thing that happens as you age, I will forever be in my 40’s in the mind of my children, even when I’m a lot older.  Like when I talk to my best friend and ask how her mom is and she says, “Oh, great, she just had her 72nd birthday party,” and I’m like, “Whaa?  Didn’t she just turn 46?”  So this is a pretty great opportunity to lock in the image of mommy badass for years to come.

Happy birthday!
41 is pretty good so far!

But I digress.

Every year on my birthday I come up with several challenges that scare the living hell out of me to push myself out of my comfort zone and make me feel more alive.  In fact, it’s because of this Birthday Scare that this blog was even created.  When I was 38 and overweight I decided to do three scary things:

  1. Enter a bikini completion (’cause when your middle aged and your doctor says you’re borderline obese, is there really a better time to enter a bikini competition?)
  2. Learn how to shoot a gun (I’m a Democrat)
  3. Start a blog (what if no one likes it?  Also, how do you use the computer?)

It worked out really well.  So then I decided, “I’m going to do everything I ever wanted to do but was too afraid to try.”  This led me to do other crazy things.  Like jumping out of a plane.

Skydiving OMG!
Skydiving OMG!

And running a Spartan Race.

With my husband, Henri, last year
With my husband, Henri, last year

And for my 40th birthday I even entered a pole dancing competition and won 2nd place in the Novice Division.  Who knew?

At my pole dance competition in May
At my pole dance competition in May

While the first half of my 40th year started with a bang, the second half was filled with stress, frustration and tears.  See, my mom was diagnosed with advanced cancer and she had to sell her house in New Jersey and move in with us.  At the airport she tripped over my daughter’s suitcase and hurt her hip and has been using a walker ever since.  Then came chemo and hospital visits and lots of emotional eating and weight gain on my part.  There is nothing like experiencing true life and death fear to put into perspective your own life’s little anxieties.

Mom at chemo
Mom at chemo

For now, my mother is stable.  She’s taking a break from chemo and we love spending time together.  She gets a kick out of her grandkids and at the age of 76 has discovered the art of taking selfies.  I’m blessed to have this time with her.  And now more than ever I want to ensure I’m living the life I want and can be proud of.

#BirthdayScare

These are my goals for my 41st year.  (And if I have to put them on pause to care for my mom again, it’s ok.  As noted above, I’ll be in my 40’s for the rest of my life in people’s memories, so I have time.)

  1. Compete in the Arnold Amateur – bikini division.  Why does this scare me?  Well, because it’s not a competition at the local gym; it’s the ARNOLD with thousands of people and cameras and stuff!  Yikes!  But I have to try to get a picture with Arnold, because this photo bomb from my chubby days should not my only photo with him!  This time around, I want to stand next to him as an athlete, with two biceps and only one chin.

    Lisa Traugott and Arnold Schwarzenegger - 2008
    Lisa Traugott and Arnold Schwarzenegger – 2008
  2. Submit freelance articles to Magazines.  Why does this scare me?  Rejection, rejection, rejection.  I’m going to submit any way.
  3. Stand-up comedy at amateur night.  This was on my list from last year, but honestly I wasn’t in a funny mood.  This is scary ’cause what if I totally bomb?  My only consolation is that drunk people at amateur night probably won’t remember how to upload the video to YouTube, so if I stink it will be mostly private.

There you have it!  I’ll report on my progress throughout the year.  Oh, and thanks to all of you who entered to win a copy of my book, “She’s Losing It!”  The winner is:

TrextoTigress

How about you?  Are you challenging yourself?

Lisa ;)

Lisa Traugott is a Mom’s Choice Award winning writer, fitness blogger, wife and mom of two.

Click here to buy your copy of: “She’s Losing It!”

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