I've Got the Power (of the Peanut)

If you're reading this, I can only imagine your expectations after seeing the title.  Yes, this post does, in part, have to do with peanuts.  But mostly, it has to do with positivity, motivation, confidence, and harnessing your own internal power.  And believe it or not, a peanut actually does a pretty amazing job of delivering this message (and in a hilariously awesome way, as you'll find out later in this post). 

For me, the biggest challenge after getting pregnant was finding my motivation.  When you're constantly exhausted and sick (as I was in my first trimester), you just don't feel like doing anything.  On top of that, you're hit with the realization that your whole life has changed.  If it's your first baby (like it is for me), you are suddenly hyper aware of the fact that it's not all about you anymore.  Serious fatigue combined with feeling overwhelmed with how to balance my work and life with a new baby in the future caused me to lose my motivation for a while.  I doubted myself, and I even felt a little powerless. 

After a couple of weeks though, I woke up one morning and felt different. I'd done a lot of thinking the night before, and it hit me that I wasn't powerless at all.  In fact, only *I* had the power to find new ways to motivate myself.  I couldn't eat the healthy foods I was used to eating because they made me sick, so I had to experiment with different healthy foods.  I couldn't exercise like I had in the past, so I tried walking a couple of miles a day instead.  And it felt great!  I also gave myself a break, and allowed myself time to rest if I felt too tired or overwhelmed.  This was a different way of doing things for me, but to my surprise, it helped me to feel more motivated than ever.  I was motivated to work, motivated to get ready for baby, and motivated to find new ways to fit these big life changes into my routine for the present and future.  It seems like such a simple concept, but sometimes we really do need to remind ourselves that ultimately, each of of us as an individual is the only person who has the power to make healthy, positive changes in our own lives.

In the short video above (called 'The Personal Peanut'), Planters' good ol' Mr. Peanut talks about how people doubted the fact that he was full of protein and all sorts of healthy goodness.  He talks about surviving and thriving and preaches 'the power of the peanut.'  He encourages us to to discover how we all have that power inside of us, and that each of us has the ability to truly harness that power.  Yes, it's a peanut talking, so it's pretty funny.  And the audience reactions are priceless.  But it's a great message.  And it's exactly the same way of thinking that helped me get out of my rut to feel confident and motivated again. 

(I also have to add that funny enough, peanuts have been one of my biggest cravings since getting pregnant.  They're the perfect quick + healthy snack for me, and one of the few foods that never made me sick.  Score!)

Have you found yourself in any ruts lately?  What have you done to harness your power and make positive changes to get yourself back on track?

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.