Month: November 2010

Today on the way back to Fitness North, I shared a great conversation with Robin. I enjoy Robin and have great respect for the woman she is. I have heard her passionately share about her desire to be fully alive. Alive for her husband, her children, her friends and family and in her job as a Recreational Therapist. (which was also my degree from Calvin). I have seen Robin struggle in the pit of her soul this week and conquer mountains ~ both physically and emotionally. I know we have not yet known one another for a full two weeks, but I so enjoy who she is and who I am when I am with her.

And so, as we were driving in the van, we began talking about the hope and fear we feel of reaching our goal weight. We believe that Fitness North has a program and a follow-up care plan that WILL see us through and provide us the tools we need to succeed. We began to wonder how life will be different, how we will be different, how others might perceive us differently. We shared honestly and we heard and understood one another…it was a delightful moment between two friends…

It also reminded me of a reading that has often inspired me to reflect…and to remember what is true.

Our Greatest Fear

it is our light not our darkness that most frightens us
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
—Marianne Williamson

It is my desire to be a woman who lets my light shine, giving other people permission to do the same and to be a woman who is liberated from my fear, inviting others to live in that same liberation.

Thank you to you all for journeying with me!

Give up!

O’Neal has reminded us of this Winston Churchill saying. It can easily be memorized and used in many contexts, but during these two weeks, I have had to repeat it often in my thoughts.

It doesn’t need much explanation and although I could add lots of thoughts, I will keep this blog simple. As you go through difficult things in the next hours, days or weeks, I would encourage you to remember this famous saying AND apply it.

I wonder what will change in your life if you stick with it….lots has changed in mine!

Signing off and moving forward!

 

Press on!

Today was a hard day for many of us. We can attribute it to a lot of things, but mostly we have decided to go with whatever is…is! We started working out at five instead of six for our last week and we have two hours of cardio instead of one hour before breakfast, we get back to the townhouse at 7 and are back up for cardio at 8 and our hike was one of the harder ones….alot of ups and downs (steep ones and rocky) so the way in and the way back out felt equally difficult. Those are some of the logical reasons why we may have all had moments today when we felt like quitting…..

But you know what we did, we Pressed On…..we encouraged and rallied and cheered one another through and we are amazingly comfortable allowing one another to experience melt downs as well. It is all part of the journey. It is similar to how life is at home as well…not so much in the 10 hours of exercise or the controlled environment of which we are enjoying, but the ups and downs, the laughter and the tears, the wondering how much longer and the amazing end around the next bend. Life mirrors what we are experiencing in many ways.

I think what strikes me though is that when I am alone in life, quitting is easier to do than when I am in community. I walked alone on the hike for a while and battled in my mind the idea of just standing still. I tried to rationalize stopping as a moment to enjoy the beauty, to spend a moment with God and even just dreading if I keep walking, I will face another hill. I thought thru how it would be kind to myself to stop and head back and yet the truth was that my mind wanted me to believe that my body COULD NOT press on.  I had to choose, very intentionally, to keep walking, one step in front of the other, and press on.

We are pretty honest with each other and admit when our stinkin thinkin takes over and know how to encourage and speak truth to one another…but one thing we have clearly learned, is the importance for each of us to know how to choose to press on…for another 30 seconds, another minute, or another mile…I hope you to can find the courage, energy and sheer determination to do the same!