Month: January 2012

The scoreboard…

I have been told, and known for myself, that I am a competitive person. I have learned to use this character trait somewhat productively…or so I thought!

Calvin, our trainer here at U1st Fitness is razor-sharp in his perceptions and articulate in his feedback to each of us. He gave me a phrase within hours of knowing me….there is no scoreboard in life….

Initially I felt caught and defensive….and yet within moments I realized that this was a truth I really need to embrace. I often am trying to evaluate where I am at, am I ahead, behind, and how much time is left…I am learning in the first 36 hours of my time at U1st Fitness that while I am sorting this all out, I am really taking myself out of the game.

I am learning that when I get distracted by how I am measuring up, I begin to lose focus and actually jeopardize my opportunity to reach my desired outcome. This might impact my short-term or long-term goals, but regardless, believing there is a scoreboard in my day-to-day is not a helpful thought process…

And so tonight I am assigned to read a chapter from Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer. I am eager to release the scoreboard and hold my thoughts captive. Writing blogs about holding my thoughts captive (http://trishborgdorff.com/2012/01/28/the-power-of-imagery/) and doing it are two very different things. I am thankful to be working with a trainer this week who is inviting me to take my thoughts captive. Tomorrow I will go at it again…

I wonder if you can relate to the scoreboard image in your life? Are you often leading or falling behind? And I wonder how much energy you might put into reacting to the scoreboard that we simply place in our own path…something to think about in your day! May you enjoy the freedom of living and not keeping score!

The Jordan Ranch….

Today I arrived at U1st Fitness in Schulenburg, Texas.

The sun is shining, the air is fresh, the land is expansive and the Jordan Ranch is peaceful…

There was a welcome that felt wonderful…it was simple and yet we were fully delighted in….

I am approaching this week with a sense of anticipation that I am on the brink of knowing myself better….

I am approaching this week with a sense of anticipation that God is going to meet me in some new ways and new places in my story…

I am approaching this week with a sense of anticipation that there isn’t a missing something that I have to find, but that what I need is all within my being….

I am sensing that this week will be about  more than my caloric intake and heart rate numbers…

After all, we are at The Jordan Ranch. In the Bible, whenever someone came to the Jordan River, they were faced with a time of decision to remain in bondage or to enter the promised land. I am at a crossroad in my journey to wellness…and I also will face decisions this week….

I am sensing this week will also be about food for my soul and invite me to embrace freedom in mind, body and spirit!

I am hopeful and I am ready….

Unsettle me….

As I was walking away from the Delta counter in Grand Rapids , I was shocked to see my friend Heather sitting there waiting for me. She came to see me off and brought me a devotional. It was delightful to see her and I was touched by her intentional ways of loving me well today.

As I read the devotional on the plane from GR to Minneapolis, I was struck by the thought for the day–“unsettle me in the best kind of way. For when I allow your touch to reach the deepest parts of me–dark and dingy and hidden away to long–suddenly a fresh wind of life twists and twirls and dances through my soul.” Made to Crave Pg. 11

I am praying that God will unsettle me in the best kind of ways….

I am envisioning my Mom in her garden and how she unsettles the dirt in the garden to promote growth…

I want to be shaken up a bit so I can discover new and wonderful things…

I want to bring light to the dark places in my soul and experience a  fresh wind of life twists and twirls and dances through my soul.

Unsettle me in the best kind of ways this week and every week after….so I may grow and produce beautiful things!

 

The power of imagery….

My mind has begun to activate the work of imagery in the last 24 hours. I am imagining myself jumping rope (which I am not very good at all), jogging longer distances than my normal very short jog duration, jumping onto blocks (I honestly can say I hate to jump (especially high)) and performing many activities with confidence and delight, as opposed to fear and wondering if I will succeed. 

I do believe that often our success’ and our failures begin in our thoughts….and so I am committed to taking my thoughts captive and creating the environment for my thoughts to work in my favor. I find myself doubting my thoughts, even as I go through this process of imagery. It is all very interesting…

This week I will be putting my mind and body to the test, but the training I am going through at U1st Fitness (http://u1stfitness.com/ is about much more than physical health. I have a strong commitment to ensuring I am well-rounded in body (or lean), mind and spirit….

I wonder how you are doing in this area….are you working on all aspects of your development….maybe your imagery starts in exploring your story and putting words to your fears, dreams or desires. Maybe your imagery includes using your voice more and risking being misunderstood. Maybe your imagery is crossing a finish line of some kind…a commitment to see something through….

I hope you will join me in taking your thoughts captive and envisioning something that seems just beyond your reach. I have learned not to just envision those size 8 jeans…but envision the woman I will be when I  step into them!

Let the journey begin again!

She lives…She loves…She laughs….

I received this perpetual calendar as a gift at my tapestry party. I love reading every days entry and find that somehow, each one seems to resonate with me.

Today reads the following: In hard times she learned three things –she was stronger than she ever imagined, Jesus was closer than she ever realized, and she was loved more than she ever knew…

I clearly remember a difficult season when all three of these things were embedded in my heart.

I learned of my inner strength and resolve. I transitioned from living like a victim to finding my voice and believing in the strength and courage of my soul! 🙂 I stopped grappling with IF Jesus loved me and rested in the truth that He delights in me and will never leave me or forsake me…And I continue to marvel and celebrate the many who love me and support me…,

I wonder if you have been through a difficult season where you learned about yourself, your God and those who love you. I believe this is the silver lining in a dark cloud…I would never want to go back to the difficult seasons AND I am very thankful that out of that darkness, I became a woman who is happier and more content because I was willing to love myself, my God and the many who already loved me!

 

 

Believe….

I love my home and have many things placed throughout every room that remind me of special moments, people who are dear to me and/or truths that I want to remember day in and day out….

There is a picture that my sister Suzi made for me and tonight I realized it is a message I am going to take with me into next week as I journey through my week at U1st Fitness.

And then I begin to realize that this is something I need to carry with me every day. Yes, I will encounter the strength and courage of my soul in different ways when I am at boot camp than when I am home, but I love the idea of really knowing oneself at soul level.

I really do like the idea of knowing what I am made of, where I am vulnerable, where I waiver and where my strength is solid. I really do like the idea of believing in the strength and courage of my soul…

I wonder if you believe in the strength and courage of your soul….

Have you journeyed in ways that your strength and courage have been tested. Although I don’t wish that for anyone, I do believe when we experience the testing of our soul, we learn so much about the strength and courage that it holds…

And so, as I journey every day, through whatever God has for me, I want to choose to believe in the strength and courage of my soul!

I invite you to do the same.

Love deeply, live boldly and believe in the strength and courage of your soul!

A New Chapter Begins Again….

I write often about my journey to wellness or the pursuit of my PHD (Personal Health and Development). I believe that a new chapter is beginning again. At this time next week, I will be living out an experience that will remind me again what I am made of.

Saturday I am leaving for Schulenburg, TX to attend U1st Fitness for one week. (http://u1stfitness.com/index.html)

This is a week of refocusing my time and energy into my own journey of wellness. It will be a week of learning again what I am capable of and identifying ways I sabotage in my mind and body. It is run by O’Neal Hampton and Cherita Andrews who were both on Biggest Loser season 9. I am encouraged to have lost 50 pounds and kept it off but am discouraged in that I seem to have lost my momentum. Some of that comes from my being more lackadaisical and some from my metabolism needing to be reset again. The week will be filled with many hours of exercise every day, seminars, development of customized plans upon returning home and cooking education.

I would appreciate your prayers as I journey to the depths of my being and focus yet again on being the healthiest person I can be…in body, mind and spirit!

I invite you to journey with me as I share my experiences with you in writing next week. Consider how you might work a little harder in your workouts, eat a little healthier or identify some specific ways you sabotage your wellness journey.

I am ready for a new chapter to begin…

I am eager, anxious, confident, uncertain, ready, hesitant, committed, wavering….

I am choosing to move confidently in the direction of my dreams and live the life I imagine!

One of my favorites…

All day I have wanted to share one of my favorite songs in tonight’s blog. I am going to refrain from adding a lot of words and just invite you to take 2 minutes and 50 seconds to let the words of this song invite you to change this week….

A few of the words that I often sing as I venture into uncharted territory…

Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same….

Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same….

Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare…

Will you love the you you hide if I but call your name….

I encourage you to listen and let your heart be touched by the invitation to never be the same….

 

Baby it’s cold outside….

It was a beautiful day here in West Michigan, but there is not denying that it is cold outside….

As I drove home tonight, I noticed it was about 8 degrees….all I could think about was how very cold it was outside…

Now sometimes the cold weather brings a deep appreciation in my heart for all the warm things I expereience….from sweatshirts and heat to heated seats and a warm home…

Tonight, although I am grateful, my heart is stuck with those who do not have shelter or have not been able to pay their heating bill. I wonder who those people are tonight and where they might seek to find warmth. I said a prayer for the many who struggle to stay warm and asked God to provide in extra ordinary ways for them all!

I am thankful tonight for all I have and very aware of those who don’t have all they stand in need of.

May I bring warmth and blessing in some way to others because I am so blessed….

 

 

 

 

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