I put it out to the world—I was determined to lose 40 more pounds by the time I turned 40 (do you even remember I said that?). And I think if you put something out there, you’d better follow it up with an accounting. So that’s what I’m doing.
But, first, let me share a couple of things that I’ve learned along the way.
LESSON 1: Be brave.
It took a lot for me to set that goal and even more for me to say it out loud. But, there was something about that process that gave me confidence. If I was willing to say it out loud, there MUST have been a part of me that actually believed I could do it.
Is there something you really want to do even if you don’t think you totally can? BE BRAVE. Tell someone. Tell a lot of someones. You’ll be amazed at what it does for you.
LESSON 2: Don’t stop.
I had several setbacks along the way, including some injuries (like serious ones that haven’t let me run for most of the time) and other things that crop up in life (can anyone relate?). I had plenty of excuses to stop. Plenty. But, I didn’t. Now, you have to know that’s not typically like me. At least not the old me. And knowing I wasn’t stopping gave me momentum to keep going.
Are you experiencing a little setback of some kind? Keep going. Don’t stop. You’ll start to feel yourself being propelled by your own energy, no matter how little energy you feel you have. Promise.
LESSON 3: Look ahead.
It was tempting to count the number of weeks I had been at this and how many pounds I should have lost in order to hit my goal. But, that wasn’t going to get me anywhere. All that mattered was “FEBRUARY 9TH” on my calendar. I was moving forward, not back.
Do you find yourself looking back at what got you where you are? Once you start on a path to change, keep your eyes forward. What matters is where you are. Someone once said “there is more to see out the windshield than the rearview mirror.” AMEN.
So, here we are.
Today is my 40th birthday and I *wish* I could say I lost the 40 lbs. But, I can’t because I didn’t. Though, I got close—and certainly closer than I would have if I hadn’t tried.
This journey of mine isn’t over but there isn’t much more to discuss about it. I know what I need to do and I know I’m going to get to my goal. And now that I’m 40, there are other things to focus on. Turns out this “becoming” journey is just that…a journey…a process…something that will never actually be “finished”.
And I can’t wait to see what the next phase of the journey brings.
Happy Birthday to me!
