Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘living a whole life’

Dec 20

Does every cloud have a silver lining?

Reflections on a tough year and impending holiday. Not the blog I wanted or expected to write.

“Every cloud has a silver lining.” What does that mean, I wondered as a friend said those words in an attempt to comfort my heavy heart? Where did that phrase come from? While I get the spirit of it — there’s a bright side to every situation — it made me wonder if I really believed it.

Sometimes it feels impossible to imagine that even the worst situations have some positive aspect — especially when you are in the throws of it. Like when  your heart is heavy and your spirit broken. When things seem so bleak that you can’t find your way out. When you’re in physical and/or emotional pain that feels unbearable. When it seems as if the world is swirling out of control around you. Or, when something bad has happened to someone (or a whole bunch of someones) you love, and you can’t fix it.

And when this happens at the holidays, it feels even worse because there is so much anticipation and expectation around this time of year. For me, and many that I love, this is how we are feeling as we enter the holidays of 2016.

Yet as I process through it in writing this blog, I  realize that as incredibly tough as this past year and the impending holidays seem right now, I have not lost heart or hope. I just feel sad. My heart is heavy.

(Stick with me, it gets better, I promise!) Read more

Jun 20

4 Comments

Solstice: A time to restart & let go of what no longer serves us

lori-summer2016Happy Summer Solstice! Today is the longest day and shortest night of the year. And for many, a time to let go of what no longer serves us and open ourselves up to meaningful change.

This is not the blog I intended to write today. But as I was working my way back into my email this morning, I read this blog post from Elephant Journal and it struck a chord: Summer Solstice: Moving on what from no longer serves us.

I’m not necessarily into astrology, but how can you not be into welcoming the long, warm days of summer — especially if you live in Minnesota?! And this year, the Summer Solstice coincides with a full moon. Cool!

I am a believer in sunrises and sunsets, moonrises and moonsets. And, I’m a believer that when we get comfortable with our true, authentic selves and quiet the mind long enough to listen to our heart — that’s when change really happens. Read more

May 10

Resilience. The key to happy, healthy & whole.

GOOD NEWS: If you don’t have resilience, you can develop it!

lori-speakingfitfest2016This week, I’m celebrating four years of living from the center of the equation of my own life as a fit, active, happy and healthy girl. Yes! A big deal.

I’m more proud of maintaining my -200 lb weight loss and Lori-in-the-equation life for four years than I was to lose the weight and get to my goal in the first place. And that’s saying a lot, because I was ecstatic to get to goal on May 12, 2012 and celebrate with my special peeps!

While losing and keeping the weight off is a huge accomplishment and changed my health trajectory, the greatest gift I gave myself was a WHOLE life. I got off the hamster wheel of a busy life, where I was drenched in self-doubt and worthiness issues, and learned to take care of my health and happiness first. I learned to live more from intention and less from habit. To honor and respect myself. To practice self-care consistently. And to stop doubting myself, beating myself up and being a victim of my circumstances.

WHOLE is not easy! And living a whole life manifests differently for everyone. I define it this way: WHOLE = happy + healthy + hard. I didn’t get here by taking the easy road. One of the most important skills that I developed along the way was resilience. I’m learning now — four years in — it makes all the difference. Read more

Mar 14

Join us at FitFest 2016!

Lori Schaefer of In the Equation at MSP FitFest.2015

Lori Schaefer, In the Equation, at MSP FitFest 2015

Are you too busy to be healthy? Have you given up your biggest goals and dreams? Do you find yourself stressed about how to fit it all in?

What better way to put yourself in the equation and jumpstart a healthier YOU than by attending an all-day fitness and wellness extravaganza? Get inspired and motivated by the latest and greatest in fitness classes and cool seminars on weight loss, nutrition, healthy living and more — including mine!

Join us at MSP Magaizne’s FitFest 2016 on Saturday, April 23rd at the University of Minnesota’s state of the art Recreation & Wellness Center. I am delighted to be presenting a new workshop at 11 a.m. titled: Put Yourself in the Equation & Re-ignite Your Life. Read more

Jul 20

3 Comments

I do hard things…

…and I’m better, stronger for it! #bravegirl

LoriandAnneonMountaintopMy friend Anne coined the phrase, “Hard is fun.” In her awesome Ten Centuries blog (which you can read here), she explains that by stretching our limits, conquering fear, and setting big, difficult goals – we learn all kinds of interesting things about ourselves. And for many, like Anne, hard is fun.

I share Anne’s tenacity for life. The “new Lori” does hard things. I seek adventure. Look for opportunities to conquer my fear. Say yes more than no. And run head strong into difficult things instead of running away from them.

Finally, I have confidence in myself and my abilities to live life to the absolute fullest. Even, and especially, when that means doing hard things.

Read more

Jul 14

2 Comments

In the spirit of being brave, authentic…

…and living from the center of your equation

bluehillbestHi Peeps! I’m not quite back in the saddle of resuming the blog, but this morning I read something on Simple Reminders.com that I wanted to share.

In the spirit of being brave, daring greatly, and being true to your authentic self, this is a good one. And it rings so true in my life. In fact, it is serendipitous in its timeliness.

This is a simple reminder of why we aim to live honorably and be kind in all situations, even the hardest ones. It’s a reminder of why I live and love with my whole heart, even when I get smooshed. Or, as author Brene Brown says, in Daring Greatly, when we come out of the arena marred by dust and sweat and blood because we strived valiantly. Read more

Mar 23

Are you trying to do too much? Be honest.

Busyness vs. whole. I choose whole!

Alexander Ramsey State Park-hike

Hiking Alexander Ramsey State Park

Which of these equals success in your mind?

1) Being busy all the time balancing your busy job/career, your home obligations, the kids/family, volunteering at church…and then when trying to fit in time for a doctor’s appointment or a walk with a friend, you put if off because you realize you have a work deadline and you can’t get it all done. You’re just too busy. Crazy busy!

Or… Read more

Oct 24

1 Comment

Join the “In Your Equation” 2014 Challenge

An invitation to make a commitment to yourself & achieve your goal(s)

LoriSchaefer-After-BigPantsI’m excited to announce our 30-day “In the Equation 2014 Challenge” and to invite each of you to participate. The “In Your Equation Challenge” provides an opportunity for you to set a personal goal — defined by YOU — and make a commitment contract with yourself and others to help support you and hold you accountable.

Why the Challenge now? I’m struggling more than I have in a long time AND I’ve been talking with many people in my life who are also feeling stuck, unhealthy, or simply out of balance — literally out of their equation. The truth is, we all need help to reach our goals. I’m doing this work to help both myself and others lead happy, healthy and “whole” lives. So let’s do this…together! (And P.S. — there is no perfect time. Now is as good a time as any!)

Why make a public commitment? Research shows — and my personal experience bares out — that going public and making a commitment to yourself and others helps you achieve your goals. Incentives and support from others also help. Thanks to my friend and mentor, Anne Knapp, I’ve discovered a great new tool to facilitate sticking to your goals with a public commitment, support, incentive and accountability. And we’re going to try it out.

StickK is a website developed by Yale University economists who tested the effectiveness of commitment contracts through extensive field research. According to StickK, years of economic and behavioral research show that people who put stakes — either their money or their reputation — on the table are far more likely to actually achieve a goal they set for themselves.

So here we go. I hope you’ll read more, join StickK for free, and then put yourself first by joining our “In Your Equation Challenge.” Read more

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox

Join other followers: