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Posts tagged ‘self-love and acceptance’

Mar 18

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Grit, Gratitude & Grace

I love the 3 G’s — Grit, Gratitude, and Grace — as a way of being, a way to live out this daily courageous life.

It takes GRIT to follow your dreams over the long haul through all of the setbacks and struggle, and especially to stick to those dreams amidst the pull of short-term desires and distractions. It’s even more difficult when the “how” is not clear.

It’s so much easier to give in to short-term gratification than to stay the course when the going is tough. It is in these times that I rely most on my GRIT and determination. And, of course, I don’t win every battle but I always get back in the game. That’s grit, and I thank my Dad.

GRATITUDE grounds us and keeps us positive and in a positive headspace rather than allowing us to be a victim of circumstance. Personal development guru, Tony Robbins, said it’s impossible to be in a state of gratitude and focused on the negative at the same time. I agree, and have used various gratitude practices over the years to keep me on a positive path, especially when the going gets really tough. Read more

Sep 11

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Faith, courage & love

Requirements for braving the wilderness & living healthy, happy & whole

There is no other blog I could write today. I had the privilege of being in the audience last night at United Methodist Church in Minneapolis, MN, as the amazing Brene Brown kicked off her book tour for Braving the Wilderness, The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone.

Those of you who frequent this blog, know that I’ve not only been inspired by Brene Brown’s work around courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame and empathy, but her best-selling books have mirrored my growth AND my personal understanding about my transformation journey. In her message, I am blessed to learn, grow and evolve as a wholehearted human being, and now to share that experience and perhaps help others in doing so.

The values that Brene Brown speaks about — faith and courage — I share. I try to live daily by the core values of faith, courage and love — and it has perhaps never been more challenging than right now. Read more

Jan 20

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Embracing the whole, beautiful & imperfect me — swim outfit & all!

The surprising gift of my first 2017 adventure

This lucky girl just got back from her first adventure of 2017 — a fabulous and fun trip to Cozumel, Mexico to kick off the new year!

This trip was significant for me as it meant tackling a list of fun “FIRSTS” that included pushing outside of my comfort zone. I’ve been on a personal mission to say “YES!” to life since I lost weight and put myself in the equation five years ago. And it’s been awesome.

Before my personal transformation, I held back and lived a “small” and safe life. I didn’t put myself out there or take risks. Too often I let fear rule my life decisions — fear of what others would think, fear of looking silly or doing it imperfectly, and fear of failure.

Perhaps the saddest part of this “old” reality is that I had convinced myself that I could be happy living small and safe. But the truth is, I wasn’t happy deep down inside. I was hiding behind the layers of fat I donned for self-protection. I hid behind my work. And at my core was a foundation of low self-esteem, lack of confidence and a fear of not measuring up.

Lucky for me, that’s not the end of the story! In 2012, as I reached my goal weight and the peak of living a healthy, happy and WHOLE life, I realized by definition that “living WHOLE” meant putting myself out there. Taking risks and going for it, even and especially when I was scared. I decided to live brave and bold. That meant saying “YES!” to life and tackling a whole list of “firsts,” seeking opportunities to grow and expand — even if that meant falling or failing or looking silly. It’s been a fun and joyous ride, and five years later, I’m still going strong!

So what surprised me about my first big adventure of 2017 was how in the process of saying YES! and doing new things, I ended up embracing my whole and imperfect body and self in an even deeper and more meaningful way. That’s pretty cool and I wanted to share it here in case it inspires you. Read more

Aug 15

For the love of wine, peanut butter and dessert

winewithaviewWine. Peanut butter. Dessert. What do these three delightful things have in common in my world?

A) I LOVE them all! B) I’ve had a rocky relationship with each of them; C) I’ve learned a lot about myself and my body in exploration of, and with, them over the years; D) At least temporarily, I’ve broken up with each one of them; or E) All of the above.

Well, the answer is E — all of the above.

You might find this surprising, but I lost -211 lbs and 80% of my body fat on a diet program where I was NOT totally and completely deprived of these three loves. After I hit my weight-loss goal, and as I’ve worked to maintain a healthy lifestyle, things have gotten more complicated and, yep, a bit rocky.

I’m sharing my personal story with wine, peanut butter and sugary desserts because I’m guessing many of you can relate. You, too, may have foods (or patterns related to food) that worked for you…for awhile — or at least you thought they did — and as you’ve evolved, changed, or as life happens — your relationship with certain foods may also needs to change.

What do I mean? Read more

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