Patience is key…trusting myself and the process

It has been many months since I’ve written here and, to be honest, I wasn’t sure I would restart this blog at all. I promised myself I would only write if I had something to say that I felt would be of use to both me and the very few of you who read this! Today, I decided to write…for me.

A friend and colleague who I admire very much, Marcia Hyatt, poses a weekly reflection question on her blog and radio program on WTIP community radio in Grand Marais. When I got the email today and saw this quote, I was inspired to write. It reads: “Patience is the key to paradise,” – a Turkish Proverb. And, Marcia’s reflection question for the week: “How might I be more patient?”

I realized the instant I read this that, for me, it is about being patient with myself. This journey I am on — to climb a mountain and cut my size in nearly half — is all about being patient and trusting the process. To date, the process has been truly amazing and exceeded anything beyond my wildest dreams. Physically, I have lost more than 90 lbs, and emotionally I have gained a new strength and commitment to myself that is refreshing, empowering and life changing. My executive coach, mentor and friend Anne Knapp of Ready For Change coined the tagline: “Lori is the star of her life!.” And that is truly my goal and focus on a daily basis.

Fitness North is responsible for the incredible jump start that helped me get here, and my amazing network of family, friends and colleagues have supported me in this journey to a level that still blows my mind. (People can be so amazing and I feel so fortunate.) But, truthfully, it is up to ME to walk the path and stay the course. To make this journey the center of my life, bar nothing. Even, and especially when the going gets tough.

This past week was one of the tough ones. Perhaps the most challenging week since my Fitness North experience in December, although there have been a few other bumps for sure. O’Neal Hampton warned me it would get tougher and of course intellectually I knew he was right. I even had some idea of what to expect and when because I know myself so well. But, when you are in the moment of being tested – it is most difficult to remember to keep walking without the benefit of that light, and to be patient with yourself when things aren’t perfect or even what you expected. (Those darn expectations.)

A jam packed daily schedule, demanding work and clients, a couple of life stresses like a “deer incident/car accident,” and a hormonal imbalance – and walla, the makings of a very tough week. Add in a flat scale and a missed goal, and some personal relationship stress, and it is pretty easy to become impatient and get down…on yourself and the process.

The difference between this happening to the “old Lori” and the new one is that, this kind of week would pretty much take me off my game and in a downward spiral. And now, I am choosing to be patient with myself and to be reminded — as my friend Shari said — that life happens. There will be tough weeks but I (we) now have the knowledge, skills and the passion, to dust myself off and forge ahead. To stay the course, and to continue to put myself first, right smack in the center of my life.

Some work won’t get done. Some clients might not be thrilled that their crisis did not become my top priority. And, I likely won’t please everyone all of the time. But, if I am feeling good (and looking good) and am happy in the moment, then what’s so wrong with that? NOTHING! If I am being true to myself, I am being the best I can be for the others even though they won’t always come first. Wow, tough stuff for someone like me who wants to be liked, and who truly wants to do it all for everyone else…without disappointing them.

I invite those of you who have experienced this — times you are struggling to be patient with yourself or the situation — to comment here. Or, better, ask and answer for yourself the question Marcia poses for the week: “How might I be more patient with myself?”

On the upside, I have a ton to celebrate! I have lost 90+ lbs in less than five months. I am cooking in my own kitchen and working out on a daily basis. My relationships are better/stronger and I am surrounding myself with people I can trust – not those I can’t. My work is amazing and our little firm is growing through the work of an entire team vs. just me. And, that deer incident — just one of life’s little curve balls to make sure we are paying attention. It resulted in me being safe and in buying a beautiful new Honda CRV that is the cutest damn car I think I have ever seen! 🙂

Thank you O’Neal, Leif, Sheryl, Shari, my FN 2 family, Anne, Marcia, and my amazing network of friends, family and colleagues too numerous to mention here — for supporting me in this journey and for reminding me that I can do anything and that I am so much stronger than once believed. You are all lions in my den and I couldn’t be happier or prouder to share this journey.

For this week, I will carry with me patience with myself and trust the process of this incredible journey. Thank you to each of you for sharing that journey. You touch my heart.

And Marcia thank you for the question and for helping to inspire me to look inside and realize that for me it is about finding the patience with myself necessary to walk the path and climb that mountain…with my head held high and my heart full.

Hugs!
Lori