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Posts tagged ‘encouragement’

The five lessons of 2016

As the year comes to a close, it’s typical to find ourselves reflecting on its challenges and gifts, while beginning to envision our intentions for the coming year. For the past several years, I’ve shared my year-in-review insights in a blog. It helps me to put it out in the Universe, and I hope that others might find something enlightening, useful or relevant.

This year, it’s taken me the better part of a week to formulate the lessons of 2016. While it was a year with plenty of joy and success, the clouds and challenges were significant and proved difficult to navigate for this “in-her-equation” gal. The gift of it all, as I wrote in my blog last week, is the GROWTH and BLOOM that has occurred for me as a result of those challenges. (Here’s a link to that blog: Does every cloud have a silver lining?)

As I reflected on how to articulate the lessons of 2016, I went to Facebook to see what it had to say about my “Year in Review.” While I usually take these Facebook analyses with a grain of salt, this one really nailed it. It reads:

“2016 has had its ups and downs, Lori, but overall it’s been an important and positive one for you. You’ve learned a lot about yourself and will start 2017 more confident than ever before. Looking back you must be proud knowing that you successfully navigated this year and its turbulence. You have emerged stronger than ever and are ready to keep on smiling.”

And so there it is — the GROWTH and the BLOOM. Read more

And then I knew I had to let go

ITE_LetGo_QuoteCHow do you know when it’s time to let go of something?

It could be a habit, behavior or belief that is no longer serving you. A dream that you’ve been hanging on to that still eludes you. Or a person — a relationship you need to let go of. Whatever “it” is, when and how do you know when it’s time to let it go?

I’ve been thinking about this question as I practice letting go, and  attempt to reconcile my desire/need to control my own destiny (as well as the speed at which it manifests). Sometimes it’s hard to know when to go all in and fight for something you really, really want vs. let it go.

Finding the balance between holding on and letting go is tricky. Read more

Sometimes it takes a village

Support and accountability were key to my -200 lb weight loss & to maintaining it for 3 years!

Celebration Climb Mountaintop - May 2012Cheers to the village!

Thanks to support and encouragement from friends, I just got back from a cold, Minnesota cardio workout — power walking around my lake at 7 p.m. on a Monday night, in 40 degrees and drizzling rain. It was cold and wet, and lonely — only the nutjobs and die hards were out tonight!

I was not in the mood. I had every reason (okay, excuse) in the book for why I couldn’t workout today. Yet, I did it. And, WOW, does it feel great when you have to fight for it!

I will never underestimate the power of support and the accountability that goes with it. It was critical to my success in losing the weight, and it continues as I celebrate three years of healthy living and maintaining my -200 lb weight loss. Read more

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