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Posts tagged ‘gratitude’

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 8

Grateful for strong women, always

This blog is dedicated to my brave & beautiful sister Lisa

Happy International Women’s Day! Today, we get to celebrate strong women — those who inspire us, guide us, love us, lead us, and live with us. Those for whom we are grateful because they empower us, grow with us, listen to us, mentor us, “be” with us. Those who are generous with their time.

While International Women’s Day was founded to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women — something I totally celebrate — to me, it’s also about celebrating the women in my life who are strong and brave, those who have helped me find my strong.

Just like this beautiful quote from author Elizabeth Gilbert (a pretty kick-ass woman in her own right), the women I admire most in the world are those that have found their “strong” with grit and grace…because stuff didn’t always work out, yet they handled it. They survived, thrived, found their voice, and in many cases at the same time their calling. They rose again and again when shit didn’t work out. Yep, those are the women I admire and can relate to. And thus, this quote is one of my all-time favs! Read more

Feb 11

Love. It starts with you.

Tips for beginning to walk toward self-love and acceptance

self-loveSomewhere along my path of personal transformation, I’ve found a self-love and acceptance that brings me peace, joy and a centeredness that grounds me every day. I now love and accept myself exactly as I am — imperfections and all. For real. And that means I am more patient and kind to myself, more forgiving and gentle. And I’ve opened myself up to all kinds of other amazing love as a result.

The coolest part of this is that I’ve traveled here from almost the exact opposite end of the spectrum. From a place of almost unconscious, undetected struggle inside to ever be good enough, smart enough, beautiful enough, strong enough, sexy enough…

Yep, I came from a place that often allowed self-loathing to this amazing new place where I have a deep sense of self-respect, self-care and self-love. There’s a new, stronger and beautiful voice inside me that is able to counter and drown out (most of the time) my inner critic.

This was NOT an easy thing! It was not a one-time event. I can’t even tell you exactly when or how it happened for me. I just know that along the way of my external transformation to lose 200+ lbs, all the while working internally on recognizing, quieting and then changing my internal voice, I literally found myself. My beautiful, amazing, resilient and loving self! Read more

Nov 28

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Five years ago, my new life began

And I simply could not have predicted this!

Lori_Before

My weight loss boot camp BEFORE shot taken five years ago today!

Five years ago today my personal transformation journey officially began. On Nov. 28, 2010, I arrived on the North Shore of Lake Superior to participate in a two-week, live-in weight loss boot camp (Think NBC’s Biggest Loser style camp).

I was terrified, nervous and hopeful.

Frankly, there was a tie for my biggest fear going into the camp. Topping the list was: Climbing mountains, working out to the point of throwing up, and crying in front of others. (ALL of these actually happened and I survived!)

Oh, and of course we can’t forget the intense fear of failing. I was so afraid that I’d quit when it got really, really, really hard. Read more

Nov 24

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Yep. A happy, healthy holiday is possible!

Whatever that means to you…

gratitudeIt’s Thanksgiving week, kicking off the season of gratitude and good cheer! With that comes a host of blog posts from health gurus with healthy holiday tips. So I figured, why not join the crowd?! Though my tips are probably quit different than most.

What does it mean to have a “healthy” holiday? I look at “health” holistically, considering mind, body and spirit. And I believe now (not always) that having a healthy and happy holiday — however you define it — starts with YOU. Read more

Nov 19

Operation reboot!

7 Tips for a successful start, restart, or total reboot

lori-operationreboot-2015Nearly four weeks ago I boldly blogged about my epiphany on the mountain and #operationreboot. It’s time for a reality check.

The old me wishes I could report that I’ve been perfect — 100% on plan with no slip ups. The new me laughs at that notion and is happy to report that Ive had a good run, with ups and downs along the way. I’m not perfect. But I’m authentically me. I love and celebrate that.

Yep, I’d rather be perfectly imperfect, perfectly authentic and 100% all in! That’s my new definition of success. And it’s working. I’m kinder and gentler with myself without hiding behind the excuses. I am able to take stock of major progress despite a lot of stress, travel and unexpected emotional challenges. I feel great — strong, capable, and on fire. There’s no question, that I’ll reach my goals. Because I know I can! One day at a time.

So here’s the report from the trenches. Read more

Nov 2

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Gratitude works! #Grateful.

Join the In the Equation Gratitude Challenge

gratitude-joy-brenebrownAbout two weeks ago I wrote a blog titled, “An epiphany on my mountain,” where I shared a personal story of how shifting my focus from worry to gratitude was the key to a successful and healthy restart.

Well, it worked…it’s working! And not just that day on the mountain. I’m on Day 13 of #OperationReboot, which includes rebooting my mental game via a daily gratitude practice. And I’m on a roll. I feel better both inside and out, and I credit much of this success to changing my mindset and my focus from worry to gratitude.

It just so happens that the month of November is “National Gratitude Month.” In honor of that, I’m kicking it up a notch and inviting you to join me in the 2015 In the Equation Gratitude Challenge. Read more

Sep 11

A beautiful resilience

ITE_Resilence_QuoteMy blogs on the topic of “resilience” are getting a lot of attention lately. I love that when I peeled back the layers of self-protection and self-doubt, I found a beautiful resilience inside of me that I know means I will always be okay. I will always thrive.

Resilience is one of the key qualities/skills that will propel you to your goals. I am so grateful that I uncovered mine and wanted to share this quote with those of you thinking about this today. Read more

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