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Posts tagged ‘Progress not perfection’

Apr 29

There is nothing wrong with imperfection

In fact, says Beth Probst: “I’ve found the greatest joy in things I genuinely suck at.”

imagesI’m coming off another rough night with little sleep. So this morning while I laced up my tennis shoes and sipped my first cuppa joe, I read this beautiful blog titled: “Back of the Pack,“ by my friend and colleague, Beth Probst. (Yes, I am a multi-tasker even at 5:30 a.m.)

Beth describes herself as a “Mom. Communicator. Photographer. Gardener. Coffee Lover. Explorer. Living the simple but awesome and authentic life in NW Wisconsin.” I describe her as “kick-ass at expressing herself in the written word in a real, authentic and approachable way.” She is inspiring.

“Back of the Pack,” is my favorite of Beth’s blogs to date. In it she shows us that it’s okay not to be perfect. It’s okay not to achieve your goals, but to finish anyway. She writes about running, about passion and finding hers, and about the beauty of screwing up. Read more

Dec 1

Climbing mountains…getting strong

She climbed until she saw…and saw…and saw…

Lorileif-oberg-bootcamp-bethprobstI love the quote, “She Climbed Until She Saw” by Compendium. And so it became the lori&leif-on-mountaintitle of this blog documenting my transformation journey over the last four years. A journey to health, happiness and personal growth.

It also became the metaphor for my transformation — for the internal work I needed to do to learn to love and accept myself  as enough. And for the physical mountains I would climb as part of my journey to weight loss.

It was in weight-loss boot camp that I climbed my very first mountain…and survived! I’ve now been climbing mountains for fitness and for pleasure every since. And I always look forward to both the physical challenge, and the mental one.

In November of 2010, as I readied for weight-loss boot camp, my dear friend Jean sent me this quote, which I’ve found myself reflecting on these past couple of days. I want to share it here again with you all because it is so representative of my journey and the struggles we all face going for our big, hairy, audacious goals — you know, the one(s) that have alluded you and that you say you’ll tackle someday. Here’s the poem — one of my favs.

Nov 10

The 90% Rule

Progress not perfection. 90% = success!

perfectionI woke up this last Friday morning after two days of real struggle working toward my “In the Equation Challenge goal” and remembered: I am not perfect! I am fantastic, strong, smart, courageous, beautiful, passionate, diligent, determined…and perfectly imperfect at the same time. And I LOVE that about me! I am not perfect. Thank God.

One of my favorite quotes related to perfectionism comes from Brene Brown in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection. ““Perfectionism is self destructive simply because there’s no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal.” Here, here. I finally get it and embrace it!

Brene goes on to describe the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism. “Healthy striving is self-focused, how can I improve and grow? Perfectionism worries about what other people will think.” According to Brene’s research, perfectionism is not about excellence or healthy striving. It’s a way of thinking and being that says, “If I look perfect, do it perfect, love perfect, work perfect, I can avoid or minimize shame in my life.”

In other words, perfectionism is the ultimate fear that we might fail, and/or the word is going to see us for who we really area and we won’t measure up. Yes, perfectionism is fear. I get that because I’m a recovering perfectionist. I spent most of my adult life trying to be perfect and beating myself up when I was not. It kept me small, and stuck. On the sidelines and NOT in the arena for far too much of my life.

These past four years as I’ve personally transformed both inside and out, I’ve worked to embrace “progress not perfection.” I’ve learned the difference between healthy striving, learning and growing as a person vs. the impossible standard of perfection. And, most importantly I’ve learned self-love and how to offer self-compassion when I slip or fall or fail. I truly believe, I am enough. And that has made all the difference.

Which brings to me to why this blog — the”In Your Equation Challenge” and my revelation of this past week. Read more

May 12

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Two years fit & healthy. New life…new lessons.

Maintaining -200 pound weight loss for 2 years. What it looks and feels like…really!

Lori Schaefer & Transformation Team O'Neal Hampton, Leif Anderson & Jay Grove

Two years ago, May 12, 2012 at my celebration party — with my physical transformation team.

Exactly two years ago today I was standing in a blue sparkly dress at Surfside on Lake Superior surrounded by 50 of my best and closest peeps. The occasion? To celebrate my -211 lb weight loss and the fact that, finally, I had put myself in the center of my own life!

After 18 months of hard work, and a personal transformation journey that had many ups and downs, I had just reached my weight loss goal — at age 49. The stats were impressive: -211 lbs, -nearly 50% body fat with a final body fat of 14.5% (that of elite female athletes), and an internal happiness that I was only beginning to understand.

To celebrate, I threw a weekend party and invited my closest friends and family to the place where my journey officially started. It was a meaningful, dream weekend and a celebration I will never forget. I still smile when I think about it. It was one of those threshold moments in life. For the first time ever, I was able to celebrate my own accomplishment,, share it with others, and allow them to celebrate me, too.

I remember being so overwhelmed with emotion that I was in tears for much of the early party. And I was so choked up when it was time to speak that I threw out my speech and spoke from the heart. I don’t remember what I said, and I’m certain I didn’t thank every person that I intended to. But it didn’t matter. I was surrounded by those who loved and supported me, they knew how much I appreciated them, and the evening felt truly awesome.

Now, fast forward two years. Read more

Dec 18

Battling with self image

Lori_before4I had a conversation this past week with a young woman I am supporting in her weight loss journey. She saw the before and after photo I posted here with my three-year anniversary blog last week and asked if I have really moved on and gotten comfortable in my new shape and body. Or, she asked, do you still carry around that weight in your mind? This was not the first time I was asked this question.

She was asking, because although she has lost 80+ pounds, she still struggles with self image. When she looks in the mirror, she said, what she sees is how far she has yet to go vs. all of the progress she has made. Sometimes, she admitted, I don’t see progress at all. “I feel discouraged and fat. The same as before I started all of this work.” Read more

Apr 28

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Celebrating how far we’ve come

lori-speaking-intheequationHow often do we stop to appreciate and celebrate ourselves and the progress we’ve made toward our goals in life? If you’re like I used to be, the answer is probably rarely or never.

Why is that? Is it because we get so busy and feel there are never enough hours in the day to get to everyone and everything? Or, perhaps, we don’t see it. We simply don’t believe we deserve it. And we’re more likely to feel inadequate – never good enough, smart enough, sexy enough, strong enough…

For me, all of that changed when I transformed my body and my life (about two and a half years ago now). And, honestly, I haven’t looked back. It’s far too exciting to look forward…there is so much to celebrate and so much living to do! Read more

Aug 16

Daring to lead…daring to live greatly

Today, I had the good fortune to attend a free webinar titled Daring to Lead with Dr. Brene Brown. Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work and a nationally renowned speaker on the topics of vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame. Pretty exciting stuff! lol Read more

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