The G.I.F.T. 9-27-11

So, I have been trying to figure out a way to share what we do in our G.I.F.T. meetings with more people that are unable to attend the meetings for whatever reason. Since I am fairly confident that some of those people read this, I thought I would start here. Maybe it will spark a conversation...maybe it will encourage you to do something different in your life. The choice will and always will be yours to make. So, here goes.

After we did an ice breaker to get the ladies comfortable talking to each other , I explained more about the journey I have taken, how it started, that I did not want to hold this group, to my weight loss, etc.

I shared one of my favorite quotes by Mark Nepo, "There comes a day when the risk to be held tightly in a bud is more painful than the risk to bloom."

I quote my "I refuse" list which I shared with you earlier in a post. I told the ladies about MOXIE - Making Ourselves Xtraordinary In Everything. They also each received a card that has the "I first had to" poem on it, along with you get a positive ATTITUDE through Achieve This Through Insight, Time, Understanding, Empowerment, Dedication.

I gave them a book using the 20 questions from Oprah's February 2010 issue authored by Martha Beck. I told them that if they had the courage to ask themselves the questions, then one day I hope they have the courage to answer them. I mentioned the ONE question that Rock asked me so long ago - "What is the one thing you wish you could change about your life?" When Rock asked me that question, I told her I wanted to lose weight. Never in a million years, would I have thought that answering that one question would lead me to where I am now.

I told the ladies that this was our group and it would develop on its own. I also asked them hard questions? What is holding you back? I showed them that taking ONE step changes you because even by taking just that ONE step, you are already someplace different than you were before.

Greatness Is Found Together

Never settle

I always find it interesting where inspirations for this blog come from. Sometimes, it comes from a song I hear (I have a collection of "Songs to inspire", some of which are listed on my home page), or a phrase I heard. Many times, it comes from something that is said, but the reference in which those words were said might be in a different context than what is written here. I have settled in my life...who hasn't? Where we accept what we see right now, as being all that we will ever see. That it can never be different. It can be hard when things you have are not the way things should be, and changing those things sometimes is easy. Others, not so much. I have been given something that I have never had before. NEVER. Even though I may have wanted it in the past, it never came my way for one reason or another and I accepted that. I had closed that door as one that would never open, and then when it came my way in a fashion I did not expect, I was in shock. Really. Don't settle being in a marriage that is loveless. Don't settle for a job that you feel obligated to keep because there are bills to pay. Don't settle doing things that no longer make you happy. Don't settle for the "I can't" mentality because that is easy. I have come a long way in many ways over these last 20 months. I am grateful for the changes I make in my own life, that somehow in a crazy way, might inspire you to change your life as well. We all need that. We need to know we are not alone. We need to know that we have permission to want and need more and it is not being selfish when we express those wants and needs. We can serve others when we serve ourselves first. I have experienced something that I had only dreamed about, but never really accepted as something that would be for me. It was for others. But not for me. It couldn't be. It didn't happen that way for me. And now that I am in the thick of it, I want it. Even when it is hard, I need it. I feel guilty for needing and wanting it, but now that I have it, I never want it to go away. The guilt would never equal the longing for it should its time with me come to an end and I would miss it for the rest of my life. And I would grieve all of the "yesterdays" that never were. Never settle...this is the way it is supposed to be. JS.

I refuse

I refuse. This is the name of a new favorite song and I need to be reminded of what I won't do from time to time. For example, I refuse to give away my power. Allowing someone else's comments, mood, or actions should not dictate what happens to me for the rest of the day. I will not let it. I refuse to take "no" for an answer. In my mind, it just means, "not right now". Someday, the answer will be "yes". I refuse to give up - ever. On anything. I love challenges and will keep fighting the good fight. I refuse to go back to my old life and the old me. It is not who I am now and although that life was good to me, this life is much more fulfilling and purposeful. I refuse to take on things or continue to do things that do not make me happy. My heart has to be in it for the right reasons for me to do it. My head saying, "I should" will not be enough anymore. Guilt has left the building. I refuse to worry about those things that I cannot control. I have to worry about me - and what I can do to make my life the best and love deeply. I refuse to do nothing when I know I can make it better and inspire others. I refuse to believe that my dream and the passion behind that dream will be in vain. It will change people - it already has. I have seen it, even when I did not realize it had. The key was that by being me, I was living it. Now, we are going bigger. Much bigger. I refuse to be perfect. I will make mistakes and learn from them and I will grow each time. I refuse to waver when things are tough, when people hurt me, or when I doubt because I overthink. This will motivate me to keep pushing through and know that although I may have come out of it with a few scars here and there, but I will be better for it. I do not know about you, but I get a sense of extreme power when I say the words, "I refuse." What are you refusing today? You can..try it. It will be a GREAT day...after all, it is FUN DIP Wednesday!!!