LOSING
There are times in life, by circumstance or choice, that things simply don't go as planned. There are moments when we lose and we lose big...
We lose friends, family, love, jobs, opportunity, time, our way, our will. There are times in life when we are simply in a tunnel of despair — when it feels hard and challenging and without any clear way forward. These are times when old ways won't serve us, and we have to face the feelings, the truth, ourselves, our decisions, our pain, our confusion… and walk through it to the other side. This happens to all of us at different points in life: sometimes for a moment, and sometimes for a season. Inevitably, these moments will come. And it is up to us how we respond. Know that when these times arrive at our door, they are there so we can grow and pivot and stretch. We will survive them. And if we dig into ourselves a little deeper, we will find our way; we will build a new normal for ourselves. And we will be stronger for it.
I could tell you a story about those moments — and how “#wtf” became my choice greeting to entirely too many happenings. I could tell you how anecdotes and affirmations were really tough to apply when it felt like one thing after another on any given day. They are hard to apply when you’re fighting hard for your dream and it appears that everyone else in life is navigating tremendously well, in comparison. But we know for sure that isn’t true at all, that we are ALL actually figuring it out as we go. That there is no magic bullet or formula to navigating the world without bumps and bruises and loss — I speak from what I know. I share the experiences that have taught me as I journey through unknowns. I share what has helped me in times of darkness. What I've learned offers hope, clarity, insight and connection — to know we are not alone on the path is immensely helpful and comforting when it often feels daunting and overwhelming... I’ve come to learn that many physical triumphs resemble psychological ones, because it begins in our minds. What we believe we can do and be is what will be. With that in mind, here are a few lessons from my first (and only) Spartan Race… this little moment of triumph for me that was daunting in my mind for so very long.
Spartan Lessons
Focus on the very next step, not on the full climb ahead.
Take a break when you need to and look back to remind yourself how far you've come.
Just when you think it's too steep of a walk ahead, you are out of the woods and back in the sun again.
Laugh at it all.
You are stronger than you realize. When it's time to use it, it will appear.
You may not master all of what you are still learning (that's a note for later).
You have the capacity to go it alone, and at times, you will. But it is teamwork that will make your dream work.
Even when you think you can't go on you will — just try.
Don't give up.
Some of the hardest moments are those you will face with your head down and knees on the floor, crawling for salvation.
The toughest part will be the longest, but you will make it, because there's more ahead.
You will learn to adapt in the moment.
Music elevates the soul, and dancing frees the spirit. Indulge in both.
When you feel that it's just too much and you think you've had enough, you realize you've come too far to turn back.
Angels always appear to give you an extra boost or a helpful note of encouragement.
Over the fires of purification, you will rise high and land...for the journey continues and you'll be onto the next.
When you finally finish, you will know what it was all for. You did it your way, and no one can take that away from you!
