April 2008

In April 2008 I was going through a major transition. In order to give my life focus, I wanted to set a goal for myself. I was inspired to do so by a friend of mine who had, in the past year, done the same thing for herself in order to deal with the grief that followed a break-up. In the fall she had decided to train for a 5K--a race she planned to run on Memorial Day weekend. Lo and behold, months ahead of the actual 5K race, she was running her first half-marathon! I, too, wanted to choose a goal that was equally large--something that loomed seemingly just out of my reach; yet, was completely attainable if I would be intentional in taking the steps to get there.

What I didn't realize at the time was that I wouldn't be the one to choose the goal. The goal chose me. I remember vividly the morning I was driving to work, and the words came into my consciousness and staked their claim: "I am going to lose 50 pounds." There was no deliberation, no decision-making--it was an instant promise to myself that I immediately embraced and trusted.

It wasn't the first time I had tried to take steps to lose weight or get more fit. I recognized, however, that I would be approaching the whole thing differently this time. In the past I never worried about "numbers." I find the little accomplishments as equally worth celebrating as the big milestones. My fitness journey has always had a healthy focus on simply trying to improve how I feel in mind, body and spirit--it has never been about losing an "ideal" number of pounds or becoming a "perfect" size. But, my new revelation was this: Setting your sights on losing 5 pounds or losing 50 pounds is going to dramatically impact how you approach the game. Consider packing for a vacation: are you just going away for the weekend or for a two-month holiday? The specific plans you have for your journey are going to directly impact what you need to put in your suitcase.

Now that I knew my travel destination, it was time to start planning my itinerary and take stock of all the things I would need to make my trip a success. I've never been a "fly by the seat of my pants" kind of person. Planning this journey would not be any different.

I was inspired and energized by this new goal. I knew it would take a lot of work, but I was excited for the journey ahead and the opportunities it would bring to visit new places as well as return to old favorites from travels in years past.