Last Saturday while teaching spin class I found myself talking about the price of life. The cost that we feel when life is a burden, when the road to travel is not clear, the path covered up and our days are filled with have tos' instead of want tos'. I remember those days, my heart, my head and my body all felt heavy. Everything was measured by what it cost me - perhaps the price was paid in energy, maybe heartbreak, failure, disappointment and no doubt I felt like I kept paying into the pot but was never able to take from it. Whatever life brought me I noticed the sacrifice. Live like that l long enough and the chip on your shoulder becomes more than you can bear. Fast forward 15 years from then to now and nothing in my life feels like a price being paid, I don't notice any sacrifice and I would describe my life as one filled with joy. It almost feels strange to write that as I know that I am coming out of what might be two of the hardest years of my life. I have paid through the nose, been hurt tremendously and have so much that I am responsible for that if I felt the heaviness of it I know it could crush me. But I don't feel its' weight. Instead I feel its' buoyancy. How can that be? I believe it is because I am living out my purpose. Earch one of us was born with certain strengths, characteristics, traits and talents. I was 30 before I began to discover what my strengths were and where they would be most useful. Today, at 42 the path is certainly more clear that 12 years ago, but I am not sure it has been fully revealed. And even though it is not fully clear where I am headed, the fact that I feel no weight from the responsibility of life tells me that I am on the right path. Don't get me wrong, life is HARD,it is fatiguing and there are many days where I feel like throwing in the towel. But for every hard day there are 10 days where I am filled with passion, desire and fortitude. Days where my feet hit the floor and the song "put me in coach I am ready to play" runs through my head. Days where a cement block could be dropped on my head and I would say "I'm okay!", and would keep plugging along.
For me training clients, teaching classes and coaching people through a life transformation means way more than losing weight, way more than removing the barriers and moving through life a healthier version of you, it means finding you... weeding through the enormous garden of life to find where your path begins, feeling strong and confident to take the first step and then teaching your body, mind and spirit to endure the journey. You must first learn that it YOU who creates the energy to fuel the passion, to dream the dream and to then follow through with that purpose.
Do not worry if your path is still covered up. Keep renewing your energy daily, striving for the healthiest version of you. I know that what has been planned for you is big, so big that you will need the strongest version of you for the journey. Ready yourself, polish your coat of armor and your path will be revealed!
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