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Gratitude

Just Do It: The Moment That Changed My Life

March 4, 2018 By Shannon Gottsman

An Unexpected Getaway

Just Do It - Maine

In July of 2017 I had come to the end of my rope.  I was over 300 lbs, unhappy, exhausted, and just going through the motions of life but not really LIVING.  My husband, Eric, and I had an unexpected opportunity to go to Maine for a few days for a much needed vacation. We had a moment of hesitation but then we said, “Just do it”.  We packed our bags, loaded up the “boys” in the car, and headed out.  Little did I know, this trip would change my entire life.

A Life Changing Moment

We were enjoying a swim at Sebago Lake and there was an awesome dock that you could jump off of into the water..the cold, dark, water.  I didn’t want to jump in.  I couldn’t just jump in.  Plain and simple, I was scared.  In that moment, I realized fear had been holding me back my entire life.  What was the worst that was going to happen? Believe me, I thought through all the scenarios…I even made my husband jump first so he could tell me how deep it was, etc.  Anyway, I finally got up enough nerve to  JUMP.  I hemmed and hawed.  I got to the edge, and stopped.  I paced back and forth…and then I JUMPED!!!  I got out of the lake and felt such a rush of adrenaline and excitement.  Guess what, I went back and jumped again.  This jump catapulted me into my life, not just the lake.  It was a complete wake up call.  At that moment,  I made a vow to start living my best life.

The Aftermath

Soon after we returned from Maine,  I joined Weight Watchers.  I needed to get control of my relationship with food and start taking care of myself.  I needed to make myself the priority.   Shockingly, I also put in my resignation.  I denied it, I ignored it, I tried to hide it but, the simple truth was I didn’t want to be a teacher anymore. This was something my husband and I discussed multiple times but, I could never bring myself to actually DO it.  After that day in Maine,  I knew I had to take another leap of faith and quit teaching.  Let me just say that leaving your career after 12+ years (plus schooling) is a very difficult decision to make.  I am beyond grateful that I even had the option to quit.  What it came down to was this, do I want to continue teaching and look back in another 20 years and wonder what happened to my life or did I want to listen to my heart and follow a different path?  The day I gave my resignation I felt an immediate sense of relief.

Just Do It 

Maine

Sometimes, the universe has a funny way of showing you what you need.  My a-ha moment came to me when I needed it most. I stood on the edge of the dock (and my life) and was SCARED but, I took a chance.  I did it scared! I believed in myself and I jumped.  It was in that moment that I decided to live my life with purpose, to find my inner sparkle, and to let it shine.

If you would like to join a group of ladies finding their sparkle, join me over on Facebook.

With glitter and gratitude,

Filed Under: Featured, Gratitude Tagged With: change, change your life, life changing moment, transformation, Weight Loss Journey

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