An Unexpected Getaway
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
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,
