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In 2010, our perfect *”Baby Gavin” returned to Heaven after losing a courageous battle with **Pertussis (whooping cough). We are eternally and profoundly grateful to the thousands upon thousands (upon thousands) of friends and strangers from all over the world, of all faiths and creeds, who united with our family in prayer during Baby Gavin’s horrific illness and who grieved with us and continued to petition God in our behalf during the dark days following his tragic death. You may read Gavin’s story as it unfolded by visiting my old blog here. I am committed to sharing my ongoing struggles with grief and our journey toward joy here on the new blog. I am always humbled and amazed by the continued outpouring of love and support. Thank you for sharing in our journey and inspiring us with your unceasing love! God is good!
*My brother Gavin passed away unexpectedly in 2007. With all these Angel Gavins, it can get a little confusing at times, so just know that when I refer to “Gavin” I’m referring to my wonderful brother. When I refer to “Baby Gavin,” it is in reference to my perfect son, both of whom I cannot wait to see in Heaven!
**You will periodically see me blog about The Sounds of Pertussis campaign. I am an unpaid spokesperson and am only compensated travel expenses where applicable for my involvement with this important cause. Join our fight against this deadly communicable disease at www.soundsofpertussis.com or like us on facebook at www.facebook.com/soundsofpertussis.
Hi!
I’m here in Watercolor, FL, writing from the most beautiful house you’ve ever seen in even your wildest of imaginings! We’re getting ready to kick things off for the Making Things Happen Intensive and Reunion! Stay up to date with all the happenings of what’s sure to be an AMAZING weekend on the tumblr page here. Wonderful, exciting and inspiring things will be going on over on Tumblr all weekend long. See you there!
Happy weekending!
xx!
Me
I was recently interviewed by Davina Fear for her Women in Business Series. Check it out here. :)
Thanks Davina, it was an honor!
xx!
N
Recently, I took up running.
And it SUCKED.
It sucked so bad that I’m borderline full blown anxiety attack just thinking about it. There are not words for the complete suck of it’s suckiness. (At least not words I’m willing to use on this blog).
People who know me best of all ask me everyday how the heck I (of allllll the people in allllll the world) am now running anywhere from 6-13 miles every single day.
First of all, to be able to grasp the true miracle of my accomplishment, you must understand the depth of my hatred for running. Imagine a chasm soooooo deep and soooooo wide that you could bury Kilimanjaro inside and never again hear tale of her. Times that by 9, then take THAT answer, and double it. You will at least BEGIN to understand the level of hatred we’re discussing here.
So, how DID I do it? Honestly? I don’t know. I TRULY did NOT believe I had it in me. But I’ll tell you what—and with a huge smile on my face—I DID. I had it in me. The ability to commit to and achieve something impossible? I have THAT ability inside of ME. And so do YOU.
I’m not going to go into the details of my training program or the literal steps I took to make it happen for me—another day another post.
But I will say this one thing: I walked before I ever ran.
You know Lao-tzu’s brilliant (and unfortunately cliché) adage: a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step? Well folks, it’s true. And it’s never been truer than it is in this very moment. The first step is simply the very hardest one of all.
Have you ever tried to jump start a car by pushing it along a flat surface? (I specify, because once, in high school, Michelle Ostler and I attempted to push a car UP a hill. . . not advisable. Ever.) It’s nearly impossible to get it going at first. One push, two, three. The car starts to rock forward and backward. . . bit by bit, until suddenly it’s rolling slowly along. Little by little, you’re able to increase in speed until BAM! You pop the clutch, rev the engine and before you know it you’re hitting 65 on the interstate!
You can’t hit 65 on the first push. Or the second. Each nudge increases your momentum and before you know it, it’s smooth sailing.
How many of of you at the start of 2010 had resolved to lose 20 lbs? The only way to make it is by using the best diet from tophealthjournal.com/!
How many of those self same souls are now a solid 35 lbs overweight and are currently on some nutso cayenne pepper and yak urine cleanse in hopes of dropping a fast five in to prep for xy or z Hunnakah soireé? (Happy Hunnakah and l’chaim by the way!)
I don’t have to spell it out for you. We doddle around. We procrastinate. We get derailed. We’re lazy. We’re afraid of failure. We’re afraid of success. We’re afraid of change. We’re afraid of the Boogie Man. We get “too busy” (load of lard that one is). . . aaaaaaand in the end, we simply . . . opt out. We push pause on (or say “goodbye” all together) to so many dreams, to so many things we could do, say or become, because we can’t figure out how to get the momentum we need to really achieve.
It’s sad. And we deserve better. WE CAN HAVE BETTER. We simply have got to resolve, and then walk before we can run.
It’s December 1st (for precisely 6 more minutes).
You resolved to lose 35 lbs. Can you lose 35 lbs in 29 days? Not unless you amputate your left leg. But could you lose 5 lbs before the end of the year? ABSOLUTELY!!!
You resolved to organize and dejunk the entire house, including the basement (eek!) and the garage (oy!). Can you complete that in 29 days? Not unless you want to be divorced and committed to the loony bin by Christmas Eve. But, could you organize and de junk your office space? ABSOLUTELY!!!!
You resolved to pay off all your credit card debt? Can you pay off 43 million dollars by December 31? (If you can, I want to come work for you). You simply can’t, but you CAN create a debt elimination plan and start hacking away. Even $1 is forward motion.
You resolved to run a marathon. Can you go couch to marathon in 29 days? Not unless you want to be dead. As a doornail. But you COULD build up to 2—4 miles! And that’s HUGE!!!
Rather than waiting for the new year to come around. . . so you can make yet ANOTHER resolution to lose that baby weight, de junk that garage, learn a second language, start that dream project, forgive your mom, read the complete works of C.S. Lewis, bring together the next hot boy band . . . why not START NOW? Today. Why not gain some forward momentum so that come January 1, you greet your life at a jog?! Already well on your way to success. Why not?!
Imagine how good it would feel.
And guess what? YOU DESERVE IT.
I BELIEVE in specificity when it comes to goals. Which packs more punch? “I’m going to take up running.” VS “I’m going to run the Gunstock Half Marathon on October 30th 2010 at 7:00am.” I would have failed without that specific, time bound goal.
I also BELIEVE in accountability. It’s the ONLY thing that keeps me going when the going gets rough. If you feel so inclined, post in the comment section ONE THING you want to accomplish before the end of the year. I would LOVE to hold you to it. It can be as simple as, “Send an email to that guy about that thing.” Sometimes it’s the tiny to do’s in our lives that give us the most anxiety and grief.
Remember, the first step is the very hardest one to take.
YOU CAN DO IT! I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!
Ready, set, GO!
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Want to really get a running start for 2011?? Join Lara Casey and I at the last Making Things Happen event of 2010! This event was sold out! Lara recently opened up a very few extra seats, and guess what? It’s inches away from selling out again! COME. I cannot imagine a more significant gift to give yourself at the start of a new year than this. I would LOVE to see you there!
I’ve learned something so significant in the last couple of weeks and months. Significant enough to come out of hiding from all things world wide web and share it with the few lonely readers who still frequent this site. ;) Hi Richie!
We’ve all felt it. Inspiration.
The feeling of absolute confidence (read: faith) and perfect peace (read: calm).
That heightened sense of motivation and drive toward excellence.
The state of meaningful momentum and true connection to our honest character: the real YOU.
For most of us (myself included) inspiration is recognized as a fleeting feeling that only drops by here and there to show you just how awesome your life is NOT all the other 364 days of the year.
Well, here I am, nearly 30 years in. . . and I’m just now realizing that we can actually LIVE in that space. Like, all the time.
We “simply” have to be willing to fight the good fight!
Easier said than done.
Over the last weeks and months, I’ve learned that when you find yourself really, truly, deeply committed to living in a space of inspiration, joy, progress, LOVE . . . the forces of Hell will literally gather around you and do everything in their power to derail you.
And they take the unlikliest of forms, so watch your backs.
Thankfully, there is a flip-side to this horrifying reality, because simultaneous to Beelzebub and his army of Red Bull drinking hooligans, the universe also raises up helping hands EVERYWHERE you turn to support, uplift and even (and perhaps especially) to PROPEL you along your “pathway toward all awesomeness” (for lack of a more fitting description).
And again, they take the unlikliest of forms, so stay open.
(Note: The image connected to this post is probably the one image that I’ve taken in my life that inspires me more than any other. Consequently, it also personifies the very reason I am willing to fight tooth and nail to stay inspired every.single.day)
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More on this later, but I simply couldn’t end this post without a brief expression of gratitude. ‘Tis the season, after all.
You want to talk about committing to LIVING your life they way it’s meant to be lived and the universe (read: GOD) raising up helping hands to support and uplift you? Fine. Let’s do.
A few weeks ago, on an honest-to-gosh whim, I signed up for the Maui leg of the Making Things Happen tour with Southern Weddings Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Lara Casey and guest speakers, photographers Fred Egan and Jory Cordy. I knew NOTHING about the workshop. I knew NOTHING about Lara. The workshop just randomly showed up on my radar, a little voice in my soul quitely said “GO,” and because listening is such a vital component of my new found FIGHT to stay inspired, I simply responded, “You got it!” I forked over the cash, booked a flight to Maui and buckled my safety belt for the ride of my life.
Here I am, only a couple of weeks out, having found a new best friend in Lara who I cannot imagine my life without, and additionally I’ve been invited to be a guest speaker at the last Making Things Happen event of 2010 in Watercolor, FL! (Join us! Lara just announced 5 additional seats!)
I feel so blessed to have met (not to mention to have learned from) Lara, Fred and Jory. Collectively and individually they are significant wave makers, all.
Thank you Lara, Fred, Jory and all my new MTH friends.
. . . and a happy bleated Thanksgiving. Naturally.
xx,
N
Shot Sharalee‘s beeeeeeautiful family at Envision | Seattle back in July (how the HECK is it SEPTEMBER already?!). LOVE these images. LOVE this girl. LOVE this family. Enjoy!
