Living the dream?? What exactly does that mean anyway?? Does it mean that I can arm wrestle a man and win? Ummm… NO! Does it mean that I love Shakeology and it is the cat’s meow… Ummmm… NO AGAIN!!! Although those things are both true… hehehee… it has nothing to do with either!
One of the greatest things about being “unplugged” is having a chance to truly reflect on my life. Today I was sitting on the sand, watching the waves roll in and surrounded by tons of people but absolutely alone in my thoughts. I was watching Michael and my 2 youngest children play in the ocean and it was in that moment that I knew what “living the dream” truly meant– at least for me! Complete internal peace! If I died at that moment I knew I had found the truest meaning of life and what it looked like to be genuinely happy!
I love being able to reflect. It doesn’t come very often for me but when I have the opportunity to truly take in life and it’s journey it is earth shattering to see how quickly life moves past us. We can choose to cherish every moment living life to it’s fullest or to not live at all.
Looking back over the last 3 years is an adventure for me. I remember a girl who was miserable and lacking energy and enthusiasm for life. I knew I needed change and although I want to give Beachbody all of the credit as many of you will expect me to it really was about me. I had to decide that I wanted to be better– a better person, a happier wife and more nurturing mother! To live the dream?? Well… no… I hadn’t even imagined that yet. I just wanted to be able to get dressed every day without feeling overwhelmed. Some people refer to my past “condition” as a state of depression. I thought of it as “life.” The little things were difficult for me. I blamed my many responsibilities for my mental state. I couldn’t see that the problem was ME!
Change has been a long road and there have been times that I still felt overwhelmed because it took WORK!! It didn’t come for free for me… but being where I am now made the work worth every second. Am I perfect? NO! And I NEVER will be. But I am a much more complete, happier and well rounded person than I was 3 years ago!
People look at me and think– She has it easy. She’s always been fit. She’s always been healthy. She’s always been happy. — none of those things are true!! But one day I got up and decided I had had enough… but then I would fail! I would get up again and decide I had had enough… then I would fail again! I did this several times before I got up one day and I got it a little closer… Then I started setting goals to design what I WANTED my life to look like instead of what it DID look like. I think most people that knew me thought I needed to have my head examined when I told them that one day I would have a house on a hill overlooking the ocean and I would be the happiest, healthiest girl on the planet but I just kept pushing forward. I KNEW what I wanted!! AND KNOW what I want!!! I have a visual! I can see myself there in that place!!
Today sitting there in the sand, I realized I was getting closer to my vision. But more importantly I was at peace!! I had found true joy and happiness. As I said earlier– Internal peace. The basic structure of my life hadn’t changed but my perception of life has changed significantly. Of course thanks to Beachbody I am a much healthier person… physically and mentally… and a much wealthier person…. (there’s the Beachbody plug you were expecting!) but I still had way too many responsibilities in life. What is so different now?? I AM!!! My mind is healthier!! My responsibilities are now the blessings that I know they have always been. It is all a matter of perspective and our ability to cope with life. Our mental and spiritual– STRENGTH!! Then there is what others actually can see… physical strength! My body doesn’t make me want to hide under turtle necks anymore. My heart is full!! I am a brick wall now instead of the quick sand that I once was!
How did I get here from there?? By design!! Remember… I had to decide to make the change. I had to let it be okay to fail– repeatedly– until I got it right. I had to learn. A LOT!! I have read endless books, surround myself with amazing people and grow spiritually. And MOST importantly… I had to know what I wanted!! I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I wanted to be sitting in the sand today knowing that I was complete and overflowing with joy!! I just wasn’t all that sure how long it would take me to get here!!
Have all my dreams come true… No not yet… but I know they will because I am willing to work hard every moment of my life– when it’s time to work!! But when it’s time to play– you can find me sitting on a beachfront with my only worry in the world being — will the tide reach my chair!!! I found paradise– mental paradise!! The sun is shining and the music is playing!! I am wishing YOU your paradise!! But it won’t happen without YOU working hard EVERY DAY– where do you want to be in 5 years?? Start today!! Your dreams are waiting for you! I truly believe that if you can DREAM IT THEN YOU CAN ACHIEVE IT!! Why? Because I have seen my own life completely transformed!! See you in paradise!!!
Health! Joy! Love!
Coach Christina
