Ten days ago I decided to quit drinking.
I did so on a bit of a whim but for a variety of reasons, not least of which was my desire to model better choices to my kids. And it felt hard, but right. There was no need to wait for the "perfect time", just a spontaneous decision to jump in with both feet. Boom.
I also gave up wheat in October (after a bout of eczema that would not quit) and dairy and corn this week as a final nudge toward better health.
All of these decisions came on suddenly and intuitively, and with a perfectly balanced mix of resonance and challenge. And each one is helping me rise up the next level of who I am.
I'm sharing this today not because I know where I am going or what the next weeks will hold, but simply to say that sometimes we buck up and do the hard thing. We look in the mirror and ask, "What would it take for my life to be better?"
What that means for you and for me will surely be different, but you know what your shadows and anchors are, just as I know mine.
So we find the courage to do the hard thing. We leave a toxic relationship, we make better choices for our health, we quit the job that we always despised, we take a step toward inner peace. Whatever it is that's holding us back, we look it in the eyes and make a choice.
We get up off the couch and take the first steps toward the life we really want - whatever that may mean in our hearts.
These changes are not magic, but they are illuminating. Self-worth, self-love, self-care - they transform us, even if it's hard. Even if we stumble to find our way.
Today? I am feeling solid, healthy, and strong. And tomorrow is only looking better.
All because I found the courage to do something hard.