Soon, you'll see me soaring!

What kind of title is that?  "Soon you'll see me soaring"?  Debi, maybe you need a little more sleep, girl...

Have you ever read and connected with an inspirational quote and had it take hold of you?  I often read things that really get me thinking, even if only for a little while.  I do read a lot of personal development books and I'm always underlining something that speaks to me.  I'll share more on that another time.

Back in January & February - as some of you already know, I call that time "the trenches" - I read a quote that another Beachbody coach had posted on his Facebook status.  At the time it not only spoke to me, but rather it slammed right into me.  It affected me so much that I copied it - hung it on my bedroom mirror, laminated one for in my car, printed it on the back of my business card and put it in my wallet, and taped it to my laptop - pretty much, I was seeing that quote all over the place.  Although it took some time before it to  sink in and really take hold of my thoughts & emotions, I still kept it in mind.

"When you find yourself in a downward spiral, you must first focus your energies on stopping that which is creating the fall.  Once you do this, your focus to soar will take on much needed wind."

Wow.  Those were some pretty powerful words to me.  I have blogged about it before, but during those months, I was in a downward spiral.  I felt like it was choking the life out of me.  I felt overwhelmed, frustrated, depressed and helpless.  I had no idea how I had gotten to where I was - and worse yet, I did not know how to climb out.  It was as if I was standing at the bottom of a deep black hole, looking up at the light, but I had no foot hold, no rope to climb.  It was when friends - even people I barely knew - starting holding out their hands to me, supporting me, embracing me with their care & concern...that I found those little niches that helped me to start the upward climb.  Of course, therapy has helped me tremendously as well.

Without going into too much detail and writing a novel about what I was going through, it took a few months for me to accept and embrace the first part of that quote.  I had been in that downward spiral.  I started focusing my energies on that which was creating my fall:  My emotions, my insecurity, my low self esteem and poor self image.  I had to stop placing blame, and turn inward.  Unfortunately, that focus changed some friendships & relationships, but sometimes that's part of the journey, whether good or bad.

Now that I can (almost) confidently say that I am no longer falling, and in fact, I am starting to feel that wind that will allow me to soar - I am in much better place.  I have created and redefined some friendships, I have surrounded myself with people who continue to lift me.  I love myself more now than I have in a very long time.  I still have my days, we all do.  But I now have the drive, the desire and the passion to do what I love - and I absolutely believe that what I experienced early this year was necessary to get to me where I am now.  I am grateful that I can embrace the person I am meant to be.  I WILL SOAR.