Aha Moments!

Well hello world! I am the "left" in our little foursome. I have been trying to think about a good topic for today, and while there are some doozies out there right now (Going Rogue, anyone??), I thought it be fun to open with something upbeat and hopeful.

I was getting my hair done recently, and the only magazine available at the chair where I was seated was O. I am not the biggest Oprah fan, but I thought I'd glance over a few articles. I came to one with Juliana Marguiles in which she described her "aha moment." She was writing about one night when her infant was crying inconsolably and she says "I worked myself into a complete state of anxiety about how I wasn't going to get enough sleep, how I was going to be late for work, how I'd be tired when I got there…all of which only made things worse. And just then, I heard my mother's voice in my head saying what she'd always told me: "Honey, this is only a moment; it's not the rest of your life."

I have been unable to get that phrase out of my head lately. It was as though in describing her "aha moment," I had mine. I have always found difficulty in challenging myself to start a task at which I think I will not succeed. I have always envied people who were able to jog and run at will. Recently, I start working out with a personal trainer and he challenged me to jog for 5 minute increments six times with two minute walking breaks in between. I had convinced myself that it was simply impossible for me to do this - I have bad knees, my toes fall asleep in my tennis shoes, I work late today and it gets dark before I can run. I would find any and every excuse not to even try to accomplish this goal. Until Sunday. On Sunday, hubby and I decided he would help me keep pace and at least make an attempt at my trainer's request. It was not easy, but each time I started to give up I repeated "this is only a moment; it's not the rest of my life." And what do you know, I did it! I feel like I can accomplish anything now. It was amazing and exhilarating and so rewarding to push myself beyond what I perceived were my capabilities. Aha!

So I am wondering - have you had an "Aha moment?" And does my new favorite mantra have any meaning to you? Do you think you'll find yourself thinking of it?

LEFTIE