When I was in my twenties, I went by myself on a backpacking trip. It was a 25-mile loop hike deep into the Colorado wilderness. If all went according to plan, the path I chose would deliver me back to my car 4 days after I started.
Things didn’t go according to plan…
I got lost about a day into the trek and had to walk an extra 10 miles to get back on the right track.
I slept alone in a tent not much bigger than a Hefty bag and one night, I was awoken by the sound of coyotes circling my campsite. An hour later those same coyotes were sniffing the side of my tent. Didn’t sleep much that night.
And speaking of sleep, have you ever slept on a backpacking mattress? It’s thin. And the ground is hard and lumpy. Just sayin’.
I fended off mosquitos. I got blisters on my feet. My legs ached every night. My lips were sunburned. I ate bland dehydrated food.
And when I finally got back to my car at the trailhead, my battery had died so I had to walk a mile into town to ask for help.
And, I LOVED every minute of this adventure.
Why?
- Because I saw exquisite scenery that took my breath away. What a gift it is to be alive on this planet.
- Because I discovered that my body could do hard things.
- Because I was afraid much of the time, but I didn’t let my fears stop me from moving forward.
- Because I learned that when I get lost, I can find my way back to the right path.
. . .
Why would anyone start walking on a long trek, knowing it was going to be difficult, exhausting, AND take days to reach the final destination?
Why would you do that, especially knowing that when you finish, you end up right back where you started?
Here’s why.
Even though it seems like you end up right back where you started, you don’t.
The experience of having taken the journey changes you.
Sometimes it’s important to embark on something new, not because you are certain about the outcome, but because you know the experience of doing that thing will change you. And change is always good.
Change is what keeps us growing. We cannot learn new things without changing how we think.
We cannot become healthier without changing the physiology of our cells.
We cannot feel more connected to others without changing our relationship with ourselves.
We cannot lose weight and keep it off without changing the trajectory of our future.
. . .
Four years ago, Avery and I started this little adventure called More Heart, Less Body. We didn’t know where it would take us. We didn’t know if anyone would be interested in taking a 9-month-long weight loss journey with us. We built it hoping they would come.
We built it because an inkling of insight inside told us that women need this.
And they did come. In 2017, when we first opened enrollment for the More Heart journey, over 40 amazing women joined us.
They were terrified. And so were we. What if we failed? What if our members didn’t learn anything from us? What if everyone quit after the first few weeks? I mean, seriously, who signs up for a 9-month-long weight loss experience???
Well, they didn’t quit. They showed up for themselves, They persisted. And as a result, we were all changed by that experience.
A few of the women who journeyed with us that first year were Amy, Beth, Cindy, and Karen. Their stories are inspiring.
We’ve journeyed with so many women since then, showing them how to be more loving towards themselves, teaching them how to nourish their bodies, minds, and souls, and helping them discover how wonderful it feels to take good care of themselves.
And, of course, helping them reach a healthy, comfortable weight.
