The week after Christmas has been one I have traditionally used for quiet reflection and evaluation. This year is no exception. I am particularly grateful that I challenged myself to get through the holidays with a 5-pound loss and for all the help and support I received from friends across TOPSland to reach that goal. As of today’s weigh-in- our chapter’s last of 2015- I made it!

My thoughts this week are meandering through some early life lessons that still apply in so many areas of my present live. I grew up in a small town at the confluence of three significant rivers that produce some really nice white water rafting and fishing. Because we lived near a fast-flowing river in a deeply channeled gorge, learning water safety and how to swim were high on the list of priorities for children in our community.

My mother had almost drowned as a child and was terrified of water. My father was an excellent, self-taught swimmer and diver. Neither considered just tossing us out of the boat and rowing off to see if we could figure out how to swim for ourselves! Both wanted their children to live as freely and safely as possible. They knew that our lives would bring us to the river to fish, to swim, to raft, to boat or to water ski. So, they enrolled us in swimming lessons!

We loved the lessons and progressed from Polliwogs to Guppies to Minnows to Fish to Flying Fish and Sharks to ultimately becoming Life Guards! Progressing occurred after a skill was mastered. Only then were new ones added. Eventually, we had the training and experience needed to not only save our own lives but to help others, if necessary. In fact, that was the first lesson when we began learning the skills necessary to try to help others. We had to learn how to help ourselves first!

This building process has been used in so many areas throughout my life. In fact, I learn best in this way. If overloaded with information, I splash about in a panic, become overwhelmed and want to give up. If I try to learn too many things at one time, the same thing can happen. However, if I take the time to learn each step and incorporate the lesson into my life, I build confidence, stamina and excellence. This helps not only me but those within my circle of influence. If I take shortcuts, skip some steps or forget others, it will show up eventually and will need to be addressed. Learning requires practice and is definitely continuous. This clearly applies to successful weight control.

Wherever we are in the journey, we are heading toward saving our own lives and to being able to help others who want to paddle along with us! Let’s help each other stay afloat and buoy flagging spirits at whatever stage we find ourselves. We get stronger with every stroke we take!

Let’s stand watchful guard for each other and be on the ready to act as lifesavers in 2016.

I care, Barb