All of us at some time in our lives will be faced with a mountain that seems way too big to climb. This can happen in our health, our finances, our business, personal relationships; it seems our lives are rife with the possibilities of it. Normally, we are progressing through life, doing the best that we can, but then BOOM! We are given some news. Your job is being sent overseas, your significant other is leaving, you’ve been given a shocking diagnosis. In that moment, it can seem like moving on is impossible. You’re not only losing the job, the person, your health but you are also losing the security that it brings (i.e. the paycheck, a companion, your sense of well-being).
I remember when I was given my Type 2 diabetes diagnosis back in 2015 my doctor gave me my HbA1c number (12.2) and then told me what it meant by explaining that my blood sugar levels had “gone nuclear!” I was shocked. Having your doctor tell you something inside you has “gone nuclear!” isn’t something I ever anticipated hearing. I felt like there was such a great chasm between where I was and where I needed to be. I already felt stretched by all the other responsibilities I had. How was I ever going to be able to overcome that?
My immediate instinct was to search for quick fixes. Was there a pill? a surgery? some other “painless” solution? I didn’t want to climb that mountain. I wanted to find away around it or through it. I wanted to charter a helicopter or hire someone to carry me over it. I didn’t believe I was strong enough to take that on. Maybe I could just stay where I was and wait for the mountain to erode. I’d just sit there and pray for rain, after all we have the Grand Canyon because of erosion, right? You may chuckle at this (like I do) but this can seem a real alternative when staring in the face of a mountain.
Ultimately I just started with what I could do that day. I could go one day without my normal eating habits. I could take the dog for a longer walk this one day. I could track my food intake this one day. I could take better care of myself this one day. I could seek out the wisdom of others who’ve gone through this struggle this one day. And I did, and then I did it the next day, and the next, and the next. It got easier as I went along. I’m still working on improving this one day.
St. Francis of Assisi has a great quote he said for those that are dealing with doing the impossible. It is to “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
Here’s to all who are taking their first steps to doing the impossible! Cheers to you!
Please remember to like and share so others can be encouraged to do the impossible as well!
not2long 