Debi Johnson Coaching

I’ve grown up with a lifelong belief that “LIFE IS A STRUGGLE”.  I learned as a little girl that to survive I needed to construct a “STRUGGLE BOX”.  That box became part of me, my code of truth that has been leading me through life in a misguided way.   

Wherever I would go, I carried the struggle box with me, be it school, my job, eating mindfully, weight, sleeping, you name it!  I know that struggling is part of life, or is it?  Does it have to be?  Is there another way?

I noticed how damned heavy that struggle box was!  It was mentally and physically wearing me down.  In the past year I have been rethinking everything that I have ever been taught.  I have been learning the Law of Attraction and how to attract “good” into my life.  I have been discovering JUST HOW MUCH MY THOUGHTS CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON MY LIFE.  

I sat down with my pen and paper and drew a box and wrote the word STRUGGLE on it.  I realized that I’ve been waking up every day and setting my intention to struggle!  With this realization came the desire to change it.  With this knowledge, I felt freedom!   

So what’s the opposite of struggle?  THRIVE!  Just closing my eyes and saying the word slowly T-H-R-I-V-E, causes my body to feel revived and free.  It’s meaning is to “make progress, to flourish”!

In thinking of going to work, instead of intending to struggle, I’m ready to be in the moments of my day.  It doesn’t mean that I’m going to a different job, I’m just dropping the heavy struggle and being surrounded by thriving energy.  Or as I am trying to get to my natural weight, I would much rather thrive than struggle with the last 10 pounds.       

As we go about our days what we intend to happen usually does.  There is power in intention, so I’d rather make it the best that I can.    

I’ve dropped the struggle box.  I no longer need it.  It’s much easier to want to thrive in my life.  Thriving can’t be harnessed in a box; it is free flowing and gets the action going; it releases energy.

So, just for today, imagine that you can THRIVE at whatever you are doing.  Lose the struggle and be free.

It’s Thanksgiving! It’s a day to say “Thank you God, I get it; I see what I have”!   As hours roll into days I seem to forget what I have, how far I have come.    

Today I shared an awesome meal with my loved ones.  We chatted; we laughed, we reminisced, WE LIVED IN JOY!      

Thanksgiving used to scare me!  I knew that I would be around a lot of my favorite foods.  I used to believe I had no control over food.  I let that belief lead me into the bulimia.  I thought that was my destiny.  I’m glad that I was wrong and that I am free.  

Today ~ no food fears.  I know that it’s just food. 
I know that my bulimia is no longer needed.  

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday that reminds me just how blessed I am and to pass the message onto others that 
“eating disorders do end!” 

Have you ever noticed when a WORD suddenly pops into your mind more often than not?  I love to play with words and my latest word is ENJOY!

The Encarta dictionary defines “ENJOY” as “to find something pleasing or have good experience”. 

I thought it was just an old fashioned word for “happy” that my grandmother used to say.   I’ve loosely used the word when I would scribble “enjoy” inside of a birthday card or hear a desk clerk in a hotel say “enjoy your stay”.  I’d never given it much thought.  I let the word fall to the ground landing with all of the other tens of thousands of words that I hear throughout my day. 

Lately I have been going through a metamorphous of sorts and the word “enjoy” is suddenly foremost in my mind.  Just this morning I went out for a run in the fresh air and sunshine and realized “I am really enjoying this”.  Then later I was playing on the floor, giggling with my grandson; that word popped up again.  I find myself very curious why it is suddenly showing up.   Interesting!  I do feel happier, even lighter, especially when I am living in my moments and not behind or in front of them.  

I am realizing that the word Enjoy means “IN JOY”.  Now, that makes sense! I am being IN JOY as I play peek-a-boo with my grandson or watch my cat being mesmerized by a fly.  It’s that I actually show up for my life now rather than busy myself with something else.  I guess when it comes right down to it; that’s what life really is all about.  Life isn’t about winning the lotto, getting that promotion or fitting into size 4 Gap jeans.  Those things might be great, but it’s the day to day living moments that matter the most.  That is living IN JOY. 

Right now I’m sitting at my kitchen table listening to the tick of my fingers on my orange laptop keyboard.  In this very moment I am living IN JOY as I give my full attention to this writing.  I figure, in life I get to choose.  It’s not the circumstances that bring joy; it’s me bringing my joy to circumstances. 

How can you set the intention to ”in joy” your day today?

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It’s Halloween, the start of the holiday season.  There’s a knock at the door!  “Gam, Gam”!   I know that tiny voice, it’s my grandson.  I run to get my camera, open the door and hear “twick or tweat”.  My heart melts.  Amazing!  In those sweet, adorable blue eyes I see life in full circle. 

Rewind 24 years ago, my son was two.  I was on the other side of the “trick or treat” door, visiting my own in-laws home on Halloween.  But….it seems like such a short time ago.  Wow! 

As my grandson walks away with his bucket of candy, I feel the tears, happy ones!  I am so blessed to be alive in this moment.  I want to savor my life.  It’s going by at lightning speed.  I have been coming and going in my day to day repetitive motions.  I get it!  I was 27 and now I’m 51 and I can recognize the in betweens.  

There’s just something about the holidays that makes me feel like mush.  I don’t know if it’s the swish of the cold autumn air, the candy or just the excitement of it all!  It helps me remember the warm & fun feelings that holidays bring.  It’s stepping out of the day to day normalcy and into magic.   As the holidays end, I can hear myself say “they won’t be back for a whole year”, than before I know it, it’s October again.  Time flies, I swear!   

What I want to say to you my friend is Stop and Notice.  Where are you now?  Look around; ’cause it’s in this very minute as you read this blog….your life is happening, be it Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas or a normal Tuesday afternoon.  As years build upon years notice, see the connection between what was and is.  

How about if you kiss your husband and be in the kiss?  Double hug your kids.  Listen to your cat purr and feel her vibrating skin.  Go outside and touch the cool autumn rain even if it washes your make up off!  Believe me, you won’t remember the makeup, but you will remember the way the rain touched your heart.

Savor it, breathe it in.  Life ~ is a gift.