Thank you so much Maria. I am just now getting this going over here. It's going to take a while before I can afford to subscribe to others; yours is tops on my list. Please keep an eye out; I'll be referencing you and your excellent work regularly.
I'm just learning it. After five years on Medium I get to learn a whole new community. I miss being able to highlight and I get frustrated that most folks require paid subs for me to comment freely but I'll figure it out. Thanks so much.
Kristi, you are an adventurer as well. Your adventures- both traveling and internal- simply take you to different destinations, and you write so beautifully about them. The great value of this is that it reminds all of us, including Dear Reader, that we are all of us on the great story arc. What that looks like, and how we manage that story, and how we allow ourselves to fall down, get up, giggle, shake it off and then get the hell going again is precisely what life is all about. You have had your share of Awful. And you keep shaking it off. That's resilience. It's YOUR resilience. Your way.
I'm not sure we ever evolve out of that state, Kristi. Same way for me. I nearly lost everything last year when Medium went stupid, and then I had seven major surgeries which took me off the adventure trail and cost me a share of fitness. Oh, and I gained 25 lbs, like, COME ON man. So the weight is off now, I am back hiking sand dunes, and back at the gym on a comeback trail. It's all good, lessons galore, but that was my share of Awful too. The alternatives are unacceptable. Nobody gets to dodge Awful. Nobody. But Goddesses turn that shit into shine. And speaking of shine I need to get mine on at the gym!
I needed to hear that 25 lb thing because I've put on almost 15 with my knee injury this summer. Time to take it off again and get back to feeling normal!
Kristi, while I was down under Covid, I snacked on chocolate almonds. REALLY NOW. Then while I recovered from all those surgeries I couldn't stop sneaking an extra Snickers bar. So last June, I got his ugly viral bronchitis and bloody well couldn't eat for about two weeks, at least not more than broth. I took that opportunity to retool. All the chocolate took a hike. I went back to what I know works for me. Every week a few ounces have dropped off. Steady steady steady. The other day I got into a pair of leather pants that I had given up for good. Damned good thing I hadn't sold 'em. Here's the best remedy, which is what I do every time: decide to LOVE YOURSELF AND YOUR BIGGER BODY JUST AS IT IS. Then go out and buy a full wardrobe of gorgeous clothing for that bigger body. Somehow, the body then decides to shed the extra weight, and now the whole GD wardrobe doesn't fit. AND you threw out all your good stuff from your lighter body, right?
Great story telling. Loved it! And so much truth there.
Thank you so much Maria. I am just now getting this going over here. It's going to take a while before I can afford to subscribe to others; yours is tops on my list. Please keep an eye out; I'll be referencing you and your excellent work regularly.
Thank you! Good luck with Substack. It's a good place to be.
I'm just learning it. After five years on Medium I get to learn a whole new community. I miss being able to highlight and I get frustrated that most folks require paid subs for me to comment freely but I'll figure it out. Thanks so much.
This was an awesome story. I applaud people like you and Cheryl Strayed because I'm pretty sure I'm fine jusr watching other people do this 😁
Kristi, you are an adventurer as well. Your adventures- both traveling and internal- simply take you to different destinations, and you write so beautifully about them. The great value of this is that it reminds all of us, including Dear Reader, that we are all of us on the great story arc. What that looks like, and how we manage that story, and how we allow ourselves to fall down, get up, giggle, shake it off and then get the hell going again is precisely what life is all about. You have had your share of Awful. And you keep shaking it off. That's resilience. It's YOUR resilience. Your way.
Julia, thank you for acknowledging "my share of awful." You're right, and we always keep bouncing back because what are the alternatives?
I have been an adventurer in the past and part of my bouncing back is being here on Substack. I'm just a girl looking to find herself again!
I'm not sure we ever evolve out of that state, Kristi. Same way for me. I nearly lost everything last year when Medium went stupid, and then I had seven major surgeries which took me off the adventure trail and cost me a share of fitness. Oh, and I gained 25 lbs, like, COME ON man. So the weight is off now, I am back hiking sand dunes, and back at the gym on a comeback trail. It's all good, lessons galore, but that was my share of Awful too. The alternatives are unacceptable. Nobody gets to dodge Awful. Nobody. But Goddesses turn that shit into shine. And speaking of shine I need to get mine on at the gym!
I needed to hear that 25 lb thing because I've put on almost 15 with my knee injury this summer. Time to take it off again and get back to feeling normal!
Kristi, while I was down under Covid, I snacked on chocolate almonds. REALLY NOW. Then while I recovered from all those surgeries I couldn't stop sneaking an extra Snickers bar. So last June, I got his ugly viral bronchitis and bloody well couldn't eat for about two weeks, at least not more than broth. I took that opportunity to retool. All the chocolate took a hike. I went back to what I know works for me. Every week a few ounces have dropped off. Steady steady steady. The other day I got into a pair of leather pants that I had given up for good. Damned good thing I hadn't sold 'em. Here's the best remedy, which is what I do every time: decide to LOVE YOURSELF AND YOUR BIGGER BODY JUST AS IT IS. Then go out and buy a full wardrobe of gorgeous clothing for that bigger body. Somehow, the body then decides to shed the extra weight, and now the whole GD wardrobe doesn't fit. AND you threw out all your good stuff from your lighter body, right?
Works every time. :-()
I'm 😂😂😂 my ass off over here because I've HAD THAT WARDROBE many times in my lifetime! And you're right, it works EVERY damn time 😂
If we didn't get out there and make perfect horses' asses of ourselves, honestly, Kristi, where's the fun, right?