Ok, so I confess...I skipped work to go to OolaPalooza Day 2. I put in for a sub, having been unable to get one for days before and I figured if I was supposed to go, God will make it happen. Well, lo and behold...it did!
This is how I look at it...I can't take care of someone else unless I put my oxygen mask on first. And so, this was my oxygen mask. I knew God was calling me to this -- I did! And so, I went without hesitation.
Truth is, I felt a twinge of guilt but when I listened to the piece on OolaBlockers and OolaAccelerators, I was all ears. Yes, I have heard this before. Not only have I read it in the book, "Oola: Find Balance in an Unbalanced World", but I have sat through two OolaPalooza's. And yes, each time, I get something different out of it. Last year, I was all about self. This year, it's legacy. Yes, I am looking to leave my mark on the world.
I also figured out why I am struggling with my fitness goal. I have several OolaBlockers at play. The good news is, I also have several OolaAccelerators going on. I don't know how it will play out exactly because each year is different. But I do know this...I will reach my fitness goal of a healthy BMI. I will also hit my finance hard. This year, I need to make a will, save $1,000 and start working toward paying down debt to the tune of an extra $150 per month. These are things I know will happen.
I have already started my Oola goal of putting down my phone at 5 PM, so that I can be present with my family. Additionally, I have begun reading Scripture daily -- whether a devotional or the Bible itself. I feel good about hitting those goals.
As they talked about OolaBlockers and Accelerators, I realized that I could just write freely what I was feeling on my heart. I discovered a lot about myself as a result. I found in the section of gratitude that there were so many things I was grateful for -- so many bad things that caused me so much pain and anger, yet they were all things I could say brought a new meaning or dimension to my life. I just had to find out why I was grateful for them happening. I easily wrote 10 things down and each one had a reason for being grateful. And that exercise helped me to pay it forward.
The next day, I talked with a student about keeping a gratitude journal. This student suffers from depression and as a result, although extremely bright, struggles to get through her days. So I asked her to write one sentence a day. I am grateful for... I told her, even if she is not having a good day, to write down what is happening and what she can learn from it. I gave her the example of having to sell everything off when I got divorced. I told her even though I had to do that, I was glad I did because it made me strong. She understood the concept and now she is going to do it.
Since going to OolaPalooza this year, I have a new-found passion for living. It's like I've discovered myself all over again. I love my life -- I love the things I learned. It has made me appreciate all I have been through. I needed that day...yes, even teachers need a day off if it means getting healthier to serve others.
And so, OolaPalooza in my mind. worth all the time and energy spent to get there. I talked with people I haven't seen in a year, met with my mentor and found that there is just so much more living I have left to do. I am grateful for the opportunity to have gone and even more grateful for what I came away with; passion, integrity, love, humility, gratitude, discipline, and wisdom. These are all things that help you to move forward in life.
And so, once again, I thank Dr. Dave Braun and Dr. Troy Ahmdahl for a job well done. Without them and Oola, I know that my life would be far less complete. I feel happier than I've ever been and so incredibly grateful and full of joy. Life is good when you go after your Oola life!
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