Embracing the irony and paradox of change in life

When people talk about life changing in a split second, we often think of things like natural disasters or sickness that changes our lives by throwing a wrench into our daily routines or our plans for the future. But life can change course quickly in positive directions, too. Sometimes in unexpected ways and sometimes from a choice we make. And sometimes life can throw disasters at us that we turn into positive experiences depending on our perspective and decisions.

The past few years have included a lot of change for me. The paradox is that many changes start with a split second change, but the effect of the change lasts a long time and changes the entire trajectory of the next phase of life.

Retiring from teaching was a pretty abrupt and unexpected event, after which, I sold my townhouse and moved to Lombard to enjoy a new life closer to my family and more carefree apartment life. That was tough on me physically.

Then I got embroiled in writing and Tweeting with Undead Walking. I met lots of people and I got to keep very busy in my transition into retirement.

I wish I could remember what I was thinking on the day I decided that it was time for me to lose some weight and be serious about it. But I remember knowing that it was a decision that was going to change the direction of my life. I was serious. I didn't know if my body was going to respond to my decision, but I was not playing. I wasn't in denial or making excuses in my mind any more. I was not going to accept it anymore. I wasn't ashamed of myself, but I was not comfortable in that body. And it was getting bigger.

I'd been plugging along slowly but surely and doing well and enjoying the process; but all of a sudden in the last week, I reached a point where I'm becoming comfortable in this new body even though it's a different shape and size. It's like my brain just caught up with my body.

I don't know what this means for the next phase of my work in training moving forward. I just know I'm having so much fun working out. I love the hell out of my trainer. I know that the winter isn't going to be the same struggle this year that it usually is. And I'm happier than I've been in a long time.

So I look forward to whatever monkey wrenches come up next; hopefully they will turn into cool unexpected things. And I hope to make more decisions that will lead to a better and better future.