I just got off of the phone with DM who is successfully maintaining her 37 lb weight loss.  In addition to some health issues related to her spine, something that has occupied a great deal of time and energy over the last 10 years, she’s no bigger than a minute and would give any snazzy, clothes-horse, runway  model a run for their money.   I know this because I see DM regularly.   It’s always exciting to see what new bauble she’ll be wearing, or cool shoes (the most recent were spikey and leopard skin-ish), or what belt she’ll have chosen to offset her latest ensemble.  So when she approached me about losing weight, I was intrigued.  Oh, and did I forget to mention that DM just happens to be ‘almost’ 80 years old.  Wow!  What a treat this would be for me to work with her.  Bright, present and awesome in her enthusiasm for seeking optimal health.  So we began. 

Health Coaching has taken me to some incredible places in this last 1 1/2 years.  When I think about where I’ve gone and those I’ve met, it’s been so amazing.  Where it has taken me personally has been even more so.   Making choices which once felt impossible,  achieving goals which at one time did not even exist, or conquering issues that have felt insurmountable.  Once I learned the Habits of Health myself, sharing them became the goal.   Sharing them with someone like DM who has wisdom far greater than mine with a mind and heart to match.  

In six short months, she arrived at her goal.    As if it were possible for DM to look better, yet there she stood.  Twinkly eyes, nails and hair done, and of course, those shoes!  Amazing!  If we have met and achieved goals over and over again in our lives, we know the satisfaction derived from just that accomplishment.  DM I strongly suspect is one of those.   So yet again she has arrived. 

What’s the lesson that DM’s example sets for us?  Well, that certainly the time for goal setting has no expiration date.  The opportunity to achieve goals is clearly always there.  The vibration of feel-good feedback that we can have when we achieve our goals is still the best part, and obviously our chances to experience that are yet to be taken.  I finally believe that no matter where we are in life, looking forward can be our only concern….looking to creating something new….optimal health in this case.  After all what does looking back bring us other than perhaps reminders that we had goals at one time that ended up parked in a heap like a pile of twisted metal in some junk yard of our distant dreams.  By the way, there’s nothing wrong with dreaming….but we need to attach behaviour to the dreams we consider to be most significant.

This goal is achievable.  This goal is worthwhile.  This goal may very well be the dream realized.   Take a page out of DM’s book.  She’s no hollow dreamer, she’s a do-er!   We can do it together as did she and I.  Just drop the concept and move in the direction that your most ambitious goals will take you.    Along the way you too may meet someone like DM who will validate your decisions and who knows?  Maybe even become a fellow do-er!