a different kind of bravo

At weight watchers, you are encouraged to share your weight loss successes and when you do, no matter how small, you get a bravo sticker.  I have collected several of those now...

Tonight I had a different kind of bravo, it wasn't weight related since I didn't lose any this week (broke even).  Last week was the first time that since I started this round's weight loss journey that three different people on different occasions mentioned that they could tell I had lost some weight.  I shared that fun bit of news tonight and I got a bravo sticker.

I forget with my end goal in mind that there are so many small successes along the way.  Tonight I went to my first Zumba class all by myself.  I have this debilitating complex where my fear of what people think of me and looking dumb will keep me from doing all sorts of things that I'd like.  Tonight was almost one of the times as I stood at the back of the class and debated when I should jump in (I came late).  I may have stood there longer letting my $10 go down the drain if one of the trainers hadn't come over and started doing the moves with me.  It wasn't until way into the routine that I noticed even she wasn't doing all the moves as well as the instructor.  Silly Leah.  I came away with a fantastic workout.

I forget to remember such little but very encouraging victories.  I read my best friend blog tonight after my meeting.  I was so encouraged as she shared about powering through her 10 mile run while fasting.  It was no easy feat but I learned much from her in that story.  The harder her run became, the more she zoned in on Jesus.  He provided little things she needed to get her through the run including a break, a sermon to listen to on her Ipod, some friends from her small group who happened to show up on that same trail.  God gives me those little things too.  A husband that lights up whenever he sees me making a good choice whether or not it results in weight loss, a friend who is waiting for my text after my meeting and continues to offer me weight watchers tips through the week to stay on track, my students who stand up and cheer for me each time I tell them I lost only 1 more pound. 

Tonight was a different kind of bravo but it was a bravo.  I pray that you will consider what you deserve a bravo for.

Excited face or not excited face

Have you ever thought about how another person's reaction to seeing you makes you feel?  For some reason this has been on my mind lately as a teacher and as a friend.  At school I stand outside my door when my kids are coming in and I've noticed my students' reaction depending on how I greet them.  When I am sort of blase in my greeting and lazy smile, they return the same reaction.  However, two of my 8th graders rounded the corner, I got so excited to see them (it wasn't an act) and you should have seen the look on their face. 

On the other side, I just saw two different friends.  One of them gave me a huge smile and was seemed really happy to see me.  The other while I'm sure what also happy to see me as she usually is, did not seem today particularly excited that I was there and I realized inside of myself how differently that felt.

So the lesson I learn from this experience is that I'm not sure we realize the impact that our passion for people can invoke in them.  People might tend to label me as too exuberant or emotional but I get to experience first hand how a person's face lights up when I take my excitement level up a notch.