Sprint To The New Year Week 11 Focus:

2011 REFLECTION

"By the time you’ve completed all the preceding assignments and action steps you will have experienced more growth and improvement than people typically go through in a decade or more. Now you have a profound opportunity to reflect upon and expand your awareness of just how far you’ve come. The more you actualize the lessons learned and insight gained, the deeper and more profound your transformation becomes. With that in mind, let’s now take a look at your life in transformation."
~ Bill Phillips

Required Related Action

Please post responses in this thread (you may want to save it in your own blog too):

1) State the date you joined this group. Re-read your profile comments and blogs you created during your first week here, as well as your introduction to the group (either in the Introductions thread or the thread corresponding with the date you joined - click HERE to see a list of all of our threads from the year). Think about how you were feeling and how you were living your life at that time. Think about what brought you to the Transformation Community.
Sit with yourself and fully absorb all of the ways in which you have grown through engaging in this community connection.

2) When reading the thread from the very first week you joined and observe how your teamies have grown since then.

3) Review your original WHY and contemplate how that will change when you set goals for the New Year.

4) List the top 3 personal benefits you have gained through your experience with Team M & C throughout the year.

5) State the single greatest obstacle you faced this year and triumpantly tell us what opportunities you discovered in that obstacle.

Week 1 Focus Tools: Over the years, Bill Phillips has gifted us with a bouquet of amazing Transformation Tools to use - all available to us at no cost, so let's use them! Nothing here is required reading...just some sources of valuable information that you may find helpful as you create and work toward accomplishing your goals.

Transformation Text:
Chapter 18: Reflection & Awareness - I find the accompanying Action Step 18 to be a very powerful assignment and strongly recommend completing it again - in fact, MANY of you never did it the first time - do yourself a favor and DO IT!

From Bill's Blog Archives:
Resolutions Into Results -- I find this a very valuable tool for setting and achieving goals.

I invite and encourage you all to share any and all reflections you experience this week - I suspect there will be many. Just posting this thread, I could not keep my eyes dry. These reflections actually began for many of us last week, so if you haven't read the last week's thread, you may want to. Click HERE to do so.

Beautiful People - oh and yes you are each so incredibly beautiful - inside and out - this is it. It is Team M & C's final thread. Writing this post - heck, just logging in this morning, has my tears streaming down my cheek. There is so much to say, and I will have to say it in bits and pieces throughout the week. It is going to be a very emotional week for many of us.

Announcements:

1. This thread will run for 10 days, allowing us to share our New Year's Eve experiences with each other. The thread, and the group, will formally close on Wednesday, January 4th.

2. Our last Marty led Team Conference Call will be held Wednesday night at it's normal time. I will be participating and I hope that all of you will too. More details coming soon.

Reminders:

This group was created as a new members group for 2011. It was designed to run one year - it has and the experience has far surpassed my expectations.

CHANGE is inevitable - CHANGE is difficult - CHANGE is scary - CHANGE brings growth - EMBRACE IT!!

Emotions can bring on bouts of EMO-EATING - don't let those mental gremlins get to you - Squash them the minute they rear their ugly little heads!

You will have questions.
They will be answered to the best of my ability.
We will continue to communicate freely, openly, candidly and honestly.
Your feelings are welcome - whatever they may be.

Holy cow! it's noon on the west coast, and there are no other posts besides Carins here? Maybe there is something wrong with my computer screen? Am I in the right place?

Anyway...just stopping in to say hello. I've started the cleansing process of clearing my gut of some food I ate that I shouldn't have over the weekend. So thankful that "off" eating days don't completely derail me anymore...just pick up and move on. Although I do "feel" all over my body the effects of the processed carbs. *ug*

Brian and I are taking a small trip north today and into the evening. I am SO looking forward to it too. We are going to Hearst Castle. We've been before but this trip is in the evening. It's all decorated for Christmas, and there will be people dressed up from the time period when Hearst Castle was in official use. (the 1930's) It's kind of hard to get tickets to this, so I am glad we were able to secure them this year.

Many thoughts and feelings about the thread closing after this week. No time to put it into words right now, and will probably share on the call rather than put it in print.

Carin: I love ya!!

Much love and many hugs to you all. Hope you have a blessed day. ~Alicia

: (

I'm sure there will be plenty of us on the call Wedneday for the last time!

I can only imagine the time and commitment it has taken for Carin to run the thread and support all the new comers (many who have stuck around the entire year) and help them find their way and for Marty to oversee the conference call each and every week! So many emotions .. love..sadness..celebrations..frustrations..joy.. has been shouldered by both of you. The two of you have blessed so many in more ways than can ever be expressed! Nothing but good wishes to both of you as you move on to your next calling, whatever that may be. Your time here will never be forgotten, as so much has been gained by so many (but not pounds...lol!!!!) !

What a week it will be! Cannot imagine the emotions and tears and love yet to be shared in the short time remaining!!! But we have been equipped by the best to dig deep and carry on!! I hope to honor Carin and Marty by living out the many things that I have learned from them in the short time that I have been with Team M&C! I know it has made a difference in the lives of Dave and I that will carry on forever, along with all that has been shared by so many here on this thread!

I cannot ever explain the blessing that I experienced by meeting so many of you in Denver and Waukegan! Hope to still meet many more of you in the future, somewhere, somehow!!

Hello from the Magic Kingdom! Just wanted to check in quick & say hi.

Well said Lisa, I am sure none of us wanted to see the group end, but we have the tools to carry on and make 2012 the best yet! I appreciate all of Carin's efforts-not just the time putting the threads up each week, but "after hours" responding to emails and just thinking about each of us throughout the day, oftentimes putting in more time than she should have. Like I told Carin, it's like a band-aid, it will hurt for a few seconds and then we'll be just fine. I am looking at the fear as a motivator to do new things and reach out more to others. Well, gotta go-hope everyone has a great week! Kathy

Oh my goodness! Did I scare everyone away?? Hey, when I said "CONGRATS you did it", I did not mean it's over...we still have a week to go before our Sprint/HHC challenge is over!! Soooooooooooooooo, I fully expect that we will all continue honoring our self-promises, aiming toward our goals, entering our daily accountability, and encouraging our APs to FINISH STRONG!

I honestly, contemplated whether or not to make those announcements today, or if I should hold off til the end of the week, but after a TON of thought, I felt it would be simply too abrupt to throw it out there at the very end of the week. This allows us all to share what we need to share as we progress through the week. Do NOT allow this to dampen your spirit - allow it to brighten it. We have sooooo much to celebrate together in this week! So by all means, quit lurking and POST, will ya?

Thank you Alicia and Lisa for braving what appear to be chilly waters and sharing your posts this morning!!

Missed you Kathy - thank YOU too! I loved your analogy about the pain being brief - kinda like a band-aid!

Another reason I made the annoucements to begin the week is I would like each of you to contemplate stepping forward and possibly leading a group in the New Year - all of you who successfully completed the 18 week challenges have all it takes to create a group and continue sharing the journey with the world! Several strong leaders have emerged throughout this year and we'd all love to see one (or more) of you take the reigns!! Anyone considering doing so, please know that I am here and more than willing to help you get the ball rolling, answer your questions, quell your fears, or just listen to your ideas. All that is required is a passion for the Transformation Process and a desire to make a difference in the lives of others. You ALL possess both!!

Get those clean eats and exercise in folks! I am off to do some burpees - just because I no longer 'have to'. lol

Just got into Wichita after a 13 hour drive. Recurrent training all week and getting home sat. after an all night drive friday. Tomorrow is 8:00am - 7:30 PM . It is the longest day of the week. Not sure how much time I will be in here this week

My heart is saddened and knew this day would come. I did not want to read the enevitable when I logged on, I knew the end was near, but trying not to focus on it. I will miss this group, but will take so many memories with me as we move on from here. What a year it has been. I am very sad that I most likely will not make the call this week, due to all of the training

Much more to say in the days to come.

Dave

Hello all! Hoping you all survived the hustle and bustle of the season! We're finally back home and done with our travels. We had very nice Christmases with both of our families. I wasn't on plan whatsoever this weekend. Truth be told, there weren't even healthy options to choose should I have wanted to. I'm honestly not exaggerating....I've spent countless previous holidays oblivious to what's healthy, what's available, etc. and now that I'm in my groove, I was so astutely aware of how unhealthy my in-laws eat around the holidays....not talking bad about them by any means, it just is what it is. I could have packed our own food - I know this and am not making excuses for myself. However, I simply tried to limit my portions, and skipped extra treats (cookies, caramel corn, etc.). I'm happy to be back home...we seriously *craved* a healthy meal, and I'm happy to report that our fridge and cupboards are appropriately stocked and we made a delightful chicken salad for dinner.

Regarding the closing of group....I'm certainly sad to lose this connection. But what I've learned in my relatively brief time here (since May 2011) will last me a lifetime. And I couldn't be more proud of my seestor and how much time and effort she has dedicated here.

~ Jamie

Dr's orders, I cannot do Burpees (really!!!).....but here's our contribution to the Burpee Challenge. Carin, the quality is terrible, but I hope this makes you smile:

Bill's Burpee

We love you. Merry Christmas!

Lisa

EEK! Did Christmas happen again?? Maybe everyone's just in a gift-wrapping coma?? I just read through all the threads and there's SO much love in here and SO much support and such a beautiful amount of sharing. I want to say my thank-you's as well. I have been trying to shed weight in a healthy and sustainable manner for over 20 years. I was well aware of the tools: healthy eating and exercise. And was fully capable of utilizing said tools. But something was resisting. Something was getting in the way of success for me. It wasn't until landing in this group of go-getters and fear-busters that I was finally able to start shedding some weight--not just for a few days or a week or a month, but for good. I know the power to change is in there and I have wanted to let it out, but I have all of you to THANK for reminding me of this, for encouraging me and for supporting me on a daily basis through your words and shared experiences. So, THANK YOUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, I've skipped a few RRA's, but will commit to doing this final one to close our year out on a good note. I am committing to 100% GROK style for the next 4 days and am going to kick-start my 4 day challenge with a pre-4-day killer BodyWeight/KettleBell Workout Sesh. Love you all, looking forward to the future, for the unknown, for the challenges, for the achievements, for the adventure and smiling with fondness for our shared past. Rest well Teamies and Cheers to TOMORROW!!
XOXOXO
Leah!!

OMGOSH!!! Lisa, WAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYY too funny!!!! Laughed so hard my eyes watered. By the time I watched it the 4th time, my cheeks hurt!!! Love the heart of your man - willing to play with us!!! Way to represent Bill Coverdale!!! We love you too!!!! Can't shake this smile!!! And any time I feel less than happy, I will replay this brief, but powerful, clip!!! Clarke's gonna love it too!!!

Leah, I AM IN!!! Love the burst of energy you just delivered and I can't possibly let you gROK it alone, so I am in 100% GROK style for the next 4 days!!! I am gonna go super strict with my eats those 4 days - think strict BFL guidelines - NO FLUFF! On my way to the kitchen right now to make some HB eggs and make a powerful protein Green Shake rich with nutrients so I wake tomorrow ready and rarin' to gROK it with you!!
I believe for many, what is missing in their attempts to improve their health is a community connection - I know without a doubt, it was the missing link for me.
BTW - I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your label - "FEARBUSTERS"!! YES, that is what we are!! Look at all the fears we faced head on and overcame this year - every single one of us!!

Lisa and Bill....love your Burpee contribution!!! I totally understand the dr's order for you not to do them with your heel problem!!! Burpees (we called them down and outs) and mountain climbers are what put me into a 1 year+ recovery for plantar fascitius when I was involved in a boot camp that I refused to back down from any exercise!!! Paid for that dearly for a long, long time! Ha, didn't think I'd ever walk normal again!!! Thanks for the laugh : ) Bill, you were awesome!!!

Dang ladies, are you saying that Burpees and Mountain Climbers are dangerous to our health?? Or did they exacerbate a pre-existing injury?

Pre-existing for me....Just aggrivated it to the point of no return when I knew better, but didn't listen to my body : ( I was listening to my "drill sargent" at boot camp instead ! Probably not dangerous to health of the feet if they aren't already stressed!

Pre-existing for me, too.....neck injury going back many years ago~

It is interesting though, because it's very jarring on the neck, I've noticed great tension in the neck since doing the burpees, I'm trying to slow it down and really focus on form right now. I'm seeing where the extra stress in the neck comes from and trying to adjust accordingly.

LOVED Bill's video too, now THAT is dedication!

Speaking of, just wanted to throw some goals out there onto the GROK Challenge table. My goals for these next 4 days are to absolutely eat clean, which means healthy portions, no cheats, no sugars (aside from whole fruit), no coffee (for me, this is necessary, NOT a GROK requirement fyi), no alcohol and no depleting foods (processed, refined, etc.). In addition to clean eats I will be getting the following workouts in: Tuesday 40 mins of intervals split between stair master and elliptical, Weds. Bodyweight/Kettlebell workout similar to this evenings WO, Thursday BOOTCAMP! and Friday BW/KB WO with possible walk. With exercise in mind, my goal is to add a rep to each exercise or push it just one inch further, to go beyond my comfort level. With joy in mind, at the bare minimum I will dance EVERY day. I just got a sweet new pair of earbuds for my ipod and I will lock those in and shake it for at least 10 minutes of pure joy! I will post daily in the thread and send word to DaveG to say YES, I'm slayin' it today! And finally, I will be in bed by or before 1 am every day. With that said, it's time for bed. Looking forward to waking up tomorrow, lacing up my sneaks and hitting the machines! Night ya'll!!

Food plan for Tuesday:

shake
yogurt & berries
grilled chicken& pasta,steamed vegies
yogurt & berries
shake
zumba
orange

Yes, this does make me emotional. Don't leave me

Yes Carin, Clarke liked the Bill Burpee video too. I didn't get on the thread yesterday until just before midnight when I got home from work. 1st 15 hour day I have worked in a long time. My night cook came to work sick and I sent him home and worked his shift myself.

I too am sad about the inevitable with the thread closing as it has been a lifeline for me. I am very clear that much of my success in being able to workout like a madman, eat cleaner than ever before in my life, refrain from drinking hard alcohol and beer and do the inner work I have done this year is because of Carin’s guidance , my connection with this group and my respect for my team mates here. It is going to be tough to find anything that will match the power of Team M & C but I must, for I know I cannot go it alone and expect sustainable stellar results.

I’ll write more on this throughout the week I’m sure but I just wanted to say this before I walk the dog and do my daily burpees (don’t tell me the burpee challenge over, I don’t want to know). I plan to do a minimum of 36 a day until the end of the year just to break 1,000. I think I’ll set a goal of a certain number of pushups or pull ups for next month (I don’t do to many of either at this time). It’s been a real good thing for me, these burpees.
Catch you later.
Clarke

Goals for 12/27 – 1/1/12

I am not setting any “goals” this week. I am going to think about what I want to accomplish in my next 18 week challenge, with OA and what my abstinence for 2012 will be. I am allowing myself a week for reflection, planning and whatever else I choose to do.

I have so much to be grateful for that it is amazing and humbling. I have some changes coming up and I know more will follow. I have no control over the outcomes. All I can do is be responsible for me, do the best I can and let it go.

I had written the above before I followed the link to this thread. Then I read Carin’s words and thought of how close they were to what I had chosen to do for this week. Since I was already in the mind set of review, renew and explore I figured I would complete the assignment.

State the date you joined this group

I found T-com on May 18, 2011. On June 9, 2011 I joined this group. I was scared, nervous and worried about what this would be like but I choose to take the step and try. I am still changing and have a long way to go to reach my goals but I have learned to blog, share and am ok with where I am.

2) When reading the thread from the very first week you joined and observe how your teamies have grown since then.

My teammates and the growth I have seen has been incredible, amazing, wonderful, inspiring and beautiful. I have been gifted with their stories, inspired by their growth, strength, grace, power, love, caring and sharing. I have read how they have handled loss, grief, joy, wonder and excitement. I have read how they have pushed themselves physically, spiritually, emotionally and psychologically. I have seen them blow their goals out of the water, eliminate huge amounts of fat, re -sculpt, restructure and re-create themselves.

I have been lucky enough to share in the glow of all of their love, caring and support. I have been so inspired by their selflessness, courage, tenacity and growth. I have laughed at their stories, cried over some of them or sat in awe and amazement at the depth of their commitment and caring.

I could write a book filled with all of the changes, growth, self-awareness and beauty I have seen in this group in the 6 months I have been here. I feel so grateful for all the experience, strength and hope I have been able to see in all of you and I am so glad I found you all and this group.

]3) Review your original WHY and contemplate how that will change when you set goals for the New Year.

I think Carin read my mind when she posted this question. I have already started to think about what my new goals would be and how my why would look. I know my why will still have 90% of the same elements in it. I know I will be adding another hour of some kind of exercise. I know I will be restating my abstinence and looking at my second 18 weeks.

4) List the top 3 personal benefits you have gained through your experience with Team M & C throughout the year.

Whew! The top 3 personal benefits I have received through my experience with this group are:
I have learned to be okay with where I am, with making mistakes, with not being perfect and to set goals and work towards them.

I have learned to begin to open up and share and not worry so much about how others will interpret those shares.

I have learned that it is possible to create a bond of trust, hope love, strength and caring with people I have not actually met in person.

5) State the single greatest obstacle you faced this year and triumphantly tell us what opportunities you discovered in that obstacle.

The greatest obstacle I have faced is myself. I have learned I can implement changes and I can choose to fight for the gift of regaining my balance. I have learned I am not perfect and I do not have to be perfect. I have learned I do not need to be so harsh, judgmental, strict and punishing towards myself. I have learned that I need to go slow and take baby steps as I choose to fight for recovery and move towards my goals. I have learned I used food as a prop to get through, accomplish, stifle, support, encourage, love and silence myself. I have learned to sit with emotions, to think about why I want to eat and that it is 100% okay to struggle and have to work at all of that. I have learned I DESERVE to treat myself the way I treat others and I DESERVE to take care of myself and I can CHOOSE to do that.

I feel many things when I think that the group is closing and the calls are ending. I knew that this was coming. Carin had shared a beautiful letter with us to let us know this was coming. I think she has given so much to all of us. I know I cannot imagine a better way to honor the time, effort and energy she has shared and given then to keep going on my journey, sharing my struggles, successes and hope.

Usually I like change. I think it helps me learn and accept and grow. I have choices to make here and I hope that some of us choose to create a new group so we can keep learning and stretching and changing and give the gifts Carin planted of courage, love and support to others.

Yes, I am sad and I am worried and anxious but I have to let it go and trust that what will come up for 2012 will honor what I have learned here and let me continue to learn and share with all of you. I imagine there will be lots of laughs, tears and love this week...I hope there will be excitement for 2012 and what this will bring for all of us.

Love - Sandy