It’s Not About What I Lost, But What I Gained
28 Apr
And now, here’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Drum roll please ….. I lost 18 pounds! Alright, I know, this is not a world record and not that monumental in the grand scheme of things. However, I am more impressed with what I gained than with what I lost.
I gained a new found appreciation for the importance of camaraderie with my fellow teammates. Together we encouraged each other, shared tips, suggestions, accomplishments and issues.
I gained more energy. This did not come right away though. In the beginning, it was painful and boring. It was painful to pass up on so many of the foods that I love. It was painful to hardwire new habits. Exercise was boring at times. But I learned to shake it up and add a variety of work-outs into my routine. And in a short amount of time, I began to feel healthier. Some of my newfound energy was psychological in that I was proud of myself for sticking to the plan, but in time it also became physical. I now understand the concept of “runner’s high.” Once you are on the exercise path, you don’t want to stop. There are days when I drive home thinking up excuses not to hit the trail, but then I realize I really do want to work out. If nothing else, it’s a great way to relieve tension after a tough day.
And finally, I gained a better sense of self. Getting through to the other side was not always easy, but I did it. I changed my habits through more nutritious and thought-out meals. I donned my sweats and moved a lot more and now my clothes fit better.
They say it takes 30 days to break a habit. Changing ingrained behavior patterns is never easy. Nothing happens by chance though. It is our thoughts that build our character and our circumstances in life are created by our thoughts. So, going forward, I will remember all I have gained rather than the pounds I lost. And now, I would like to challenge you! What old habits can we as the Inova team break in order to make our future challenges easier? Let’s work together to lose our old “weights” and gain momentum as we head into these new challenging times ahead.
As promised, I am also announcing a winner to the “Guess My Weight” contest. The winner is Ilcias Vargas, Cardio Invasive Specialist at Inova Alexandria Hospital and he wins a gift card for a sporting goods store – congratulations!
Congrats, Knox! This is the stuff that we ask our patients to dig into every day. When I struggle with my own health issues, it is easy for me to reflect that there are so many who have it harder than me. It is always good to count your blessings. May you continue to enjoy your great health benefits and increased energy.
Thank you for leading by example!
We need to break the habit of assuming that adding steps to a process will lead to higher quality. Frequently, the entire process needs evaluation to identify and remove steps that can lead to failure.
I am glad that we get this opportunity to interact with you on a personal level. However, would it be possible for the senior administrators of the hospitals and you to visit the units at all of the hospitals occasionally? A picture is one thing but meeting you personally would have a great impact on staff maybe.
Thank you. Keep up the progress. Maybe we can start a walking program during lunch time…
What lunch break?