My "Aha" Moment

What if you were given the chance to tell the world one of your "aha moments?"  I'm talking about sitting down in front of a video camera and telling the story about a pivotal moment in your life that pretty much changed everything for you. What would you say? What would I say?

It was most definitely a serendipitous "cosmic coincidence" (which isn't a coincidence at all) that I received the following email last Monday, May 17th on my 37th birthday...two days before my hip surgery. 

I work for the company that is producing Mutual of Omaha’s “proud sponsor of life’s aha moments” campaign– visit www.ahamoment.com<http://www.ahamoment.com>  to see what an aha moment is and the great real stories we filmed during the campaign in 2009.

Associated to that, we have a 34-foot Airstream mobile film studio that is traveling the US on a 25-city tour to capture the country’s aha moments. We are headed to Austin this  Thursday, May 20th & Friday, May 21st, and would love to invite you  to share what lead you to lose 60 pounds & focus on your health, and how your life has changed since. I came across your blog, and think you would have a great story to share! You would just have to step into the Airstream studio for a few minutes and tell your story on film, which would be posted to www.ahamoment.com <http://www.ahamoment.com> . 

 Me?? Step in front of a camera to tell a story about, well...ME?? Aw shucks...I could NEVER do that. ha ha... The problem was--there was a good chance that I wouldn't be able to do it. I was going to be two days post-op and I had no idea what condition, shape, mood, or pain I'd be in on Friday.  I can't drive right now so my parents would have to drive me downtown, find a parking spot and help me get to the airstream trailer studio (which I now covet). Surely, I didn't want to be the surly girl on vicodin who gets on camera and says, "Yeah, I got myself in shape, but I also tore my hip in the process of doing it, too!"


Nope, I wanted to be the inspirational Carrie who imparts life-changing wisdom and humor on whoever hears and sees it. Of course, it's wisdom of common knowledge...believe in yourself, set goals, achieve them, repeat, repeat, repeat... They asked me to talk about what it was like to run my first marathon. Looking back, I've had several "aha moments" in life. Haven't we all? The www.ahamoment.com website describes them as: a moment of clarity, a defining moment where you gain real wisdom - wisdom you can use to change your life. Whether big or small, funny or sad, they can be surprising and inspiring. Each one is unique, deeply personal, and we think, worth sharing.


Why was running my first marathon such a major "aha moment" for me?  The list of reasons seems endless, but can be summed up simply as empowerment. It was the missing prop that now dresses my current stage. I felt like superwoman when I crossed that line.  Truly, Wholly Invincible.  About two dozen of my co-workers secretly had t-shirts printed up and were wearing them at various points along the course. They knew how hard I worked for this and were there on race day from start to finish. It truly taught me the power of self-confidence and self-actualization. I think it was the first time when something that seemed "impossible" to me became "possible." Not only did it become possible, it became real. I began to respect myself. And, THAT, I believe is the actual "aha moment."

Once I gained self-respect, everything became possible including coaching, stand-up comedy, pursuing other fitness endeavors, changing jobs, and eventually finding the man of my dreams and creating a team that far exceeds ANYTHING that I ever thought possible. 


So, that is what I shared with the film crew on Friday as I hobbled my way into the mobile studio and recounted my moment. During a time when I'm admittedly feeling a little down and sorry for myself, it was good to hear a positive, uplifting and hopeful message. It was even better to know that the message was MINE.


Here's to many more "aha moments!"

My favorite race photo and "aha moment" in the making!

(I still have the infamous "Run Bitch Run" sign :-)