The first part of the walk is easy, because it's all downhill. We were skipping along and frolicking together just like old times. Then we reached our first steep hill. I don't think I was even a quarter of the way up before my calfs started burning and I started gasping for air. I had to stop quite a few times and the dogs were looking at me like "Come on! Pick up the pace, lady!" The part that scared me the most was that I still had TWO more steep hills to climb!! By the time I reached the top of my final summit I was envisioning the phone call I was going to have to make to my client: "Hey, *weez* Could you *weez* come pick us up? *weez* I'll be in a heap on the side of the road *weez*" It was even hard to enjoy the easy parts that were all downhill because the thought of my upcoming ass-beating at the next hill soured the moment.
This reminded me a lot of my life, an up and down journey that kicks my ass and leaves me in a heap on the side of the road. I hadn't been doing the amount of emotional and mental exercise needed and putting the hours into myself that I should to be able to withstand the treacherous climb and enjoy the ease of the downhill. In the last year I have spent a lot of time and energy trying to get my head and my heart in order. I have a life coach named Genie Kahn (http://leslykahnrecommendations.blogspot.com/2009/08/services-life-coaching.html) who is nothing short of a miracle worker and has helped me transform my life in every way. We have been dealing with areas of my life that I had been hiding in the dark for years and even areas that I didn't know existed. We have been working on self-accountability, self-love, self-judgement and incorporating that into my career, my personal relationships, and my sense of self. This year has probably been the most intense year of my life, both good and bad, and without Genie and my own quest for balance I would probably still be that heap on the side of the road.
You have to be in good shape to handle the peaks and valleys, both in the canyons of Beverly Hills and in life. It takes time and it takes energy and it won't happen overnight, but when you are standing at the top of that apex and you aren't beaten down and gasping for air, you will know that the ardent training was well worth it. I'm really lucky, I had a Genie to help me.
