In the second last month of the year, November MO’tions us to embrace a season of introspection and remembrance. The word “remember” has several meanings and emotions waiting to be unravelled. It’s not merely about recalling memories or individuals, but also about immersing ourselves in those moments, experiences, and feelings that have shaped our lives. When we remember, we deliberately focus our attention, as if we were capturing a precious “MO’ment,” one that holds the power to illuminate our life’s path and guide our journey forward, both personally and professionally.
To remember someone also can mean rewarding someone for something that has impacted either your life or another. There are various scholarships and awards that are created to remember the legacy of a person who has been influential and reward someone else who has similar characteristics and impact. For instance, the Sharon Mann Inspiration Award and Scholarship which I helped create at canfitpro was created to honour the life and legacy of the late Sharon Mann, by recognizing the contribution and impact of a female health and fitness professional on others and within their community today.
Taking time to pause, remember and reflect on the significant events of the past year, a decade or MO’re, gives you the opportunity to learn what it is you seek MO’re of, and perhaps even desire to have less of in your life. MO’ving forward with this insight provides wisdom to decide what you want more and less of in your life. To enhance the process, I have four steps to help navigate the MO’nth to help you MO’ve forward using the power of remembrance/reflection:
- Remember/Reflect
- Reach out to
- Recognize
- Reach Up
Going through the process provides a rich and comprehensive approach to learning from the lessons of your life. I invite you to join me this month in these steps to follow a similar process/journey. Read more about each of these steps below and see my example below!
Step 1: Remember/Reflect
The first step is remembering the person/event/place/experience. What you focus on expands. Sit with what it is you want to remember. Another great way to dig deeper into the memory is to write about it. Journaling and writing about our past helps us make meaning of the experience – especially at a subconscious level. Set a timer for 15 minutes and try free writing and what it is you want to remember.
Step 2: Reach Out
It is always better with others. Reach out and connect with others with whom you have shared memories and experiences. Our collective memory and experiences are so much stronger than our individual remembrances and quite often the others who shared the same experience as you will bring different experiences and memories to the conversation. Call on your courage to reach out to someone and share your writing and reflection with them and share why you are remembering them, the experience, that event etc. Talking with someone else about the memory and the learning can help you reach an even deeper level of understanding. This also provides a perfect MO’ment to seek insight, and feedback and potentially invite new opportunities into your life and theirs.
Step 3: Recognize
Taking a moment to recognize and express gratitude for the person/opportunity/experience is paramount. Practicing gratitude is good for our mental and emotional health and well-being. Whatever the lesson or individual, take time to remember why you are grateful by thinking about all the ways this person or experience has benefited you and enriched your life. Recognition is the MO’st powerful form of a compliment and is a way to show the value of the experience, which will help you appreciate it more and deepen your learning. We all appreciate being recognized, even if it is just a text or an email! When was the last time you sent a letter or card to recognize someone by expressing your gratitude and sealed it with a stamp?
Step 4: Reach Up
When you are feeling down, which can happen when the days get shorter and darker as we head into winter, it is important to reach out to others. This is both an important step to take for your own mental health self-care and also a powerful opportunity to let others know how important they are in your life. Having the courage to reach up when you are struggling reminds others of their strengths, reinforcing the importance of the relationship. Remember you are not alone and so by managing your own ‘not so magnificent days’ in a proactive way, you are showing them the way to do the same when they need an ally. Role-modeling how to reach up, persevere and show our vulnerability is powerful. Remember, you are not alone. We all need lifting up at times.
A Personal Example
I have had many inspiring mentors and the privilege of working with so many incredible people for me to capture in one blog post. However, there is one person who I would like to remember in this post. David Patchel-Evans has been my boss for over 40 years. I recognize Patch for his mentorship, leadership, and MO’st of all his friendship over the last 40 years. I recently had the opportunity to express my gratitude as I wished him a 70th year of health & happiness. Patch has impacted my life in so many ways and has been there for me countless times to lift me up and, on occasion give me that healthy push that I needed when I was feeling less confident. The reflection serves to remind me how fortunate I have been to work with so many incredible people, experience so many incredible things, travel to such unbelievable places and receive so many opportunities to grow the fitness industry and career opportunities for others.
Reflecting on these last 40 years working with Patch has been a rewarding and rejuvenating experience. I wish the same positive experience for you as you embark on this month’s exercise.
