I hope all is well with you and your family. I recently met a student who had taken your “Getting Mentally Fit” class last fall. She shared with me that initially, she did not think she was going to like your class and now she says it was the best class she ever took and that it has changed her life for the better. I told her I would pass this on to you. Thank you for what you do.

"First off I had an "Ah Ha" moment in class last week when you talked about how many people think they are not good enough or not deserving of the life they want. In a nut shell my recollection of my childhood can be summed up in my parents asking "why did you only get a 98 and not 100" - you can imagine how that has played out in my life!!! I have been very successful but have always struggled with 2 issues - my weight and keeping my house "company ready".  I've spent enough time trying to work through stuff to know that something is blocking me from achieving these goals. All my excuses are gone - I'm retired now so time is not the issue or excuse! While I've previously thought my block might be tied to the perfectionism issue I always dismissed it thinking it needed to be something bigger. For some reason when you talked about it last week I suddenly thought what if it was that simple (and that complicated). I felt like I could truly work on letting this go with the tools you've discussed.

In addition at the funeral on Friday, the priest had an unusually pointed message of forgiveness for all our short comings - I suddenly thought of you saying "What if it was true?? I could believe it for my friend but when I thought it could be true for me, I felt this elation and relief. I told my husband about this and I saw the change in his face as he realized it could be true for him too!!"

 Although people would probably consider me a successful person, I struggled internally with feelings of self-doubt and lack of self esteem. Even worse, I didn't even recognize that was what I was dealing with. What I did see, however, were the symptoms -- destructive eating behaviors, sleeping problems, emotional fragility, and other self-punishing actions. And although from the outside it seemed like I was keeping things together, inside I felt like I was on a downward spiral. And I had lost all hope of any change. 

 It wasn't a quick fix, by any means, but it was a real fix. It worked because I started with the big picture - what my vision was for who I wanted to be - and not the surface issues. As a result, I was had to deal with the core issues, not the surface symptoms. And I did it on my terms - not using some externally imposed plan. So I was able to determine what I was able to handle and what I needed to work towards. Being able to "take little bites" dramatically increased my ability to succeed, and that success propelled me to continue along the path. And most importantly, it made me take responsibility.

 This is not for everyone. It is not for the "quick-fix crowd. It is not for people who are not serious about improving their lot. It is not for people who don't want to work at it. But for those who are serious and do want to work at change - this can be a life-altering process.

 I cannot express how incredible this experience has been for me. I have developed such a sense of confidence and self-worth that I've never had in my life. I am calmer, and my sense of calm and confidence have pervaded all other aspects of my life. And hope! I have hope and confidence that I will be able to achieve my goals. I finally feel like a "normal" person - and I am so incredibly happy to be able to finally say that.

First off, your effort in helping me to achieve my goal is greatly appreciated. I can see how much time and effort you have put in on understanding my situation . For me it's a lot to take in. I would like to meet with you and talk about those issues that you want to better understand and your suggestions that I can implement. You had so much information for me, that I want to make sure I'm understanding it all.

I am gonna miss going there to work out and feeling as if I was at an extension of my own home. You provided not only a great way to get in shape but a great place to work. With you I made goals and reached them.Description goes here

You have a knack for what you do. This is your field - you are one of the best trainer/health gurus I have encountered (and you know I've been to a variety of gyms!) and I really think you have a gift of knowing how to adapt to what a person needs and wants.

I want you to know that you were a great inspiration to me and a fantastic motivator to get in shape. I have been able to maintain a weight loss of about 10 lbs. because of your support. I still have the written plan that you gave me. You were great with Kate and even though she couldn't make her schedule work to continue, she at least has a feel for what it takes to exercise for good health. Thank you for being an excellent coach and professional trainer. You are meant to work with people.

You are so good at what you do. I never felt so good about myself or believed in myself so much until I worked with you. You have a gift that shouldn't be wasted.

I had taken a class of yours at Assabet. I would like to express my appreciation to you for improving my life, The course you instructed last year was very beneficial to me. Since then, I have been a calmer person. I do not procrastinate as much and I do not have to impress anyone, only myself.

I was always trying to gather new people into my life and sort of ignoring the ones that are already there. Consequently, I do not have to be so popular. Also, I am not expecting others to think like me,and so,what does come from them is like a bonus. I just wanted to let you know the affect that your class had on me. Thank you.

Thank you for your message summarizing our work with you. I was impressed with the work and passion that you put into each class presentation. It was very clear that you wanted to help us find out best selves, stay happy, and utilize the tools we learned when we hit a road block. I collected all the e-reading pages from the class, and have organized a binder. I think Carroll and I can refer to often and will find it helpful. We both enjoyed our 5 weeks of classes with you. Good luck preparing for your next session scheduled for January!

One take away from your class has been how to make better choices for our lives. In these past few weeks I have incorporated the skills of mindfulness, gratitude and positivity to help to repair my life. I am truly humbled by the effect. While the issues don’t miraculously go away, through this validation of self and compassion for one’s journey, I find myself ‘driving the bus’ instead of it careening out of control. Good things (as mentioned in my bubble) have already come my way and for that I am very grateful. Thank you for your guidance. I look forward to continue the journey tomorrow night.

You asked me an important question Tuesday night: what my initial motivation was, I remembered the other day. That simple question is starting to bring it all back to me now. I am sure this info will help me, also, I ran 3 miles today with my son, this is a good start. No I am not on Facebook yet. I will go pick out my clothes this week, that should be fun. The imaging part is not so easy for me, I will work on this, this week. Thanks.

I was amused when you wrote that the coach/teacher shouldn't work harder than the students... I am taking a year off from teaching piano lessons as I realized last year that I worked much harder than my students did!

Your class is a positive and encouraging blast of affirming ourselves and believing that we are worthy of good stuff. I am fully engaged, and soaking up everything you offer.

I am able to set specific goals for myself and I enjoy the sense of accomplishment when I follow through.

Having and expressing gratitude has become a habit, from my long ago Al-Anon days.

My struggle now is trying to balance my needs within my role as a caregiver. I'm on a tightrope instead of a balance beam. That's my vision - to walk along the balance beam, keeping myself calm and confident, balancing my own needs with the needs of [my partner] each day. Most days the path is shaky, despite my good intentions, attitude of gratitude, and focus on my goals. Little things and big issues can challenge my equilibrium, and cause me to fall off the tightrope. I want to take the guilt bubble out of my happy bubble. That's a tough one! 

I am looking forward to our next class.

“The world is so mine!”