Time Out for Women

There is something so inspiring about being in a room filled with almost 2000 women.Women gathered together from all around Australia for the same reason. The purpose and desire 'To become'. I doubt I was alone in feeling the power and significance of this day and the influence that would leave that room.

I especially loved being there with my mum and a few of my sisters. I know I say this often, but I really love being in a family full of sisters. I loved sharing this experience with them and discussing the things that resonated with each of us, and talking about the new ways in which we each hope to 'become'. 

A few of my favourite things #1

Laurel Christenson your story was for me!

Laurel shared with us her journey that began about a year ago when she started preparing to run a half marathon. She told us about a "treading class" she was in, where she was doing high intensity interval training on a treadmill. While she told her story in a really funny way, the message was actually about not holding ourselves back with all the excuses we make about why we can't do things. It was a message about not stopping ourselves from achieving things with self doubt.  

At the point when Laurel was about to quit running and get off the treadmill, her trainer realised what was happening and came over to her and said (think Jillian style trainer from biggest looser ;)....

"Don't you dare stop. You can do this".

Laurel insisted that she couldn't and said she had to stop.


The trainer then jumped up on the front of the treadmill and said;

"Don't you dare be the one thing standing in your way"!!!!



I don't know how these words could not have impacted every woman in that room. As I heard them, It was like I was watching my own 'self set limitations' flash before my eyes in slow motion.

With the encouragement of her trainer and her own self will, Laurel went on to finish her interval training that day and 6 months later (or so ;) ran her first half marathon. 


In Laurels own words she said;

"When I stepped off that treadmill, I had the "ah ha” moment of my life.
I realized I simply was not who I thought I was.
I walked into that class with limits on my abilities and ideas about what my life was supposed to be........I walked out of that class knowing I could never be the same again".

"I became the girl who does the thing I thought I could not do.
And that is who I am now".

As I later re-told this story to Rylan, I had another 'ah ha' moment myself. I realised the importance of the trainer in her story. It's not just about believing in our selves and not standing in our own way. It's about listening to and believing the trainer when he says "you can do it - I will help you". It's about recognising that the ultimate 'trainer' is our Savior. Our biggest advocate and the one who never gives up on us even when we threaten to give up ourselves.


I came away from Time Out For Women feeling lifted and inspired to not just DO more but to {try} and BE more!


You can read Laurel's full story here and I absolutely recommend it!! 


More favorite things to come tomorrow. maybe :)