 Welcome back to day 16 of the #write31days challenge. I can’t say I am meeting the challenge 100%… I’ve never posted a blog every single day before, and I am discovering my days are more hectic than I’d care to admit. However, I really feel like I am on the right track. We started out with Naming Your Everest – What goal, when achieved, will impact your life in a big, bold way? We then moved on to Setting Goals that will take you places… where we learned how to be a cartographer for our lives. The journey then took us to focusing on where you want to go, and how to clear the trail. So, at the half-way mark of this journey – are you on track?
MyHubby and I are hitting a half-way mile marker at the end of the month. We will be celebrating our 6-month wedding anniversary, and we will also be celebrating reaching the half-way mark of being debt free. We will be writing our final check to the credit card company to pay off our wedding on Friday, and then taking Saturday off to celebrate.
As a guide and a coach, I recognize the half-way mark that this is the pivotal moment where many people lose steam. They’ve been chugging along for so long, as soon as the tracks line up and they start to reap the fruits of their labor, they slack off. I find myself doing the same thing… the further away I get from discomfort, the less urgency is in the tasks at hand. The same intensity I had when I started this journey fades a bit.
So how do you stay on track when you are approaching the halfway point in your journey?
Shout it from the Mountain – Tell everyone that you are half-way there. Hollar up to the summit to let people know to expect your arrival, and high-five the people on the trail who have supported you along the way. Take time to put your pack down, and take in the view.  You’ve come a long way baby!
Imagine the view from the top – Contact people who are already there, who can encourage you to keep going. “The view is beautiful, you are almost there” – are some of the sweetest words I hear when on the trail, and you need that boost of encouragement now. Who do you know who has reached the summit. Reach out to them to have coffee or lunch and ask them about their journey.
Remind yourself how hard you’ve worked to get to where you are….
My journey to being debt free started with my truck being repossessed five years ago. There I was, on a Sunday morning, drinking my coffee in my jammies, when I saw an unmarked tow truck pull into my yard. When I saw him back up to my truck, my heart sank… I watched the last grain of sand drop through the hour glass. My time was up… the bottom officially dropped out. I never want to feel that sense of shame and desperation again…. I will hike long, hard and strong to get as far away from that dreadful feeling as I can… and I will take others to the top with me. Knowing how far I’ve come, and helping others along this journey keeps me motivated to keep going the extra mile.
So cheers! We’ve hit the half way mark in stride! As Casey Kasem used to say “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars” See you at the top Trail Blazer… keep hiking, you are almost there, and the view is amazing.
This is part of my #write31days series – to read earlier entries – click HERE.
Hit the Heights!
Priscilla Hansen Mahoney
The Natural Business Leadership Guide
Renee Ratcliffe
Thanks for this timely post! Reminds me of a recent time when my husband and I were coming down a mountain trail and met some hikers coming up. They were tired and eager to know if the top was worth the effort. I was glad that we could encourage them to keep going. Thanks for doing that here. What a great site you have! ~ Renee
Renee Ratcliffe
Your timely post reminds me of a recent hiking trip when my husband and I were coming down a mountain trail and met some fellow hikers coming up. They were tired and eager to know if the top was worth the effort. We were happy to tell them to keep going, and that’s what you’ve done here. You have a great site – thanks for sharing! ~ Renee
Priscilla Hansen Mahoney
I totally love it when I meet people on the trail who tell me “you are almost there!” You made me realize that it’s also fun being the person encouraging those on the way up. Wonder where we can reach out around us to offer encouragement who are on the same journey?
Anita Ojeda
Woot! Woot! Congratulations for BOTH of your accomplishments! I’ve never written 16 days in a row, either (much less posted 16 days in a row on a blog). It’s a lot of work :). And congratulations on your debt-free state–that’s awesome!
Priscilla Hansen Mahoney
Thanks Anita – the discipline of writing every day has been very good for me – it’s made me more efficient for sure! If you have the opportunity – I highly recommend trying it. It’s made me a more disciplined writer – that’s for sure!
Heather
What a great post! I think that it is so important to remind yourself how hard you have worked to get where you are right now. Even if it isn’t the end place you want to be. We often forget how much work we have put in to get to this place, and to reflect on that is always a good idea in my book!
Priscilla Hansen Mahoney
Thanks Heather – yes, it’s good to stop once in a while and enjoy the view, and realize how far you’ve come!
Emily
Congrats on your both awesome accomplishments. Those are worth celebrating :D. Your work is showing in everything you do.
Priscilla Hansen Mahoney
Thank you Emily – and welcome to the trail!
Samantha McGowan
Congrats! I’m at the one year count down of my trip abroad! I want to scream it from the mountain top every day!
Priscilla Hansen Mahoney
See you at the top Samantha – shout away – its inspiring to those of us still on the journey!
Rachel
Awesome to follow and share in your journey, after closing our big business after 11 years and liquidating everything we had worked hard for… cars, trucks, boat, house on the golf course… I know the feeling… but stepping away, refocusing on family, traveling and looking back it was the best thing we could have done, many don’t understand your journey but keeping in the right direction… you will arrive.
Priscilla Hansen Mahoney
Thanks Rachel… granted, our debt came from medical expenses – but it just went to show we weren’t prepared enough for our journey- this has taught us to be better prepared so we can enjoy all that life has to offer!
Larissa
Debt free is amazing!!! Woo hoo!! So excited for you and your journey!! Loved your post!!!
Priscilla Hansen Mahoney
My goal is to visit Nashville TN, and go on the Dave Ramsey show to give our debt free scream!! See you at the top! Huzzah!!
Chris Miles
Priscilla, hitting rock bottom, although undesirable, does teach us that there is nowhere else to go but up for sure. Literally. Thank you for sharing and your always wonderful efforts here.
Priscilla Hansen Mahoney
Thanks Chris – valuable lessons for sure!