My Commitment Probe

“We’ve made it 5 months and 2 days," I joked at a dinner party last weekend with couples that have all been married for many years.

“That is a serious commitment," one of our guests joked back with a wink.

The exchange was simple, but it made me ponder the very nature of commitment, a concept with which many of us have a complicated relationship. No pun intended. ;)

Commitment is the same ingredient that delivers our life dreams, our career goals, our health goals, our wealth goals so on and so forth.

It rarely happens without it, and certainly not in any satisfying way.

One of my dreams was to meet and marry an amazing, kind, passionate, loving man- someone I thought was extraordinary. It was nice, warm and fuzzy feeling to dream about “him”. I spent years dreaming about “him." Until I realized that to make “him” a reality, I had to make a commitment -- to be open, to create time, to be vulnerable and out of my element-- which took work. It actually took a lot of work, sometimes sacrifice, sometimes heartbreak, and sometimes was grueling. But in the end none of the side-effects of the commitment, the frustration or agony scarred me. Looking back, they were all merely small obstacles on a worthy path, towards the man of my dreams. Without my commitment to finding “him” I would still be daydreaming about him, instead of falling asleep in his arms each night.

And now that I've found him, the commitment hasn't stopped, it's evolved. I am committed to having an extraordinary, kind, and loving marriage. I am also committed to living a long, healthy, and vibrant life. And, in 2018, I am committed to becoming a mom, as well as expanding my business with ease and joy!

You see, my "relationship" with commitment thus far has only served to prepare me for the adventure ahead.

What are your dreams? What are you committed to? In 2018, what dream will you make a reality? In the next 5 years? 10 years?

It’s going to take something to reach these goals. First a commitment and then a journey full of work, choices and conviction to stay true to these commitments. I am looking forward to this, because I know what it feels like to live with my dreams as a reality.

Simon’s parents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary just two days before our wedding day. They are the embodiment of commitment to me, and an inspiration of what's possible... past the next 5 months, 2 days, and beyond.