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I owe my growth as a person to many mentors who’ve dropped in at magical moments when I needed them. Take my mom, who always made me feel like everything I wrote should win the Pullitzer. Or Ron, the managing partner at a Los Angeles law firm, who sent me to international locations so I could develop my skills as a female business leader. He nurtured talents in me I didn’t even know were there. Or take Christy, elementary principal and breast cancer survivor, who made me feel like I was the best second grade teacher she’d ever had and made every student feel like they were the smartest kid on campus. Currently, I am surrounded by too many mentors to name–and they’ve changed my life.

Spending a weekend with people who’ve been through the same weight journey I have  reminds me how important it is to learn from mentors and to be a mentor. Picture a huge mountain covered in snow. The guy at the top, the guy in the middle and the guy at the bottom all have different perspectives. The guy at the top sees what lies ahead. The guy at the bottom can see the starting point more freshly. The guy in middle is able to see both perspectives–to be encouraged and to encourage simultaneously. All perspectives have unique offerings.

This is what I love about being a Take Shape for Life certified health coach. They say we get paid to pay it forward. And that payment goes far beyond dollars (although those are nice, too!) That payment is the joy that wells up inside when someone is able to drop meds they no longer need, or when they can fit comfortably in the ever-shrinking airplane seats. Or when they say they feel good about their bodies for the first time ever and feel a sense of control they’ve never had before. That’s what I’m talking about.

To all my TSFL mentors and to those who I mentor, thank you for being part of this journey with me. You make me smile.