I have never been terribly athletic. OK, that’s an understatement. I was one of the chubby kids; my older sisters called me Jello. So, the prospect of running a marathon has never been in the forefront of my mind, nor in the deep dark recesses of any part of my mind.

I cheered on my cousin, Pat, when she trained for and ran a half marathon. And I’ve learned that marathon runners often hit the Wall at mile 18 to 20 of the 26.2-mile length. With 20-25% of the race left, they struggle to go on.

And so it feels like to me…I have been enmeshed in the Mark J. aura since he started the Standing Tall/Color Coding 7k classes in July, 2023. I have for months followed the rules to the letter, and now I find myself looking deep inside for the sheer will to get through some days.

It may have been the break in routine of the cruise, even though I did all the prescribed activities. Or it may have been getting back and trying to refocus.

Reading The Greatest Salesman Scroll V is a consistent reminder of where my head should be, but it’s not. What I recognize is that my dear friend, Subby, is pitching a fit, as my mother used to say, and I haven’t figured out how to shake it off.

The very weird thing is that this week we (my husband & I) got another verification that our efforts are working. Let me explain. My husband, Rod, has a medical condition that we are monitoring, and he has blood tests a couple times a year to monitor his body’s functions. Since we started monitoring, the test results have shown a continuous, albeit slow, decline in function.

Right after we returned from the cruise, he had blood work done, and he visited his doctor last week. He came home saying that the doctor wanted him to redo the tests because the results showed an improvement; the doctor believed that they may have sent the wrong results. I looked at him and said, “I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy!”

I built up an affirmation for myself taking the qualities I most needed, and affirming for myself over and over again. I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy!

Charles Haanel, The Master Key System, 9:24

Rod had the blood test redone, and the doctor’s office called yesterday, relating that the improved results were confirmed by the second test. A condition that has been in slow decline for several years, started to reverse itself.

For ten weeks, twice a day, I have been reading a card affirming this statement for myself, Rod, my daughter, Ariana, our 18-year-old cat, Jimmy, a couple of older friends, and “anyone I come in contact with”. I’m not sure how to explain to Rod’s doctor how that change came about, but I know the answer!

Since I am going to MKE Live, I know that I will pull out of this slump. I’ve gotten my conference ticket, plane ticket, and hotel reservation. And so, I will work though this ‘wall’, and evaluate what I can learn about myself and my journey.

According to Stand Tall’s Sixth of the 13 Riches, The Labor of Love, this is a step in the development of my wealth mentality.

The truly wealthy view each step, each task as a labor of love. Experiencing joy in meeting challenges, learning lessons from mistakes, seeing setbacks as refining the steps to victory and running to obstacles with excitement is the profile of the wealthy; they see all these things as a labor of love.

Mark Januszewski, Standing Tall, p. 147

I definitely, was not raised with a wealth mentality, but I have striven to integrate wealth into my personal development. I guess Subby has got to learn to live with my choices!!

Just like the marathon runners, I’m in the final stretch of the MKE race. I will break through the wall, as I finish the race!