Embrace the Journey: Find a Role Model

Jeanne speaking at Toastmasters

She’s small, spunky, sassy, and super smart. She’s my role model. I want to be as fit and vibrant as her in another ten years when I’m in my eighties. No grass grows under her feet. She travels the world, takes on enormous projects, and still takes time out for a glass of wine with her husband every afternoon. Wow. I’m impressed.

Her name is Jeanne Resen. I am fortunate to know her through Toastmasters. I also see her at Gold’s Gym where I exercise. I caught her running up and down on the exercise stairs. I also use them for training, so I asked her if she was training for something. 

Ten times up and down is her routine

“Oh yes! My daughters challenged me to do the El Camino with them. I had planned to go a while back and didn’t get to go. This time, I’ll do it with them next year.”

“Of course you will. Are you working with a trainer? I can’t imagine doing anything like that! I’ll follow your progress.”

Jeanne doesn’t need a trainer. She researched what she must be able to do and how to do it. She updated me recently on progress toward her goals. She has already walked two hours in one day. Everyone on the hike has to be able to do that to meet their tour goals. 

I checked out the El Camino. There are lots of options and different skill levels, much like our Appalachian Trail. Regardless of the difficulty level, it will require superlative conditioning plus strong resolve to finish. Jeanne has all of that.

Speaking in her hat

Let me tell you about Jeanne. She comes to Toastmaster meetings frequently in her trademark cowboy hat and boots. While small in stature, she commands a large presence. Whenever she is speaking, she is “on stage”. 

Jeanne speaking at hybrid meeting

Everything I know about Jeanne, I’ve learned through her speeches. She leads the way in mastering Pathways, the new on-line curriculum. I know she has had two husbands, six children, and numerous grandchildren. I know that family, theater, and travel are her passions. Maybe most important to me is that I know when Jeanne says she will do something, it’s done. She will find a way to get the job done.

For example, I asked Jeanne to take on the Secretary role. Jeanne considered my request very thoughtfully. We had recently started putting the meeting notes on Four Seasons Toastmasters website in blog format. Jeanne said, “Writing the notes will be easy. Learning how-to post? That will be hard for me, but I’m game to try. Will you teach me? I’d like to watch you. Learning to do the pictures intrigues me. Okay, I’ll do it.”

Installation of officers

Numerous visits to sit and watch, trial posts, and false starts later, Jeanne mastered posting meeting notes. She was determined to l get it right. She had challenges along the way, but she got it done, on time, every week. Everyone reads Jeanne notes.  

Because I have MS, I doubt I’ll be able to achieve physical feats like Jeanne. She has ridden an elephant, will hike the El Camino, and still directs Little Theater plays. I recognize that I have limitations, but I won’t rule anything out. With a role model like Jeanne, no telling what I might accomplish?

White hat cowboy at Toastmasters Weiner Roast

Jeanne demonstrates that it’s possible to stay in the game. To do that, I’ll need to keep being active, continue learning and set challenging goals. I’d love to bottle some of her energy and positivity when things go sideways. In lieu of that, I’ll keep watching and learning.