Accountability - No Excuses

"You must take personal responsibility.  You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself.  That is something you have charge of."  - Jim Rohn

It's pretty amazing how fast time can sneak by us.  Be it the hours in a day, days in a week or weeks in a month.  Somehow life keeps moving and we sometimes fall behind in the things that we have comitted to doing.  It took two separate people yesterday sending me texts saying that they missed the blog posts and wondered what had been going on.  Well I can sit here and say that I started a new job, have been traveling a lot and just purely did not have the time, but those are excuses...there's always an additional 10 minutes that I can find to help motivate the same people that motivate me on a daily basis.  So here it lies...me being held accountable.

In preparation for this week, I spent yesterday catching up at home.  I set up a very OCD organized home office, complete with a wall system that allowed me to use my newly purchased electric screwdriver (haha that's a completely different story, but lets say there might be a few extra holes in the wall given the serious power involved in this)!!  I finished laundry, cleaned up a bit and set my weekly goals so that I could wake up this morning and start fresh.

Because I'm still not able to sleep, I woke up at the crack of dawn and started in on some work stuff.  After spending the past week in Seattle with coworkers I had a lot to try and figure out.  Thankfully I have a pretty amazing team and they have helped me work through this transition.  At about 7am, I put on my sneakers and hit the ground running.  Although still on a very strict running regimen, I decided to do a run/walk mix for 3 miles.  In 28:34 (at a pace of 9:30), I finished those 3 miles.  Definitely not where I want to be BUT it's a step down the road of recovery.  Post run, I did all of my "at home leg workout" stuff that the PT has me doing.  Lunges, dead lifts, leg lifts, etc..I threw in a few abs and some push ups and there it was...my workout completed.

It's true that life can be an excuse at times as to why we are not doing certain things, but I am no longer making excuses...I'm holding myself accountable and am looking forward to both my recovery and some serious personal progress.  In fact, it appears that on 8/1 I will be part of a trial group for a new exercise program designed by a close friend of mine...I can't wait as it should be fun and a great experience.  Even better, I can't wait to share my results with everyone afterwards and have the opportunity to sell you all on this wonderful program!  Stay tuned...many updates to come on all of it!  In the meantime, please join me in holding ourselves accountable for our own personal successes and failures!

#TeamDiscoverYourself - Michell J.

One of the biggest things in life that people look for is a sense of belonging...something that makes them feel that they are not alone.  In speaking with some close friends, I thought it was important for you to not only hear my words but the words of others that read this blog and allow them to share their struggles and triumphs.

Michell and I have known each other since 2004 when I moved to Virginia.  We worked together and we enjoyed life together.  Her family welcomed me into their home for my first Thanksgiving away from my own family and in fact, I was the Maid of Honor in Michell's wedding.  Now married, with two children, Michell has an amazing life and one that she is now finding more able to balance.  Here's Michell's story (and thank you Michell for being willing to share this)...

Motivation: the general desire or willingness of someone to do something. 

Back in early 2008, I was motivated to look and feel healthy.  I ate healthy and I worked out almost daily.  For a good eight months, I worked so hard to do "boy" push ups, to go through my Abs/Core class without feeling like I was going to faint and to be sexy again.  It took a few months but I got to that point and it felt great...AWESOME in fact.  Then in August 2008, my husband and I wanted to start trying for kids.  After two miss carriages, we were pregnant again and we had a healthy baby boy the following Fall.  Once I became pregnant, I was more focused on being pregnant and not losing him than I stopped working out.  Once I had my son, my motivation was now...my son.  My thoughts and mind were consumed with being a mommy that I didn't start to think of losing that baby weight until two months before he turned one.  So, after almost two years away from the gym and eating healthy, I started again.  I started working out at the gym and lost some weight.  Then, about two months after my son turned one, I found out I was pregnant again.  What??!!!  I finally just started to get back into my routine!  I felt discouraged and not happy.  It didn't help that I had a medical condition that I was not allowed to work out or stand on my feet for a long period of time for the first trimester.  Of course I was concerned for my new baby inside me but that just made me feel more unhappy that I wasn't able to "get my body back".   My daughter was born healthy that following July.  Throughout the last six years my body went through a lot.  Between trying to get pregnant, two early miss carriages, two full term somewhat healthy pregnancies and nursing both for each thirteen months.  It felt as if my body wasn't really mine anymore.  I was always so tired and became out of breath easily that I didn't really play with my kids a lot.  Fast forward almost THREE years later after having my beautiful daughter, I finally...FINALLY got my motivation back!  My motivation at first came from my friends.  Three in particular.  One that has been by my side for the past nine years and who is a married mom of active crazy kids like me and I consider her one of my best friends.  The second is a woman that has a boyfriend but no children, that I just recently became friends with that runs marathons like every week (or at least it seems like it)!   Lastly, is a woman that is single with no children, that I have known for nine years and has moved here and there and seems like everywhere and has recently started a health & wellness blog!  These three women are so different but yet so alike.  Their main common goal is to be healthy.  All three love to run or be active.  At first, I would say to myself, "Eh, I'll get there".  I was just so busy with working full time, teaching dance part time, being a mommy to two rambunctious children and a wife.  For me, I didn't have time to do "that".  I would try at times but then end up making excuses.  My best friend that is married and has children, kept telling me to do things for myself.  She knew that I always felt my best when I looked my best.  Then, my friend that runs marathons, kept hanging up motivational pictures in my cube at work.  Geared towards running and being healthy.  I felt as if it was a leaky faucet (in a good way).  Kept dripping (or reminding me) that I can do this...I can be healthy and especially happy again.  Then, my other friend started this health and wellness blog.  That was the kicker.  Reading her words and thoughts was like a light bulb that just finally came back on and STAYED ON!   My second motivation came from reading one of her recent blogs about a Fitbit and how she just got one and loved it.  I started researching it and had some other friends that had one and I got their advice.  After a great informative and encouraging conversation with my step mom, I wanted one.  It was just my luck that my  birthday was right around the corner and that's what I asked for.  I was blessed to have gotten one and I haven't been the same since.  It has been a week now since I got it and I am completely obsessed with it.  I love seeing those dots light up and when I reach five dots (or 10,000 steps) I get so tickled and excited.  I did it!  I am also a competitive person in general.  So having friendly competition with friends and family is perfect for me.   Just like that, I am finally back on track to being healthy and happy again.  I can now jog more during my power walks, I now run up or downstairs and no longer out of breath, I have more energy with my kids and husband and honestly I feel happier.   My family and I go for nightly walks now and I take them on a longer route than we used to because I gotta light those dots up!  I want and need to be healthy for myself, my husband and most important my children.  I want to be able to run around with them and play until the lighting bugs come out.  I want to be around for when my children get married and have children of their own.  I want to be a grandparent that takes my grand kids on walks, plays with them and rolls around the floor with (like my father and step mom).  I want to be...happy and happy is what I now am. 

Happy: feeling or showing pleasure or contentment

Happy Belated Mother's Day to all the moms out there.  Please remember that YOU are Amazing and YOU are beautiful and YOU can do this!  God Bless you!  XOXO

The TRUE Thoughts Of The Non Competitive Runner

There are so many times I go outside ready to run and my mind gets the better of me.  I can easily come up with every excuse in the book as to why NOT to run.  There's scary people on the path when it's dark out, the coyotes might get me, laundry, work, dinner...you name it and I've made the excuse.

Recently, I've forced myself to become a little more dedicated into getting both feet in my sneakers and starting the run.  For those of you who have run races with me, you know my mentality...I play games to get myself motivated.  Be it trying to pass the person in front of me, doing sprinting and running intervals, singing a song (haha most of the time it's silently) or setting mini goals, it's literally the only way I can keep my mind off of what I'm actually doing.  My opinion...you do whatever it takes to get the job done!  It doesn't matter your pace or the thoughts that go through your head...if you took the first step and actually started running you're ahead of the majority of the population!

Today my friend Michell shared the following link with me (http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinchack/thoughts-every-jogger-has-while-out-for-a-running) and I literally laughed out loud reading it because truthfully, I can COMPLETELY relate!

75 Thoughts Every Runner Has When Out For A Run

1. What a beautiful day for a run!
2. This sucks.
3. Well, five miles is only two and half miles each way, which is basically two miles each way, so I’m really only running four miles. That’s not too far.
4. It’s starting to feel far.
5. How long have I been running? A year?
6. SIX MINUTES?! 
7. I can barely remember what my life was like before I started this run.
8. OK, concentrate. There are still four-plus miles to go. 
9. But who counts the first and last mile? This is pretty much an easy three miler.
10. Oh, shit! A fellow jogger!
11. Should I wave?
12. I’m totally gonna wave.
13. OOOK, they didn’t wave back. Never doing that again.
14. Just keep running, no one saw. Except that old guy who may or may not be averting his eyes.
15. Man, I think I’m hitting that “second wind” thing my gym coach was talking about.
16. Wait, never mind. I’ve been running down a decline. 
17. If I leap to avoid dog shit, does that make me a CrossFit athlete?
18. What the heck is CrossFit anyway?
19. Mental reminder: Google CrossFit when I get home.
20. If I ever get home.
21. If I had a heart attack right now, I wonder who would find my body.
22. OMG, I hope I never find a dead body. Joggers always find dead bodies.
23. Bodies. Body. Bod-ay. Runnin’ all day, no one can catch … may.
24. OK, I must be halfway done by now.
25. What?! Only two miles in?
26. Alright, stay focused. What am I going to eat when I get home?
27. I’m running five miles so I should probably eat five slices of pizza.
28. Or I could buy one pizza and ask them to cut it into five slices.
29. I should probably get a side salad too. 
30. …
31. Fuck the salad actually.
32. Man, what are these people doing in front of me? Walking?!
33. Is this a contest to see who’s the worst at walking? Because you are both champions in my heart.
34. Maybe if I pound my feet on the ground they’ll hear me coming and let me pass.
35. Oh, God. They didn’t turn around and now I’m right behind them. They’re going to think they’re getting mugged by the world’s sweatiest criminal.
36. You know what? Now seems like a good time to run in the street.
37. * Jumps off curb * Parkour!
38. Hi hi hi please don’t hit me with your car. 
39. Pedestrian pedestrianizing over here, let me cross. 
40. Thank you, Mr. Blue Honda. I’m trying to smile at you but it probably looks like I’m having a stroke. 
41. Actually, I wonder what I look like right now. 
42. * Checks out reflection in shop window * Yeesh.
43. Is that what I look like when I run? What am I, a newborn deer with a drinking problem?
44. Whatever, I must be almost done by now. 
45. Heck yes. Three miles down, two to go. It’s all downhill from here. 
46. Except for that very real uphill in front of me. God damnit.
47. Wait, is that… Is that…
48. A DOG! 
49. Hi dog! You are so cute. You are now my mascot. I will finish this run for you, pup.
50. And — hello — what do we have here? Your human is pretty cute too.
51. Hope you like drunk fawns, Cute Human.
52. Watch my bambi ass prance up this hill.
53. Holy shit, prancing is exhausting. I am exhausted. 
54. Honestly, I don’t even like running.
55. Why do I even run?
56. Why does anyone even run?
57. Why are we even alive?
58. OK, let’s not go down that road.
59. Focus. Focus on that sweet, delicious ‘za waiting at the finish line, calling your name with its cheesy breath.
60. Wait, less than one mile to go? I am KILLING this run. 
61. I AM THE SWIFTEST GOD OF ALL TWO-LEGGED CREATURES.
62. YES, including ostriches.
63. Honestly, I should sign up for a marathon.
64. What is it, like 30 miles?
65. That’s just 15 miles each way, which is practically 10, and 10 is twice five, and I can run five miles EASY.
66. That’s it, I’m doing it. Thirty miles.
67. Thirty-mile marathon…30-mile marathon…30 Rock marathon.
68. On second thought, I’ll probably just binge-watch every episode of 30 Rock. That takes a lot of dedication and I will be winded from laughing so hard.
69. But I could probably do a marathon IF I wanted. 
70. OK, almost home. Should I shower first and order pizza or order pizza and shower before it shows up?
71. Yep, definitely ordering first. I earned that shit.
72. Oh, no. Oh god no. Another runner. Should I wave?
73. No, be strong! Do not get burned again. 
74. OMG, SHE waved first! Hello! Yes! We are both runners! Look at us run!
75. I guess running’s not so bad.

I know most of you can relate to at least thinking SOME of these things when out for a run.  I'm the first to admit, there are times when it flat out sucks and you want to stop, when your mind gets the better of you and you think you can't do it.  The truth is though that your mind will give up 100% of the time before your body does.  Keep your mind engaged in what your goal is and your body will follow!