Caught in the act

Someone fell on their run this morning.

That someone was me.

Thankfully nothing was hurt except for my ego (and a few scrapes).

Then my annoyance surged when I opened my mail to see a notice of delinquent renewal from the state of California.  Apparently, even when they don’t send you the first notice letting you know, it’s still delinquent.  Even when they don’t update your address after you had done it in the system, it’s still your fault.  And what you get in return is another $88 tacked on and an hour long hold if you want to complain.

Starting to think it’s not worth it.  But my bank account thinks differently.

But I know what I need to do is just breathe, because it’s not worth it.  I have better things to focus my energy towards.

Change your thoughts; change your life.

Thankfully as I was working myself into such a rage of anger, I was able to recognize it wasn’t healthy, it wasn’t the way I wanted my day to go or the feeling I wanted to carry with me.  Instead, I’m going to figure out how to move forward.  Yes this is going to set me back (another) good chunk of money but I’ll deal as I always do.

Sometimes we need to stop ourselves mid-reaction and realize if it’s healthy or worth the energy.  I have so many things I want to do with my life that worrying, frustration and anger, aren't worth more than a few moments.  There’s only room for positivity, love and happiness.

I’m always grateful when I’m able to realize and stop this kind of reaction before I let it completely take me over.  And right now, I have a peanut butter sandwich, hot cup of coffee and Harry Potter 5 waiting for me downstairs to enjoy before work.

Source

**After reading my good friend’s blog the other week, she decided that for the month of November, she’s posting something she’s grateful for; something as simple as a picture or quote or possibly something lengthy.  In the month that we come together and share what we’re grateful and thankful for, there seems to be no better way.  And it’s with that that I have decided to join her.  Will you join us? #gratefulseason

We need more of it in our lives

Today was rough.  Well mostly this afternoon.  My morning at work was productive and my pain was staying at a tolerable level.  Thankfully, most of the day the pain has stayed at a tolerable level (thanks to the help of some pain meds, of course).

I received the official procedure date this morning and after eating a quick lunch, called the doctor’s office back for more details and to schedule my pre-surgery visit.  I keep saying that as soon as I get the real date, I’ll be able to breathe; I’ll see the light at the end of the tunnel; the answers to months of questions; the road to pain free days.

Well, that didn’t quite happen today.  Instead I went into the over-thinking; the worrying; the crying; the fear.  It was good that I was on my lunch break but I couldn’t hide from anyone.  I tried sitting on the ground away from the store and had random passerbys ask me where I got my coffee, if I was okay and to smile.  It was great that even those who didn’t know me showed concern, but it didn’t help.  I wanted to hide.  Looking back, I should have walked to my car and hid there.  But when it was time, I gained composure and went back into work.

Sometimes it’s to my benefit and sometimes it hinders me, but I can be read like a book and this was definitely one of those moments.  One of my managers took me out the back door as the water works took over once again.  A few minutes of hugs, talking and support and I was able to get through the rest of my afternoon.

I’m not telling you this for a sympathy vote but because this blog is about my journey through my life and while I like to keep things relatively up-beat and happy, I also want to keep it real.  And these moments of discovering and figuring out what’s going on in my body are real.  And my reactions and emotions (and over-thinking tendencies) are real.

After work was over, pain was still tolerable, additional pain medication was taken and I decided to head over to the yoga studio.  It had been awhile since I’d gone to a class (other than the 20-30 minute podcast sessions I’ve done at home).  I went to Chani’s “Be Here Now” flow which I knew would be challenging and I was okay with that.  Turns out, that was exactly what was needed tonight.

90 minutes later and my legs were shaking.  And as I lay in savasana, I had my first moment where I thought about all of this and it wasn’t fear, negativity or anxiety, but rather “I didn’t think about any of that for the last 90 minutes.  This is exactly what I needed.”  I could breathe again.

The fear is still there; the anxiety is still there.  But in this moment I can breathe and relax and take a more controlled approach to my thinking.  Whether this feeling lasts long or not, doesn’t matter because right now, I’m more at ease.

Yoga is such an amazing thing.

We need more of it in our lives.

I need more of it in my life.

Source

**After reading my good friend’s blog the other evening, she decided that for the month of November, she’s posting something she’s grateful for; something as simple as a picture or quote or possibly something lengthy.  In the month that we come together and share what we’re grateful and thankful for, there seems to be no better way.  And it’s with that that I have decided to join her.  Will you join us? #gratefulseason

Music Monday - I'm Calling On YOU!

Instead of featuring another band or artist that I’m digging this week, I wanted to look to you.  I’ve been using the same running playlist for quite some time now and while I add a new song every now and then, I’m in need of a real re-vamp.

Here’s my current playlist:

“The Show Goes On” - Lupe Fiasco

“Love the Way You Lie” - Eminem

“Airplanes” - B.o.B

“Just a Dream” - Nelly

“Shake it” - Blue Judy

“Radioactive” - Kings of Leon

“Stubborn Love” - The Lumineers

“Fearless Love” - Melissa Etheridge

“Our War” - Neon Trees

“Break Me Out” - The Rescues

“My Body” - Young the Giant

“AstroSerf” - 6cheek (The Lumineers circa 2007 or so)

“In Regards to Sam” - We Pilot These Machines

Clearly I listen to a wide array of music while working out, my goal is either for something to pump me up and make me want to push harder or run faster, or for some part of the lyrics to catch me and inspire me to push through the harder moments in my workout.

So with that, what are your favorite songs to listen to while working out or running?

What songs get you pumped?

Leave them in the comments or email me and help me build my new playlist!

Inspiration

People have always asked me when I’m going to do a triathlon or marathon which always leaves me laughing.  I’ve mentioned before that I’m not really a swimmer and while I classify myself as a runner, my best distance is just over 6.5 miles.  With asthma and bad knees, I’ve never really felt that long distances were achievable or maybe the best decision for me.

This past weekend, there was the Savannah Marathon and the New York Marathon and reading about so many runners training, competing and finishing the marathon has left me feeling a little envious.  I want that high. I want that adrenaline rush.  I want that accomplishment.

I’ve mentioned how I’m training for the 10k at the beginning of December and I’m crossing my fingers all of my current health stuff doesn’t keep me from being able to compete.  It would be my first “race” with the goal to finish and say I’ve done a race, as well as getting more comfortable with that distance.

But after the envy of this weekends races, I want to look ahead and figure out how I can continue to develop myself as a runner and push my limits, while still staying within my means.  So I’m now toying with the idea of running a 1/2 marathon sometime next year.  I’d work really hard to find the proper training plan so as to not hurt my lungs or knee (or any other part of my body for that matter) but I’m feeling inspired to keep pushing forward.

The pain radiates through my body worse everyday and it’s hard to not let it get to me; it’s hard to not worry about all the worst case scenarios and what the next several months of my life could like (believe me, my imagination has gone wild and it hasn’t been pretty!).  With that, I have to do what I can to distract myself and set goals that get me excited.  

I couldn’t be more grateful for the inspiration that came over me this weekend.

Source

**After reading my good friend’s blog the other evening, she decided that for the month of November, she’s posting something she’s grateful for; something as simple as a picture or quote or possibly something lengthy.  In the month that we come together and share what we’re grateful and thankful for, there seems to be no better way.  And it’s with that that I have decided to join her.  Will you join us? #gratefulseason

Endurance

There’s moments when your legs feel like lead; your lungs tight; your feet wobbly.  

There’s moments when you reach your max; you must slow down; you must stop. 

There’s moments when you know that despite a little pain; despite a little discomfort, you can keep pushing forward.

Endurance is a beautiful thing.  

We all have it.  Sometimes we just have to look a little harder to find it.  Sometimes it comes easy.

Come what may, all bad fortune is to be conquered by endurance. - Virgil

Does anybody really think that they didn’t get what they had because they didn’t have the talent or the strength or the endurance or the commitment? - Nelson Mandela

Endurance is nobler than strength, and patience than beauty. - John Ruskin

Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory. - William Barclay

Endurance is patience concentrated. - Thomas Carlyle

Endurance is the crowning quality, And patience all the passion of great hearts. - James Russell Lowell

Every calamity is to be overcome by endurance. - Virgil

(Source)

Source

Sometimes we have to remember to use it in life.  Sometimes you need to remind me of this.

**After reading my good friend’s blog the other evening, she decided that for the month of November, she’s posting something she’s grateful for; something as simple as a picture or quote or possibly something lengthy.  In the month that we come together and share what we’re grateful and thankful for, there seems to be no better way.  And it’s with that that I have decided to join her.  Will you join us? #gratefulseason

Fitness Friday

I promise I didn’t forget this post.  But I can’t promise I didn’t keep forgetting it’s Friday all day.  This week has been weird.  I blame being sick; that works, right?

It was definitely one of those weeks where my fitness regime had to take a back seat to my overall health.  It’s hard for me to accept that sometimes but thankfully I was able to force myself to listen to my body and give it the rest it was asking for while still at least keeping up with the runs on my 10k training plan.  I’m not sure if I’ll actually end up being able to run the 10k with all of the health stuff going on, but I’m not willing to break away from the training just yet.  The way I see it, I’m enjoying it and it’s giving me something to work towards so it’s all good and I should just keep going.

With that, here’s what my week looked like:

Saturday 10.29.11

15 mins yoga and stretching 

Sunday 10.30.11

30 mins abs, arms & stretching

2.5 mile/25 min run (35 mins with warm up and cool down)

Monday 10.31.11

Rest - sick

Tuesday 11.1.11

3.5 mile/35 min run (45 mins with warm up and cool down)

20 mins yoga

(I think I did abs too but I didn’t write it down so I can’t actually confirm or deny that statement...)

Wednesday 11.2.11

Rest - sick

Thursday 11.3.11

2.13 mile / 20-25 mins run (33 mins with warm up and cool down)

45 mins arms, abs and stretching

25 mins yoga

Friday 11.4.11

Rest - sick 

(I had thoughts of doing some yoga after work today but when I got home from work shortly before 10pm, I decided I just wanted to climb into bed, write this post, read and get some sleep.  And I say that’s okay.) :)

Laughter is the best medicine

I was sitting with some friends last night waiting to go out and meet up for our friend’s going away party, and we were just watching America’s Funniest Home Videos.  I didn’t know that show was still on or they even still played reruns.  But we’re all sitting their cracking up and having a good time.

This morning I’m rudely awoken but an awful stomach ache and excruciating side pain at 5:30am.  It was so terrible that I was nearly in tears.  I laid in bed trying to distract myself from the pain because falling back asleep wasn’t working.  Someone posted a Jimmy Kimmel video where parents told their kids they ate all of their Halloween candy.  I burst out laughing.  And in that moment,I forgot about the pain and discomfort that was radiating through my body.

Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine.  Now that’s something to be grateful for.




**After reading my good friend’s blog the other evening, she decided that for the month of November, she’s posting something she’s grateful for; something as simple as a picture or quote or possibly something lengthy.  In the month that we come together and share what we’re grateful and thankful for, there seems to be no better way.  And it’s with that that I have decided to join her.  Will you join us? #gratefulseason