Run, Laugh, Eat, Repeat

I've been on a good stretch the last 2 months .. of running, meditating, stretching, reading and even practicing patience!  It seems to be making a difference in many areas of my life.  Yet I have to admit that there are times that I get down .. when I feel an injury that prevents me from running, when I experience anxiety, when I feel frustrated that life gets in my way and I'm unable to accomplish what I want …. And I've found my best defense is faith.  Faith that it will be alright.  It will work out exactly the way it's supposed to.  And it always does. In the moment it takes a bit of reminding and redirecting to get me back on that path.  Sometimes the situation in the moment is frustrating or discouraging.  What I've found it takes to get past all that is faith .. and a deep breath.  At the end of a deep breath - a big smile.  Because through that little exercise the reality of the situation reveales itself and it's really not a...

Sometimes things just hit me like out of the blue and I wonder why didn't I think of that sooner!?  And after the realization settles in I'm at such peace.  This has happened several times recently at work with all the lessons I've amassed over the last 8 months of a project that is coming to a close.  I honestly didn't realize that I learned so much, or that I was actually putting those lessons into action. I find that I evolve at an interesting rate.  Sometimes it feels as though nothing changes, and other times it's like I don't even remember how things used to be.  And all the while I've maintained that I just need to be myself.  Although I've changed over time through the lessons, the core of who I am remains the same. And that's a great feeling.  To not have to turn myself inside out to fit.  It not only allows me to be authentic, but feels so true deep inside.  I say what I mean, I mean what I say and I know how to say it as to...

This was a real eye-opener today.  This message that I received from Brave Girls.  It reminded me that everything I go through is to teach me.  And some things are harder to learn than others.  Seems rather silly not to know that doesn't it?  Apparently I needed to be reminded.  Because after I read this, the entire landscape changed.  Or did the eyes in which I was looking change?  Doesn't matter.  I kept going, and it felt good! Your daily truth from the Brave Girls Club Dear Wonderful Girl, Someday you will understand. You really will. Someday you will understand why you had to learn things the way you had to learn them, why you had to have certain people in your life, why things had to be so hard sometimes. Someday you will understand the way things fell together, the way you were rescued from catastrophes in funny and miraculous little ways. Someday you will understand how you were never, ever alone...even though y...

Is there a place in my life where self-doubt has taken over?  Perhaps not taken over but continues to rear it's ugly head and cause discomfort?  Not an uninteresting question, that's for sure. Self-doubt. My inability to be confident in me being enough.  My being accepted. From the opposite side of that coin is - not being enough and not being accepted.  Those are so scary to think about - and yet I'm pretty sure it's what holds me back from opportunities, conversations and perhaps even joy. It's fear.  Isn't that what self-doubt is .. fear of not being viewed as I see myself.  And yet when does the rest of the world no longer matter?  As it is likely that everyone must be challenged in some way or another with this self-doubt. How can I work through being enough?  Who am I afraid I am not enough for?  Does that person/people matter?  Will that change my behavior?  Make me want to do things differently?  To be hon...

There is something to be said for the making of new friends at this age in life.  Not that I'm saying I'm old, I'm just saying that it doesn't happen as easily as it used when I was younger.  Seems like when we were back in school things were simpler.  You saw the same people every day, all day long and you had that in common. Today we make friends at work, yet many times that ends when the work day ends.  People have other commitments and family that take time and attention which don't allow for the same type of social life. Yet there are times when a new person just clicks with you.  Or better yet a new group that you just fall into without hesitation.  That real connection is something to be treasured.  It's the ability to make new friends as an adult, with adult conversations. There conversations can lead you places that validate you and sustain you.  They connect you to the world of people with similar roles as you:  parent, sp...

That was my mantra for quite a while.  But that was many years ago.  When I was plagued with anxiety and loneliness.  I had myself convinced that the only thing within my control was my breath.  And somehow that worked.  I would repeat, "breathe in, breathe out," over and over.  Reminding myself that was the only thing that mattered. Isn't that strange? Because you don't have to remind yourself to breathe!  But by focusing there it allowed whatever anxiety was troubling me to settle down. It still works.  Although the anxiety is not the same.  But it's still a good reminder for me to remember what is within my control. I have a long list of things that are NOT within my control: Timing Other People The weather Flights being on time The power going out These are huge things to not be within my control.  And yet somehow I manage.  I'm still breathing, I'm still smiling.  Funny how that works.  But it does...

"When you love from a place without expectation, it changes the world. When you love from a place of selfishness, it changes you."  ~ me I learned the difference today.  By sending light and love, healing and hope, from a distance without knowing the circumstances.  It changed the way I saw love. It was healing.  And that's just what I experienced.