Time for a Big Dream!

For the past couple of years I have watched may people around me set and achieve their running goals.  Along the way I have been asked to run in different races from 5K to half marathons.  Although I enjoy throwing on my shoes, my music and hitting the road, the runs are rarely easy and I still have trouble thinking of myself as a runner.  I know that simply by putting on the shoes and heading out the door I'm miles ahead of where I was a few years ago, I'm still envious of the people I drive past who make running look easy.

A while back I developed a system, when anyone asked me to do a race I simply responded,
"If I'm going to be crazy enough to run a half marathon, I'm going big, and until I'm ready I'm happy with what I can do right now".  Well...that was my response until a few months ago when  the response to my statement was "well...what's your definition of big?"   Truly believing this was just a crazy and far enough away dream that it wouldn't actually ever happen I shared my dream of a Disney half Marathon.  I mean, if I'm going to do it...who wouldn't want to run in the happiest place on earth, dressed as a princess???

Well...thanks to the amazing woman who called me out on my "big dream" and committed to coming with me...the time has come to step up to the plate.

The room is booked, the race entry paid for and in 6 short months we are on our way to Disney World.   Just to ensure we are going big...we signed up for the Disney Glass Slipper Challenge.  A 10K race on Saturday, followed by a Half Marathon on Sunday!  I've made my plans, I'm committing to this goal and along the way I may just realize that yes its true, I may just actually be a runner!!

It's time to see what Dreaming Big can really do for me now!

It's Perfectly Fine to Be Me...

I've learned a lot about myself over the last few years.

I've tested my limits and realized I'm more capable than I thought I was. I've accomplished things at bootcamp, while running and when participating in other sports I never thought I could excel at.

I'm dedicated to things I put my mind to for work and at play. Proof in the way I step up to challenges in work and play.

My willpower does exist, at times I've given up sugar, alcohol and unhealthy eating for periods at a time.

I'm also healthier than I ever thought I would be.  I've proved to myself my body can be normal if I treat it well by eating healthy and working out.


Looking back,  I'm trying to remember why  I started on this path and what is going to push me further, past the limits I ever thought possible.

In 2012 I started working out, simply to prove that I wasn't healthy enough to do it, because that's what I was led to believe, that my body would never be normal or as capable as others.  Once I started, I quickly realized how good it felt and how capable I really was.  When I started to see success, weight loss and personal goals achieved, I started working harder to lose more and to reshape my body.  Once I was at a point I was happy with, I started telling myself it was just simply to be healthy, but that quickly turned into seeing if I could start to heal my body and push past the next set of goals I set for myself.

Today  I'm not sure exactly why I continue to do it, except for the fact I know how good I feel and how much I have changed and improved, mind and body over the last 4 years.

After all I've learned and all I've accomplished, why do I still feel like I have so far to go? Why can't I be happy with working hard?  Why do I fall back into unhealthy eating patterns when I know better?  How can I still hate parts of my body?

There are so many things I'm still trying to work thru...but the one thing I know, regardless of my flaws, my dreams and my goals; I'm never going to be "perfect" but it's perfectly fine to be me.

When to Break up with a Challenge

I'm very vocal about my love of a good challenge.  I've done so many over the past few years that I can hardly remember them all.  This year has proven to be no different.

This year alone, I gave up alcohol for 3 months, I've written a gratitude journal everyday since January, I gave up sugar for a month, I've meditated every day for a month straight and I did 10,000 steps everyday for 2 months straight.  It's kind of hard to believe it's only the end of April!

One of the biggest challenges I have is deciding when it is ok to break my streak.  Sometimes the decisions are easy, sometimes life just gets in the way.  A lot of stress, pressure and lack of routine broke my healthy habits this  month leaving me disappointed and relieved.  Disappointed because the healthy routines made me feel better, yet relieved because there are some days eating clean, not having a drink with friends or stressing out at 9pm when I'm a solid 5K away from my step goal.

As I begin to think about what I should put next on my challenge to do list, I'm trying to find a way to incorporate one that includes a little balance.  A challenge that puts a focus on my health and wellness goals that also allows me to live a little, to relax and to enjoy life. What kind of challenge can help me achieve my goals?

Gratitude...the possibilities are endless!

As I mentioned in my last post I've been focused a lot on heath and wellness.  I finished my 28 days of gratitude challenge and just can't stop.  I'm blown away how 10  minutes in the morning, being thankful in advance for the outcomes of my daily actions has paid off.  I'm beginning to find the positive in everything, accepting my faults and working hard to make my wishes and dreams come true. An even more amazing thing...my life is actually changing for the better.

Some amazing things that have happened since I started doing this:

1.  Difficult situations become easier - being thankful in advance for how the discussion or action will go has actually made the situation better.  I'm not sure if it's my awareness of the issue in advance, or just plain magic, but the practice has actually help me in some difficult situations.   I'm reminded the importance of give and take, of recognizing other people's viewpoints and accepting that my way isn't always the best way.  I've had a few difficult situations diffused simply because I was able to separate myself from the situation to realize it wasn't personal and the  other person honestly had valid points.

2.  I'm attracting exactly what I'm seeking - writing and verbalizing my needs has not only provided me material objects, but support from people I never would have expected.  I'm still curious how this magical practice works but it does!   Every morning, as I think  my way thru my schedule and am thankful in advance for opportunities, knowledge and support, I find it showing up where I least expect it.  The most random situations have led me to information or people who have the material objects, information or support I needed, business meetings ending with health suggestions, social media contacts who have the item I'm searching for, tedious errands that put me in positions to meet someone new who knows something I needed to find out.  It seriously has left me baffled and overwhelmed at times trying to put it all together.

3.  Miraculous Health Improvements - thanks to all the support, knowledge and sharing I've had as described above, I  ventured into an experiment.  On a quest to fix my health problems, I practiced gratitude everyday.  Thankful for the little things, like healthy food at meetings, opportunities to talk to people who share my issues and finding support in the most unexpected places, I never expected to happen what has occurred over the last couple weeks.  After an intense attack, I decided it was time to get back to basics and figure this problem out.  A friend randomly started talking about a lifestyle change she was having success with, she was so adamant she had never felt better, I decided to try a modified diet.  I attempted a juice cleanse to help eliminate whatever toxins were in my system at the moment, then I began introducing food one at a time.  After a few immediate reactions I noticed a pattern.  I'm not quite 2 weeks into this experiment and amazing things are already happening.  Apparently processed sugar is my enemy, simply eliminating this from my diet has stopped symptoms I've experienced since my surgery 15 years ago!  5 days into the experiment and I stopped taking the one medication I've relied on regularly for the past 12 years.  I'm now on day 13 and haven't had to take it yet.  Now, I'm not perfect...I have  my moments of weakness...after all...I'm a chocoholic!  When I do have the symptoms after my moment of weakness, I'm reminded it isn't worth it!  I'm feeling amazing...my family isn't suffering from ridiculous diet change as all I've done is focus on natural food, life is amazing.   All of this wouldn't of been possible with out the support I've gained from the people around me.  The support I've found simply by being thankful in advance for finding the support I need.

I'm excited to see where the  next few weeks take me.  My post doesn't even begin to tell you how amazed I am with respect to this practice.  Yesterday, it even brought me to mouth dropping amazement and happy tears!  If at this moment you are even the slightest bit curious about what I've described, I have one suggestion for you...start with this book...it walks you thru the 28 day gratitude challenge.  I'm willing to bet you would start to notice the magic happening around you too.  If you do take the challenge...I can't wait to hear how it affected you!

Gratitude and Reflection - Necessities of Life

It has been a while since I posted.  I've been busy doing exactly as I last mentioned.  It is taking time, but I'm slowly mastering the art of work, play and relaxation.  As most people do, I focused on new goals for the beginning of 2015.  Top of the list, focusing on health and wellness!  Last year's focus on my career paid off, I completed my courses, got a new job and set out on my path of professional growth.  Now that the routine has settled in, my focus is on healthy, clean eating, daily gratitude practices and maintaining balance between work and home.

I started the year off strong, with 5:30am starts to the day, either heading off to early morning bootcamp, or using the hour before anyone gets up to reflect, relax and to have a calmer start to the day.  So far so good.  the days I have bootcamp I have energy to make it thru the day, the days I start with a gratitude practice I'm more at ease and ready to tackle my schedule.

I jumped back into "The Magic" with daily gratitude challenges that remind me of all the wonderful things I have to be grateful for.  The  practice allows me to focus on my goals, my hopes and my dreams.  Although I've worked my way thru this book before on a couple different occasions, and practiced being thankful all the time, I'm going to keep repeating the steps for the whole year.  I'm excited to see what can happen after the year is up!

I  set my goal to jump head first into clean eating and meeting my daily physical activity goals but I'm struggling here just a little.  Both tasks are difficult when travelling daily, partaking in lunch  meetings or dealing with unscheduled days that leave me rushed to consume food leaving me reaching for the easiest option, not necessarily the healthiest.  Unfortunately I've been struggling with a few food issues and flareups that I hope to figure out soon too.  It's time I begin focusing on the food...developing  habits that work for my schedule and provide me the ability to reach my ultimate goal...healing myself from the inside out!

I've also come to the realization that I have a few conflicting fitness goals.  I started this process to improve my mental health  and to feel better.  Three years after I started on this path, I can honestly say I've accomplished these two goals.  I was warned, and see how true it is,  that as you progress, new goals pop up.  I went from virtually inactive, unhappy and unhealthy  to vibrant, excessively active and happy.  I took up running but laid off last year to due time constraints due to the courses I was taking, busy schedules at home and stress at work.  I  instead attempted to focus on getting stronger, lifting weights and changing the shape of my body.  I decided last year that along with some weight loss/maintenance I also wanted to become visibly fit.  I'm not sure why it took me so long to figure out that you really can't lose weight  and bulk up at the same time.

I'm working out my issues now...I've convinced myself that being healthy comes first.  Fix my eating habits, reduce my flare ups, ultimately heal myself from the inside out and the body issues will sort themselves out.  Smart choices, like when to do bootcamp, adding in some running and continuing to improve my strength training will help me stay physically fit and mentally capable to handle everyday life.

I'm a work in progress, but constant reflection on my goals and being thankful for how far I've come leave me excited to see what I can accomplish this year.  This year I value my health and wellness for the sake of me and my family.

How can  reflection and gratitude  help put changes in your life on track?  What do you value most in your life this year?

Finding Balance

Well I'm here...two months into my new position and I'm still moving forward.  There have been many days where I feel like I'm moving on the back of a turtle but I haven't yet felt like the train is in reverse!

I love to be organized, prompt and was always proud of my good memory.  I'm realizing in my new position that these traits can easily slip away.  Distractions occur, meetings run late, and comments made in passing can easily be forgotten when the next distraction comes along.    All that being said, I'm loving my new job, challenges and all.

Two months in and I've developed many new friendships, a professional network around the province, and pride in my ability to accomplish new tasks. I've also learned the power of stress on my body, mind and family.

Now that I have a wee bit of experience under my belt, it's time I start exploring the balance to bring it all together.  Time to unwind, to enjoy the moment and to let go the things I cannot change.  It's back to exercise, healthy eating and meditation.  The plan of attack; scheduled exercise, bagged lunches, a meditation challenge and a housekeeper!  The thoughts of it are making me relaxed already!

Big Accomplishments...Short Time Frame

Wow...I just realized it has been a long time since I have actually taken time to put my thoughts on paper with respect to my personal growth. Now that I've had the chance to think back to all the things that have happened since my last post, I have to admit, I've kind of blown my own mind.  This summer, my focus was more on professional growth and less on personal growth.  Although I still worked hard on my health and wellness, my actions and time really were committed to my career goals and aspirations.

My last post was written the on the heels of a huge job interview.  Success came the following day when I accepted the position of Secondary Pathways Consultant with the school board.  I also had just begun what would hopefully be my last university course to promote myself to the next pay category.   The month of June, as noted before, has always been a crazy month.  This year made even more so based on the crazy emotions of excitement for the future, sadness leaving the place I called home for so many years, and the stress of wrapping up one stage of my life while preparing for a new one.

July brought summer school craziness, extra busy family activities and more excitement, sadness and fear for the upcoming school year. 

August dropped me into my new position and I was, for half of the month, consumed by studying to achieve a mark high enough in my course to help me achieve my goal of a category change.  A week in Northern Ontario, surrounded by my family and nature offered me the relaxation and renewal I needed before heading back into the biggest change of my life.

September brought fear!  The realization that for the first time in 29 years, I wouldn't be in school for the first day of school.  The fear of not knowing what to expect in my new position.  The expectation of loneliness, missing the colleagues I had come to know as family for the past 10 years.  I'm happy to say that all of those fears were irrational.  I've discovered I'm still surrounded by amazing people, my McGregor family is still there and I'm truly loving the new opportunities I have been awarded.

Now that October is here..I'm excited to see what comes first and am taking the opportunity to regain my focus on my health, fitness and family.  I'm proud of the hard work I put in to achieve some of my goals and I'm looking forward to the challenges and changes heading my way.

It's amazing what you can accomplish in a short time frame if you work hard and believe in yourself!   Now it's time to put it all together.  Here goes my commitment to put my best foot forward in my new position and to regain my focus on health and wellness.  It's time again to set my goals for the next three months to see what I can achieve.   Explore what matters to you, set your goals...let's see what we can accomplish this time around!