Amy C Christensen

I'm Trying: Monday Morning Excuse

2012-05-14T12:09:35Z

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

I grew up hearing this quote (as I suspect you might have as well). It’s a good adage, but as I learn more about motivations and decisions, I realize that “trying” isn’t enough.

It can certainly work in the short term:

“I’m trying to work out every day.”

“I’m trying to manage my time better.”

“I’m trying to wake up earlier.”

I don’t know about you, but the next word that automatically comes to my mind when I hear these statements is BUT.

“I’m trying, but...”

And then the excuses begin, right?

“I’m trying to work out every day, but I can’t seem to get out of bed early enough.”

“I’m trying to wake up earlier, but I keep sleeping through my alarm.”

In this sense, trying makes us feel better about what we’re not actually doing. But the problem remains:

We’re not doing the things we say we want to do.

we all have a choice

Convincing ourselves that we’re trying and working on it gives us an out. There’s an option to not do it. And if it’s something that we really don’t want to do, but think we should? Well... we’re trying, right?

In my mind we have two choices:

Quit trying. Let go of the expectations and guilt that come with trying. Throw in the towel. Surrender and find something else that you will do. That you enjoy doing. Guilt free.

Do it. We make time for the things that are important to us. If the thing you’re trying to do is truly important, DO it. Create a workout schedule that you stick to. Wake up with your alarm. Commit to your decision and get started.

your homework

The doing certainly isn’t always easy. But when we stop trying to do the things we don’t really want to do in the first place, we free up so much time—not to mention energy—to do the things we actually do want to do.

If you’re finding it difficult to get things done (not for lack of trying, mind you!), here is one exercise that might help you gain some clarity and perspective on what to start with.

1. Make a list of all the things in your life that you are trying to do or accomplish.
2. Take a look at your list. Really look at it objectively. How much energy are you expending on each one? Which feel exciting? Which are you dreading?
3. Prioritize your list and choose between one to three items that really resonate with you and you feel excited anticipation to get started.
4. Give yourself permission to let go of the others (for now — you can reassess later if it makes sense) and make the decision to DO those top three. What’s the first step?
5. Write down the first action you need to take toward each of those goals that you chose. (Remember—you should have no more than three!) Make a plan and commit to doing that one step today.

I’d love to hear what came up for you guys on this topic. Have you been trying for a long time and not getting anywhere? Has reframing your intention helped? Please let me know in the comments—I always love hearing from you.

welcome

If you’re new here, welcome. I’m delighted you stopped by.

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Other posts you might enjoy:

Running Saved My Life: Guest Post From Late-Blooming Athlete Heather Wilson

2012-05-10T13:03:51Z

There are moments in our lives where we make a decision that alters the course of our lives forever.

I call these defining moments. For late-blooming athlete, Heather Wilson, she experienced just such a defining moment during a particularly difficult time in her life that permanently altered the trajectory of her future.

What did she do? She signed up for the Honolulu marathon without ever having run a mile in her life.

Yep. You read that right. Never having run in her life and she commits to a marathon!

Yet her story is about so much more than running a marathon. It’s about how one moment—one seemingly random thought—can change your life. How when you let go of what you know and trust your Inner Wisdom, life reveals the magic that comes from stepping outside your comfort zone.

It’s when we find out that we’re so much more capable of things we never imagined.

I love this story for so many reasons. I’ll turn it over to Heather so you can hear it in her own words.

can one thought change your life?

Heather's "before" picture

Can a thought truly change your life? Yes, yes it can and I am living proof.When I was a child, I imagined I would grow up to live in a big beautiful house, have a wonderful, romantic husband, and a great career making all the money I wanted. My body would be perfect and my social life fun and exciting. I would be HAPPY!

Unfortunately, things didn’t quite turn out that way. I ended up getting married right out of university—putting my own dreams on hold—and soon discovered my new husband was a gambling addict and control freak.

Because of his gambling and spending habits, I often had to take my kids to the food-bank and I can’t count the number of times we were literally hours away from being homeless. The stress of it all affected my health and I gained weight—a lot of weight.

The entire relationship was toxic. For ten years, he controlled my every move and constantly put me down. I was depressed, lonely, frustrated, unhealthy, and I felt isolated and stuck. My self-esteem was at an all-time low and things seemed very hopeless.

I was slowly and painfully committing suicide by choosing to stay in the relationship.

a day for change

Then one day it all changed for me. It was my 33rd birthday, 2005, and I didn’t have a thing to celebrate. I woke up more depressed than ever. I wanted to give up—to make it all stop. But at that moment, my clock radio came on with a song that caught my attention.

The song was “It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi. I had heard the song many times before, as I am sure you have. But at that exact moment something just made me stop and truly listen to the words:

It’s my life. It’s now or never, I ain’t going to live forever.

It was like a bolt of lightning hit me in the head. Holy Cow! It’s MY LIFE!

Up until that moment, I had been living my life according to everyone else’s plan. Did I want to wake up and be living like this in 10 years? 5 Years? 1 Year? Tomorrow?

The answer was a resounding NO! So I decided from that moment on it was my life and I would live it according to my plan.

I jumped up out of bed completely motivated to change my life.

And I did.

I got out of my marriage pretty much immediately, and within two years, I had filed for divorce, paid for it myself, got an amazing job, and paid off all the debt. I also lost over 50lbs and ran the Honolulu marathon.

how the honolulu marathon saved my life

I signed up for the marathon the same month I separated from my husband having never run one step in my entire life.

I had never been athletic—aside from the odd aerobics class in the 80s. This time I wanted (needed) to do something completely different for me; something that would challenge me and make me feel alive. On top of that, I wanted to prove to all the people who told me I couldn’t do it, that I could.

I never planned to run a marathon, but I’d put the idea out to the universe that I wanted something fun and challenging to do and soon got my answer.

I saw an ad in the newspaper for a free trip to Hawaii; the catch was you had to run the Honolulu marathon and raise money for the Arthritis Society. It was a cold and snowy January day and Hawaii in December was looking pretty darn good. So I immediately signed up, long before I started training (or had time to second guess my decision).

training

"If I can do a 1/2..."

I realized I needed help training if I was going to do this, so I met with the Arthritis Society trainer and ran a few times with the group. Unfortunately, the timing and location of the training runs didn’t work for me, so I struck out on my own. I used the information I learned from the trainer and tons of online research.

My schedule consisted of getting up every morning at 5:15am for an hour run/walk. I did a mix of runs at an awesome indoor track just up the street from my house and outside runs on the weekends. Once warmer weather arrived, I ran more outside and added in some weight training for variety.

To say it was a challenge is an understatement. I HATE getting up early. I am not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination.

But if I wanted to do this, I had to train before my kids woke up. Once they were up, I was on Mom duty and running would be out of the question. By this time, I was a single mom of two young boys (ages 3 and 6). We were living with my parents at the time so I could leave them sleeping knowing my parents were home to care for them.

Oh the memories!

I always put my clothes out the night before so that the second I opened my eyes I would see them. I also used a big, old, clunky Sony Discman for music. No sleek little MP3 for me. The Discman would clunk against my hip and I had to keep moving it to stop from getting bruises. But I would crank the music and then nothing else mattered.

On weekends, I ran one really long run that got longer and longer over the summer. I was afraid I’d get to Hawaii and totally suck, so I signed up for the Prince Edward Island Half Marathon in October as a practice race. I thought if I could do a half, I should be able to do a whole marathon.

The day dawned windy and rainy; typical October weather on Prince Edward Island. The only difference was the stronger winds from the tail end of Hurricane Rita that year.

That day, I alternated between being frozen and drenched and hot and sweaty. I finished, and I wasn’t last. When I crossed that finish line and I heard my name called, I burst into tears because there wasn’t one person I knew there waiting for me. I got in my car and drove myself home, wondering what the hell I was doing.

That experience motivated me even more to make it to Hawaii.

Every time I ran, I visualized myself crossing the finish line in Honolulu. Aside from my parents watching my boys while I ran, I didn’t have much moral support. I was in the middle of a divorce and as a single mother, I didn’t really have time to go out and meet new people (I had just moved to Prince Edward Island).

running through the challenges

It was hard—really hard some days. Many times I wanted to give up. Coordinating training runs, eating healthy (when I really wanted a pizza), really wanting to sleep in, and drinking copious amounts of water all were daily struggles.

But my motivation was threefold: a healthier me, to be a positive role model for my children, and proving to myself that I could do ANYTHING.

That got me out of bed at 5:15am in the dead of winter and kept me on track.

honolulu

Training

Finally, December 2005 arrived and I was on my way to Hawaii. It took a full 24 hours to get there with a stop overnight in Vancouver. The race day actually started at 2:00am with the race itself beginning somewhere between 3am and 4am. (It starts in the dark because it’s cooler.) Also, the Christmas lights are really pretty on the palm trees.

Somehow, the bus that took me from my hotel to the starting line dropped me off at the front of the race right behind the professional runners. I should have been in the back with the other slower runners but there was no way I could get through the crowd of 33,000 other people to get there (and who was I kidding? Did I seriously want to run that extra mile to get to the starting line?).

Once the race started, I was feeling awesome! It was dark and cool and my time was great. I made sure I kept hydrated and had gels in my fanny pack. But once the sun rose... that was a different story. I have never sweat so much in my entire life. It was like rivers were pouring off my body (I actually lost 7lbs that day).

My training could not have prepared me for the heat. I couldn’t keep sunscreen on my skin. The course went up Diamond Head (extinct volcano) and back down and then up and down it again.

I discovered that the mind truly can overcome the body.

I saw people dropping like flies from the heat and dehydration. I refused to be one of those runners the ambulance had to cart away. I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other and reaching each check-in point. The last mile was killer. But I did it. And I crossed the finish line running with my hands held high.

Up until that moment, I had never been very proud of myself for anything in my entire life. I cried tears of joy. I got my finisher medal and shirt and then walked back to my hotel.

It was the longest 10 minute walk of my life. I climbed into bed fully clothed, shivering and shaking because I was so cold. Turns out I had heat exhaustion. I had managed to ignore it until I stopped and then it kicked in full force.

it’s a decision

Having fun outside

That day changed me forever. People run and finish marathons all the time. But for me, I had never done anything even remotely that challenging in my entire life. I proved to myself that I can do anything—and it’s never too late to start.

If I had never challenged myself with a marathon, I doubt I would be where I am today.

Since the marathon, I’ve kept up my exercise, adding a lot of variety to my workouts (and I stopped getting up at 5:15am). I experienced a bad case of pneumonia that scarred my lungs and made running difficult. Once I moved into my own home with my boys, I lost the morning babysitter. Instead, I alternated various DVD workouts at home using a lot of resistance training and cardio.

I also (believe it or not) took up fitness pole dancing. It is a CRAZY hard workout but very fun. I love skating (both ice and inline) and I just recently joined a Fit Camp class that uses TRX and BOSU balls and interval training. I love that.

I think what I learned most from the marathon is that if I decide I want to do something, I know I can do it.

Also, I now have an amazing healthy body and I love to find fun activities to try. My boys see me exercising regularly and get out more often with me as well. They know the value of eating well and looking after your body. That is priceless.

additional words of wisdom

Thank you Heather! I am continually inspired by all the late-blooming stories I hear and read about and am always curious about what motivates us to keep going and what inspires us as individuals.

Heather was kind enough to answer these questions for us here:

What motivates you?

My sanity and health motivate me. Since that day, I have to admit to no longer being a die-hard fan of running, but I am a fan of being active and trying new things and keeping an exercise routine.

I continue to exercise on a daily basis but find that fun is my key to success; it has to be fun if I’m going to do it. Whether it’s roller-blading or ice skating, jumping on the trampoline with the kids, a walk, going to a fitness class, or doing yoga at home, I now need to stay active for my mental and physical health. I schedule it right into my calendar because it’s a priority.

What inspires you?

Serving others inspires me. I love helping and seeing other women take charge of their lives and succeed beyond their dreams. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what has happened in your life, you can always start today to change things around.

If you were to give advice to another late-bloomer, what would it be?

Decide. Decide today to get healthy and active however that looks like for you. Start small—one step at a time, and then make it a priority to do a little more each day. You are in charge of your life and your health. No one can do it for you. Life is meant to be LIVED...so go live it to the best you possibly can.

What's next for you?

I love to try new things. I make it a goal to find three new activities per year. That keeps things fresh and fun.

This year I plan to try aerial yoga, ride a zipline, and hopefully get onto a trapeze (did I mention I am afraid of heights???). The more crazy, the better! And of course, I’m now out there motivating and empowering others to take charge of their lives and add fun and play back into their lives.

about Heather Wilson

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me lay an invincible summer. ~Albert Camus

Heather Wilson is a transformation catalyst. As an award winning success coach, international motivational speaker, and an author all rolled into one dynamic package, it’s her passion to help you take charge of your life and be the best YOU possible. Go to www.ladyinred.ca to learn more and receive her FREE ebook Being a Wealthy Woman: 101 Articles to Inspire, Motivate, and Empower you to Take Charge of Your Money and Live Your Best Life!

welcome

If you’re new here, welcome. I’m delighted you stopped by.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter for more inspiration and practical tips to help you get—and stay active. You’ll also receive a FREE download of 7 Secrets to Staying Motivated.

If you’re interested in life coaching and ready to make a change, contact me for a free consult.

Other late-blooming athlete stories you might enjoy:

Girls on the Run This Weekend in Denver!

2012-05-09T18:05:53Z

Head down to City Park this Saturday morning (May 12) and you’ll find lots of Girls on the Run—Literally.

Girls ages 8 - 13, from 80+ different schools around the Denver-metro area have been busy training the past few months for Saturday’s 5K race.

I’ve been lucky enough to coach one of the teams and watching these girls work hard while having fun has been such an amazing experience.

If you don’t know much about Girls on the Run, here’s a quick snapshot:

It was founded by Molly Barker in Charlotte, NC and has grown over the years into an International organization. Find a chapter in your city.
“Inspiring girls to be joyful, healthy and confident” is their (awesome) mission.
It’s a program for girls between the ages of eight and thirteen to educate and empower, combining an interactive curriculum and running to inspire self-respect and healthy lifestyles.
Each girl will run a 5K at the end of the course (that’s this Saturday in City Park for Denver-area folks).

Here’s a short video the Girls on the Run of the Rockies put together:

Watch it directly from YouTube.

Registration is still open for this Saturday’s run. It’s an amazing program that could really use your support. Come out and run with us (you can sign up here) or cheer us on (race begins at 9:00am in City Park).

I came across this organization in Cincinnati last fall and as I watched the faces of the girls as they rounded the last corner towards the finish line, the pride, joy and sense of accomplishment shone from their faces and gave me chills.

It’s pretty amazing. Come join us!

welcome

If you’re new here, welcome. I’m delighted you stopped by.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter for more inspiration and practical tips to help you get—and stay active. You’ll also receive a FREE download of 7 Secrets to Staying Motivated.

If you’re interested in life coaching and ready to make a change, contact me for a free consult.

Other posts you might enjoy:

What Are You Waiting For? Monday Morning Excuse

2012-05-07T12:04:01Z

“I want to get stronger before I start climbing again.”

“I’m too stiff... I need to start stretching more before I go to yoga.”

“I need to update the copy on my website before I create that new program.”

I’m totally guilty of that last statement.

I realized I’d fallen into the waiting-for-the-perfect-moment trap a couple of weeks ago when I heard this bit of wisdom:

It’s not a process. It’s a decision.

Taking action requires one to decide to do something. There’s no room for delay. There’s no room for procrastination. Decide to go to that yoga class. Decide to get out to the crag as soon as you can. Decide to quit waiting for that elusive "perfect" time and just do it.

decide

Here’s the secret that I’m discovering:

Once you make the decision—that one decision that’s been holding you back and scares you because you know it’s going to place you squarely in the midst of the unknown—the process finally begins.

Thinking things through is definitely important. Plans are generally good things to have.

The problems comes when we spend so much of our energy thinking about all the things that might happen and ruminating over potential scenarios for so long that the moment passes. We look up from our thoughts and realize too late that we missed precious opportunity for action.

The process is in the doing and that doing comes from the decision to commit.

my commitment

Today I am making the decision to create.

I’ve been waiting for a ton of things to fall into place with my business before creating a course, but no more. I am deciding today that I will create the kickass course for you guys I've been thinking about. It's going to be all about overcoming your excuses and taking action and I’ll be sharing more about in the weeks to come. (You can sign up for my newsletter for more in-depth news on that front.)

What have you been waiting for?

welcome

If you’re new here, welcome. I’m delighted you stopped by.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter for more inspiration and practical tips to help you get—and stay active. You’ll also receive a FREE download of 7 Secrets to Staying Motivated.

If you’re interested in life coaching and ready to make a change, contact me for a free consult.

Other posts you might enjoy:

Beginning Again: The First Run

2012-05-04T18:18:16Z

One step at a time

The first run is something special.

You remember where you were. What it smelled like. What the air felt like. How freaking hard it was.

Some of us are humbled. Others are invigorated. But I think for all of us, there’s a sense of wonder and awe.

We did it. We ran. It’s something we never thought would happen.

Which might seem so counter-intuitive to those who have always run. Running is natural. We’ve been running since we were kids. Freeze tag. Red Light Green Light. Running was as much a part of our daily lives as homework and negotiating for a later bedtime.

Yet somewhere along the way, some of us decided—or learned—that we weren’t athletes. That running was hard and no longer fun. So we stopped running.

For me, it happened in middle school. Tag was for the younger kids and as I raced down the block with my neighborhood friend, I decided that I wasn’t fast or talented at running, so turned my attention to the violin, singing, and hanging out with my friends.

So when I stepped on that treadmill some 15 years later to “warm up” before a short swim at the gym, I was only vaguely interested in actually running. It just seemed like the sort of thing I “should” do to warm up.

The five minutes I planned on running turned into twelve as I slowly upped the ante for myself. Five minutes? Done. Half a mile? Not too much further. So what about ten minutes? Did it!

Could I possibly complete a full mile? Turns out that yes, I could!

I stepped off the treadmill a little bit stunned. A seed had been planted. I didn’t even realize I’d been carrying that seed of curiosty and desire around with me. But there it was planted firmly in my consciousness: Possibility.

the second first run

That was over ten years ago. Today I’m very much a runner. It’s my sanity. It’s become very much a part of who I am.

So when I ran for the first time last week after many months off due to injury, it felt like a “first run.”

The air was warm as I biked up to the trailhead. I shook my legs out and did a couple of light stretches. I pressed start on my watch and ran.

Each foot stretching forward as I leaned into the rhythm. For one glorious minute I ran.

Yes, just one minute for this first run, but I am grateful for every one of those sixty seconds.

My training schedule right now is one of recovery. Slow, methodical recovery, designed to strengthen my muscles and introduce my body to a new gait. Last week was my first week: run one minute and walk nine. This week I get to run two minutes and walk eight.

I’m not going to lie—it’s really challenging to stop after just one or two minutes and walk for eight or nine at a time. Dressed in my running gear, my body wants to go.

But as with all goals, slow and steady is a solid plan. Too much too soon will set me up for future injury and even more time on the couch.

The thing about injuries, however frustrating and discouraging they are, is that they really put in perspective what we’re missing and have possibly been taking for granted before. Not being able to run helps me appreciate even the painful and hard moments of running. I’m totally out of shape. Even running for two minutes challenges my endurance and fitness.

But I am grateful for my renewed ability to run. For the experience of beginning again.

beginning again

As we get older, our opportunities to begin something new tend to lessen as we find our passions, focus our attention on our established talents and comforts. Yet to be a beginner is a true gift.

It requires that we step outside our comfort zone and embrace the adventure of the unknown. How will we do? What will it feel like?

Shifting our mindset to find the joy in beginning anew—even if it’s within a realm we’re already familiar with can open up new perspectives and hidden talents we’d previously overlooked.

Here are a few things I’ve discovered help when beginning the second (or third or fourth) time around:

Let go of expectations and attachments. Forget what you know—or think you know. Open your mind to learning something new, or something you might have missed.

Get curious. Heighten your awareness and pay attention to new sensations. Now that you’ve let go of the expectations and attachments, your mind is open to seeing new things. Ask questions. Notice what’s around you. What’s different? Surprising?

Have fun. Having fun and playing is something we don’t seem to ever do enough of. It can seem like living is serious business. Work, obligations, cleaning the bathroom... when did we decide that these things couldn’t be fun? Smile and let yourself relax into the experience. “Fun” is different for everyone, but the common theme is enjoyment, right? So notice what you enjoy about whatever it is you’re doing. What makes it so satisfying? Lean into that feeling, nurturing that seed of new possibilities.

What about you? What are you beginning? Do you remember your first run? How did that one moment change your life?

welcome

If you’re new here, welcome. I’m delighted you stopped by.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter for more inspiration and practical tips to help you get—and stay active. You’ll also receive a FREE download of 7 Secrets to Staying Motivated.

If you’re interested in life coaching and ready to make a change, contact me for a free consult.

Other posts you might enjoy:

April 2012 Monthly News & Wrap-up

2012-05-01T20:01:07Z

Apparently April was my month to highlight how little age has to do with things when it comes right down to it. Here are two inspiring stories I found that I think you’ll enjoy:

I’m also working on letting y’all know when cool events are happening. In April, we had National Park Week. Did you take advantage of the free days? What’s coming up in your neck of the woods?

Step Into a Postcard

I’m also experimenting with including more personal stories here so y’all can get to know me a little better... what motivates me, inspires me and understand more of what I do and why I do it. I’m traveling this journey of adventure alongside you. Where are you in your journey?

Upcoming Events

May is National Bike Month. May is National Bike Month. So get air in your tires and your legs ready to go.

Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel...the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. ~ Susan B. Anthony

I remember learning to ride a bike on training wheels and how proud I was when those wheels came off. I remember riding around and around our block growing up and taking rides with my dad at the local park.

I’ve yet to embrace rain and cold weather riding, but as the weather warms up, you can be sure I’ll be on two wheels a lot more often. How do you plan to celebrate Bikes this month?

Mark your calendar for Bike to Work Day on May 18.

The adVANture Heads East. Yep. We are repacking our van and heading out east towards the end of May, spending most of June traveling up the east coast. I’m looking forward to feeling that freedom of the open road again and spending more time outside.

What are your summer plans?

31 Days of Adventure: Extra Goodies. And finally, 31 Days of Adventure has some surprises for those of you who’ve signed up. So stay tuned!

welcome

If you’re new here, welcome. I’m delighted you stopped by.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter for more inspiration and practical tips to help you get—and stay active. You’ll also receive a FREE download of 7 Secrets to Staying Motivated.

If you’re interested in life coaching and ready to make a change, contact me for a free consult.

Grandmothers of Endurance: Ultrarunning Into Your Seventies

2012-04-25T17:06:48Z

Running has enhanced my life. ~Barb Macklow

When I come upon stories like this, my heart starts racing and I want to jump up and down and shout, "YES!" You guys know I'm a huge advocate for getting outside and finding strength through the outdoors and physical challenges.

As a late-blooming athlete myself, I get so inspired when I see others finding their outdoor passions later in life and continually upping their own personal and physical challenges.

This video was published back in 2010, but as far as I can tell, Barb and Vicki are still running strong. Barb Macklow (age 76 at the time of the video), and Vicki Griffiths (67 at the time of the video) run ultra marathons. It's a sport very close to my own heart (where you run distances greater than then 26.2 miles of a typical marathon), and I'm delighted to share this video of two amazing and inspiring women.

Watch the video - it's only 5:34 minutes long. Be sure to note the ages they began to run (spoiler: ages 51 and 40!) and get ready to be inspired!

You can watch it on YouTube here.

welcome

If you’re new here, welcome. I’m delighted you stopped by.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter for more inspiration and practical tips to help you get—and stay active. You’ll also receive a FREE download of 7 Secrets to Staying Motivated.

If you’re interested in life coaching and ready to make a change, contact me for a free consult.

Other posts you might enjoy:

Step Into a Postcard Next Week

2012-04-20T12:04:01Z

North Cascades National Park, WA

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live in a postcard? You’ve seen them, right? Pristine valleys, gorgeous scenery and sublime views of the outdoors. These are the pictures that draw you in. That elicit dreams of starlit nights and simpler days.

Grand Teton Nat'l Park, WY

Tomorrow, April 21, marks the first day of National Park Week (April 21 - 29, 2012).

Every time I’m in a park and make a small effort to pull over, get out of the car and walk a ways away, I have this unfaltering feeling that I’m in a postcard. That I’ve walked beyond the boundary of daily life and into a world of intense beauty.

Bryce Canyon Nat'l Park, UT

I feel connected in a way that I don’t when I’m in town. There is a power that comes from nature that one can only feel when you’re there, barefoot on the trail with your soles dirty and the wind brushing across your sun-kissed cheeks.

Great Basin Nat'l Park, NV

How many of the 397 parks and monuments have you visited?

I can’t remember the first park I ever visited. My parents were both teachers with a penchant for road trips. During the summer months and school holidays we were always driving somewhere to visit relatives or historic places. National Parks along the way were always part of the deal.

Starting tomorrow (that’s April 21, 2012) through the 29th, all 397 parks are offering free admission.

What are you waiting for? Go step into the postcard of your choice!

Click here for more details.

welcome

If you’re new here, welcome. I’m delighted you stopped by.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter for more inspiration and practical tips to help you get—and stay active. You’ll also receive a FREE download of 7 Secrets to Staying Motivated.

If you’re interested in life coaching and ready to make a change, contact me for a free consult.

Other posts you might enjoy:

Why I Love Trail Running: Reason #247

2012-04-17T12:07:24Z

Distractions.

I am very sure, in another lifetime, I was crowned Queen of Distractions.

It’s not just online, either. Sure, I’ll be busy writing a blog post and see the little red circle over my mail application and have to go check my email.

Which leads me to responding to something someone has requested. Which will remind me of an article I’d wanted to read. Which, halfway through, I decide I have to tell others about, so go to twitter and Facebook to share it, and then I’ve gone and disappeared down the rabbit hole.

Blog post completely forgotten about until I’m closing out my windows at the end of the day and find it buried under other half-read articles.

When I was a teenager and my mom was on the phone when I wanted to call my best friend (remember the days when you only had one phone—and no call waiting?), I’d pick up the phone in the other room to call my other friend while I waited. That never really worked out.

Just a moment ago I was reading an interesting article while I was eating lunch and in the middle of a sentence — a sentence! — I got up and started cleaning up my dishes.

Totally and completly distracted.

on the trail

It’s hard to get distracted on the trail. Running allows me to focus and do just one thing for a prescribed amount of time (my personal favorite is between two and three hours) and get into a zone.

My mind wanders as my legs push forward, exploring everything or nothing. It doesn’t matter. Some of my best ideas come to me when I’m running. I’m not sure if it’s the time or the motion that helps the most, but after these past months of not being able to run and not feeling very creative, I’m going to put my money on the physical motion being a big part of it.

Running gives me clarity. It gives me strength and a sense of peace.

One more week and I can start up again (albeit slooooowly—but I’ll take it!).

What about you? What do you love about running? What gives you that clarity and balance in the world?

welcome

If you’re new here, welcome. I’m delighted you stopped by.

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Slowing Down (Even When You Don't Want To)

2012-04-12T19:05:00Z

I went to yoga yesterday.

While this isn’t exactly headline news, it’s an important event for me as I continue to come out of hibernation and start getting active again.

I’ve been to a lot of yoga classes over the years, but this particular one was a new experience for me.

The instructor focused less on power and flow, and more on alignment and the specific postures (with lots of modifications for my very tight hamstrings).

The last fifteen minutes were spent lying down.

Yep. Just lying down. Granted, we switched it up a few times: head above the chest, chest above the head, legs against the wall. All of them opening the chest and heart, allowing space for breath, relaxation and opening up.

Usually this would drive my action- and purpose-centered, driven nature batty. But today the benefits of the slower pace reminded me of what I’m working on in the rest of my life: slowing down.

I generally enjoy yoga for it’s strengthening and toning. I like working hard when I’m working out. Long runs. Challenging terrain on the mountain bike. Power-focused yoga. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the calming nature of yoga (I definitely appreciate that). But I usually enjoy the kind of intense relaxation that comes after an intense effort.

I’ve never had much patience for relaxing just to relax (especially in the physical realm).

For some reason, I seem to have held onto a set of beliefs that say: things that don’t take much effort don’t “count.”

If my muscles aren’t sore after a workout, I didn’t *really* work out.
If a talent comes naturally to me and I love it, I couldn’t possibly charge for it because it must some as easily and naturally to everyone.
If I’m simply lying on a bolster pillow in a yoga class, I’m not really *doing* anything.

But of course, these are false beliefs. We all have them. And when we begin to identify and recognize these for what they are—false—we can begin to let them go.

A workout is a workout. Sometimes we don’t have to feel it to know we’ve done something good for our bodies.

If a talent comes naturally to us, it doesn’t mean it’s natural for everyone. And it’s likely that others might really value that talent and want to pay me for it. That’s a good thing!

And lying still and allowing your body to consciously relax and open up is wonderfully restorative and beneficial for us. Doing nothing is still something.

opening up and letting go

So it turns out this yoga class was perfect for me. Perfect for allowing me to physically feel the benefits of slowing down. Of opening up, not only my chest, but my heart—to the internal challenges I’m working on, and to accepting the current pace of my life.

Slowing down does not come naturally to me. And it’s not a space I’m comfortable in very long. My natural tendency is to be in motion, both physically and mentally.

After we returned to Boulder post-adVANture, I went from working three days a week to working seven. For months! That’s not sustainable. For anyone (I don’t care who you are or how much you love your job!). It hasn’t been easy to slow down, but it’s absolutely essential.

I’m looking forward to long runs, vigorous bike rides and long climbing days. I’m also looking forward to redesigning my website, updating the copy, developing new products that are valuable, writing more often (maybe even a book!), and expanding my life coaching practice.

Those will come (not soon enough, my impatient self says), but as my body recovers, I am finding a sweet spot in life at a slower pace.

And along with this slower pace comes a better, clearer perspective on what’s important to me personally and to my business. I’m redefining my priorities and finding space to create.

your action

I encourage each of you to take a moment today to lie down with your arms out to your sides. Feel your chest open up as you breath in deeply, allowing stillness and clarity to enter. What can you make space for that you’ve been ignoring? What can you let go of?

What else helps you slow down when you’re feeling harried and overwhelmed with life? Go ahead and share with us in the comments what helps you relax and create space in your life.

welcome

If you’re new here, welcome. I’m delighted you stopped by.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter for more inspiration and practical tips to help you get—and stay active. You’ll also receive a FREE download of 7 Secrets to Staying Motivated.

If you’re interested in life coaching and ready to make a change, contact me for a free consult.

Other posts you might enjoy: