{Inspiration}

It's been a while since I just wrote a blog post for the sake of blogging and not just updating or giving you the highlights. This one has been swirling around my head for a few weeks, so here goes...

 

There have been several people who have been inspirational to me during my journey of health and fitness and I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on their influence in recent days.

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Family - This summer we enjoyed many get-togethers thanks to my parents close proximity to the Cities. On several occasions our activity of the day was walking and exploring. Some of the places we visited were the Stone Arch Bridge, Centennial Lakes, Medicine Lake, and several miles of the Three Rivers Bike Trail.

Dad & Mom - Since your health scare last year, Mom, we've all been a little more conscious of our salt intake! Dad, this summer your 2-a-days were definitely inspirational. It was fun to walk several 5Ks with you!

Jen & Eric - Thanks for your part in my first 5K :)

Jess & Luke - Chasing around your littles always adds a little exercise for the day ;)

Meggie & Jake - I've appreciated your example of a determined, disciplined runner, Meg. Seems every week or so I hear about you running and I'm usually in awe. Oh, and Jake, your breathing-while-running advice goes through my head. Every. Time. I. Run.

Anna Grace - Thanks for getting me on a bike for the first time in a couple decades! It was tough, but I did it!


Friends - I've received much encouragement in person and through Facebook and MyFitnessPal. Some days this is what keeps me keeping on.

Alicia - Without you, I would not have had the successful Fit Body Boot Camp experience! I'm stronger because of you!

Monica - Your determination and spirit are always uplifting!

Beth - Thanks for all your encouraging comments!

Kimmy - Your statuses on running gave me a push that I needed!

Andrea - I can relate to the whole buying a workout DVD and not opening it right away. My first Jillian Michaels' DVD sat unopened for more than 6 months. I finally cracked it open the weekend before I started Fit Body Boot Camp. My only regret is not opening it sooner.

Shanna - You have a way with words! I hope you continue to write!

Danna - Your passion for research, health, fitness and more is something to strive for! Have you ever thought of being a fitness instructor?! or fitness blogger/author?


701Building People - Since my gym is AT work, occasionally I workout with other people from work. None of my immediate co-workers use the gym, but other advisors and staff do, so I've gotten to know a couple of them a little better that way.

AdvisorNet Advisor - Dean, you mentioned one time about running to the Stone Arch Bridge. When you explained how to get there, I'll be honest, I wasn't listening to your instructions because I thought, "I'll never run there!" I finally did it! Tonight I ran/walked there and back! If you hadn't put it in my head, I never would have thought to venture out as far downtown. This summer I've seen more of downtown Minneapolis than I have in the entire 6 years I've been working here.

701Building's Concierge Receptionist - Sarah, one day, after I had started fit body and hadn't been in the gym at work much, I stopped by your desk and we ended up chatting about why neither of us had been in the gym lately. When I told you about Fit Body, you ended up finding a Groupon deal for 20 sessions. I was several weeks into my 6 weeks and ended up there only a few times when you were. (Also, your prep for your wedding this week might have had something to do with it!) We often chat about what we learned at Fit Body and I've appreciated the company now back in the gym at work.

Lavonne - Your success with Weight Watchers was inspiring! I appreciate our chats about what works for you!

Kathy - I'm looking forward to our lunch walks we've planned for this fall.

Others - The hard part with this kind of post is that I probably left someone out. So this last section is a shout out to the many other people that have been inspiring to me along the way. I also read many blogs and maybe in another post I'll link to some of my favorites that have been especially encouraging or challenging to my health and fitness journey in the past few years.


I'm very happy to re-read this and see so many people in my life who have/are inspiring me to health and fitness. I feel like the list could go on and on!

I've prayed for a workout or walking buddy many times in the past several years and I believe God more than came through for me in all of you! I have much to be thankful for!

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Who has inspired you lately?!

Oh my! I keep thinking of people to add to this list! Quick, I'm hitting publish before I think of anyone else!



{Goal Post}

Do you have any summer challenges or goals?

A lot of blogs I read are talking about summer and goals and trips and fun. I need to work on the trips and fun part, but I do have two, make that three, goals for this summer: 

1. Read/listen to entire Bible - I'm using 90 day YouVersion Bible reading plan. I like the option to listen to it on my Kindle Fire!
2. Complete 6 week fitness boot camp. I usually go to my gym at work - for FREE! but a while back I decided to sign up for a boot camp as soon as my student loan was paid off. Well, as luck would have it, a friend posted a link to a boot camp that was starting a new promotion next week. I was able to try it out last night and while I'm still sore, I think I can hack it!
3. Get crackin' on a plan to accomplish other goals I made at the beginning of the year! Since I've been so focused on the student loan payoff, I've let some other goals slip to the shadows. I know I have much to celebrate in the goal accomplishing department as I have officially scheduled my last student loan payment for Monday, June 17. This has been on my ToDo list for way too long. But now that it's done, I don't want to lose sight of a few other things I want to get done this year as well.

I posted the above goals on Facebook, and now a blog post, so I can't change my mind...or back out now or when things get a little tough in the next 3 months. Yikes!

I'll try to keep you posted on my progress in each of the three goals.

And hey, if you're wondering how to set a goal, this is a good tip I discovered in the last couple of years:

 

Let me know what goals you're working on for the summer, the week, the month, the year...!

giving thanks - a little inspiration

Being home sick isn't always fun. So today in between my cups of hot tea & honey, rest, and what seems like gallons of Airborne or Emergen-C, I was inspired by a craft. Now I'm not generally a crafty person, but I do subscribe to a few blogs that contain a little crafty work and a lot of creativity.

Probably at the end of September I pulled out my box of fall decor and put out what I wanted to use this year. I didn't go overboard (not that I ever do)--just a few candles, a wreath, and a "welcome home" door decoration. I thought that was good enough.

Then I read this blog post today and also had a little time on my hands. You can read here more detailed instructions from the blog that inspired my "Give Thanks" banner. My simple version is this: use 4 kinds of decorated 8 1/2 x 11 paper cut into 4ths, print 3" white, outlined letters, color letters with marker, and arrange paper order before applying letters with a glue stick. Punch two holes at the top and string ribbon through. Seems easy, right? It was.

What inspires you?

{Book Review} The Noticer written by Andy Andrews

The Noticer written by Andy Andrews

As this is my first “official” book review as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program, I feel a little nervous (almost like I have a book report due)–but here goes anyway!

The Noticer is about a man (Andy, the narrator) who meets an old man (simply Jones, not Mr. Jones) who over a period of many years, and at different times, gives Andy and the rest of the town “a little perspective.” This “perspective” is given when Andy or the townspeople are going through a difficult time. Many of lives are changed because of this old man's inspirational perspective. You will be encouraged by the stories of these people's lives as they are very believable. The experiences written about could be about your neighbor, your co-worker, or even a family member. There are interesting twists in the book about who is Jones?, why does he carry a suitcase?, what nationality/race is he?, why do some people call him by another name?

My first reaction was that I liked this book. The readability was set at a nice pace to be read in just a few evenings. I don't like slow starters and this definitely had me from the beginning. I was intrigued why a guy would be living under a pier and how a random old man could change his life by asking him “What is it about me that people would change if they could?”.

As much as I liked the book, it didn't really work for me because of the lack of scriptural context. There were many inspirational, helpful life-tips, but not a lot of reference to God and what He can do for and through you. A few themes in the book that I appreciated and would like to consider more with scripture mixed in:

• Love dialects (spoken word of approval, favors & deeds, physical contact, quality time).
• Whatever you focus upon, increases.
• “Don't sweat the small stuff”is not really an accurate motto to live by because it's the small stuff that makes the big picture.
• A decision to change may take a long time, but the actual change takes place in a heartbeat.
• Choice vs mistake. Ask forgiveness for wrong choices, don't just say “I'm sorry.”
• Take the first 10 minutes after you wake up to write down what you're grateful for.

Recommendation: Good Read.