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Thursday, May 7, 2015

doing things differently...

In life we make mistakes and if we learn from them, 
we grow stronger and are able to help others...
If we don't learn from those mistakes, we may repeat them with our children.

With my husband and I, we truly value our children being HEALTHY.  Eating right MOST of the time and exercising!  We focus on being active for most hours of the day, we don't eat out often and when we do, we TRY to keep things balanced.  Why?

Because these two boys are watching and learning...
Today was awards for the run club at their school. As I announce the awards each season, I get emotional and try to keep it together but these children, all of the children make me SO proud.  Proud that they take it seriously and they want to be faster, stronger...healthier! 
My boys logged almost 100 miles of running, combined this season.  My youngest placed 1st in his age group and my oldest placed 2nd overall!  SO proud that they value running. They LOVE it, they look forward to going and I usually have to tell them to slow down, rather than speed up!  On average my oldest runs around 4-5 miles before school on those run club days so to say I'm proud is an understatement. 
While I am SO proud of their love for baseball, basketball and other team sports, running is a whole different type of pride...one they need nothing but a strong heart, shoes and pavement or a track to complete.  It's YOU vs. YOU and that says a lot.  It's tough and each mile can be painful but somehow you push through...that's the part of running I respect most.  
Nobody can help you achieve the goal, just YOU. 

I was the child that HATED to run.  I HATED to walk...heck, I hated to move.  So I make it my obligation to expose my kids differently.  Help them see the good things that happen when we are active and we take care of our bodies.  It's important.  
  
 My children are WATCHING.  Your children are watching you.  They watch what you take pride in, how you treat the people around you, what you eat/drink, if you exercise, if you sit around and watch TV or actively PLAY with them....they see it!  ALL OF IT.  
The good and the bad :( 

What habits do you want your children to pick up on? 
Which ones would you rather them not imitate?  Scary thought, isn't it?



When I look at pictures of myself growing up, I am disappointed in myself.
I was a good softball player BUT...I sold myself short time and time again because of my size. 
I ran slow, I ate poorly so had little energy and I HATED sweating.  

How ironic since these days I'm usually covered in sweat on a good day!  


Growing up, while I rode my bike, played in the neighborhood or played sports...I can remember not wanting to be doing that-whatever it was.  ALWAYS in the back of my mind I was wishing someone would say, "let's go hang out inside, watch TV and get a snack".  UGH!

It is THOSE memories that drive me to help other women, children...it's why I am a coach for the run club because to see children passionate about MOVEMENT, BEING ACTIVE and BEING HEALTHY makes me happy!  It gives me hope that all of us can turn our lives around.  We can be better, make better choices and set better examples for our children.  Right?  
I mean if not, then what am I fighting for?  I must keep hope!  

When I'm in the middle of a tough workout or long race, I think to myself, FIGHT FOR HER!
Fight for the girl I was for so man years and it works...
it keeps me going and keeps me STRONG! 
I look at that picture above and say to myself, although I failed a million times-
it only took one time to pick myself up and move forward!  

That ONE time I didn't quit, changed my life FOREVER! 

One of my Momma's told me yesterday during our workout, 
"I keep going because it feels so much better than feeling sorry for myself, as I did for so long"...
and to that I say HECK YES!


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