Inspired Spirit 2014!

Several, several months back I had the idea of creating an inspiration board for myself. I started the project with the idea of using photos from magazines, online and a lot of the funny fitness quotes I read on Facebook. I took the cardboard backing out of an 11X14 frame and covered it in black paper. I had a piece of scrapbook paper with “running” stuff on it that I set aside to use with it and there it sat for however long I’d forgotten about it. I truly do not know. I tend to always have an unfinished project. I would love to FINISH them all and get caught up on them…but the thought of that stresses me out so I’ll just take it one project at a time and try not to add to many new ones in between.

The finished inspiration board looks nothing like I’d first envisioned it looking. It looks better! I got to thinking a lot about what inspires me, what I need to be reminded of, what pushes me, where I want to be physically, mentally, emotionally and how I intend to get there.

I also thought a lot about ‘social media’ and how it makes women believe they have to look like Barbie. As a matter of fact my son and I recently had a conversation about this very thing. We were at the convenient store getting a few snacks and the lady working the register was so very plastic. She had a ton of make up on, fake eyelashes, eyeliner like crazy and her skin was so very tight. As we left my son says to me, “Was that woman even REAL?! She looked so FAKE!” I wonder how she would feel to hear how an 11-year-old boy thinks. I told him, “Yes, son she’s real. She just believes she has to look like that. Social media has made it so.” He replies, “Well, she looks like a plastic doll”. I said to him, “So you don’t like girls that look fake uh?” His answer, “No. I like real girls with ponytails”.

So as I thought about things I’ve seen, read, and heard…I also reflected on ‘what people think and tend to believe’ and I asked myself, “Do I?” Do I think I have to look like A, B or C? Do I think I need her legs, or her arms, or her tight abs to be the best me, the me everybody wants to see and know? To be a good trainer, a trainer people will hire?

I had to be cold, hard and honest with myself. Yes, I love the way certain fitness models look and I’d enjoy looking similar. I can’t deny that.  However, looking JUST like say Amanda Latona is NOT looking like TONYA VANWINKLE is it? I want to look like ME! I want to look like the BEST ME I can be! I will NEVER look just like her! I may eventually have a few similar things, like her amazing abs (I can dream) but I will NEVER be her. I will always be me and trying to be someone else makes me what? FAKE. The LAST thing I ever want to be.

I have always prided myself on being REAL, authentic and honest. I have no desire to change that. I may desire to change my physical outward appearance to be in the best physical shape for me and my body, but I’ve no desire to change my core values; the things that are important and mean the most to me. So I came to the conclusion that to reach my personal goals, to be the best I can be for ME and MY family, and to take care of the body and spirit that God gave me … I have 3 simple choices.

1.  Give up
2. Give in…OR
3. Give it ALL YOU GOT!

Recently, this morning actually I saw this photo on Facebook and I thought, “YES!” That is the RIGHT answer!!!

What inspires me? PEOPLE! People inspire me. People I see out there doing things they are afraid to do, people biting the bullet and trying to get healthy. People taking a second or maybe third chance even though they know it could really hurt them and offering love. People who do not believe in excuses, people who make you believe limits are only there if you put them there. People who encourage you to do more, go further and fight harder. People who BELIEVE in YOU.

What pushes me? Those same people, because if they can do it…so can I and because they are the last people in the world that I would ever want to let down. Because when people look at me…I want them to be inspired too. Not think, she’s so fake!

So many of us fall victim to depression, unworthiness and we surrender in defeat to a fight we didn't even realize we were fighting. The weight of the world ends up on our shoulders because we try to bare it all and smile through it. When in reality we just need one person, anyone to simply BELIEVE in us because if ONE person believes that we are worthy then we just might actually be ENOUGH. The problem with that is…for that ONE person to believe in you – YOU must first BELIEVE in YOU and LOVE YOU enough to try, to get out there, face those demons, chase those dreams, endure the pain and LIVE this LIFE! Be an active participant in it and stop sitting on the sidelines. 

I remember one time I asked my husband a question that was very important to me, it was a few years ago. It was then that I realized how badly I needed him to say he believed in me. It was like this deep deep aching within my soul and his answer left me longing for that ache to be filled. I still don't know if that man believes in me or not, but what I do know is I believe in me and that took a lot of work. I fear a great many things. I try not to, I know the Lord says, "Do Not Fear" but I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't. I fight those fears every single day - so trust me believing in oneself is NOT easy, but it is worth it. That I can promise you.

If you want to succeed…you are going to have to GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT! 

Your HEART & your SPIRIT!

...and if you give all that to GOD...he'll drive the car for you.

So who are the pictures on my inspiration board of? PEOPLE! People who I LOVE, people who have touched my life in one way or another, people who push me, inspire me and believe in me. People who have one by one made a HUGE impact on my life and helped me to see I am far more capable of things than I ever believed. 

Before photos: 

After photos:

In these photos you see:

• A woman who has faced so many fears…that woman is ME.
• A couple who were married for 65 years, who taught me more about enduring life than I ever realized and who sadly left me and went home to be with Jesus in 2013. My GRANDPARENTS.
• A woman breaking it down and giving all she’s got to Zumba for the first time, a woman who has taught me to never ever give up and to fight for what I believe in every day. My MOM.
• A man who has supported me, been there for me and loved me through it all. My HUSBAND.
• A girl and a boy who taught me what it means to live with my heart running around outside my body and who amaze me every single day. My CHILDREN.
• A woman who has battled so many personal struggles and still continues to get back up, try again and encourage others. My JENNY.
• A trainer who pushes me so gently I don’t even realize he’s doing it and helps me realize I am capable of far more than I sometimes believe, without him I would have never attempted the Ultra Eagle Competition. My TRAINER…Herman.
• A trainer who encouraged me to try new things, pushed me outside my comfort zone and has always answered me bazillion questions. My HIIT instructor – Fathia.
• A woman who I watched run a 5K very much pregnant, who made me think well if she can do it like that, surely I can do it with asthma. Cindy.
• A woman who said to me, "you just gotta get through the first 1.5 miles then you'll be ready to go" and who battles asthma with me. Sam.
• A woman who I watched show up day after day after day and give it everything she had, sometimes cussing, sometimes screaming, grunting or growling, always pushing herself as far as she could and never giving up. The day she did lunges down the basketball court without holding the wall I had to stop and watch and I nearly cried for joy. I was so extremely proud of her! Jessica E.
• A group of people who are always willing to do some crazy event be it 5K, 10K, 13.1, 26.2, Spartan, Sprint Triathlon or a Mud Run. A group of people who help me believe I can do it too! My FRIENDS.
• And lastly, the one who said to me, "a 5K is not crazy! Lets do the 13.1 instead" with only a month to train.....My SISTER - Holly, whom I ran my very first 1/2 marathon with.

Every single person in each of those pictures is important to me, without them I have no idea where I would be right now. Every day they inspire me in one way or another. Every day they make me smile. And every day they help me become the BEST me I can be; remaining TRUE, HONEST and REAL!

There are not magazine photos on my board because I live a life far more inspired than photos of some people I don't know who without trying making me feel inadequate. At least with these people I feel 

STRONG

BEAUTIFUL

and 

ABLE!

So the next time I need a reminder that "I GOT THIS" - all I gotta do is look at the beautiful faces who have greatly blessed my life and say with the deepest of gratitude...

THANK YOU!