Month: January 2016

life is short. live your dream and share your passion

Aside ~ ~ loveandlunge ~ Leave a comment

Let me start this off with the fact that it’s my birthday today!  It came up so fast this year, I wasn’t really ready for it to be honest.  I feel like it hasn’t even been Christmas yet, but I guess time flying comes with getting older.  I’m turning 25 this year which seems oddly kind of old to me, but with age comes wisdom right?

This year had been a whirlwind of ups and downs, but I have learned a whole heck of a lot.  I’ve gotten stronger, I’ve run more than I ever thought possible, I’ve driven out to the middle of nowhere to meet girls I met on the internet, I’ve started a blog and an Instagram devoted to my fitness journey, I’ve started coaching a girls running team, and overall, I’ve found a way to share my passion for working out with so many more people than I ever thought possible.

I’ve had some time to think lately about sharing your passion.  Recently, a friend from college who I greatly admired and respected passed away from a long bout with cancer.  My news feed has been continuously overflowing with kind words of praise for this young man and stories about how he touched many lives.  A consistent theme keeps seeping through each post.  In almost every note left, there is a line referencing how this man touched their lives through music.  Music was integral to his being and he was immensely talented.  The passion for this art coursed through his veins so much so that upon meeting him, it was if music oozed from him.  He wanted everyone to share in his passion and to see the beauty in the art like he did.  His passion in itself was inspiring, but the amount of people he was able to influence through that passion is what is truly remarkable.  He will be greatly missed.

But his passion is something we should all try and emulate.  Find something, anything, and be truly passionate about it.  Be unapologetic when talking about it and try to find like-minded individuals to share in your joy for the subject.  When I first started my Instagram and this blog almost a year ago, I didn’t really know what I was doing or who would be looking at it, but I didn’t really care.  I was extremely interested in fitness and health and I wanted to inspire others to join in my interest.  I wanted to share any and all information I had and to soak up information from others because this is the subject matter that I turn to when my mind wanders.  It’s not my only passion (music will always be up there too), but that’s okay.  Choose to have as many passions as you want, but care about something.  Care about something so much that you want everyone around you to care about it too, no matter what.

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I thank my friend for opening my eyes to this.  I can only dream of being as impassioned about anything as he was about music.  His legacy will live on in all those his love for music touched and that is an amazing thing.

-sj

 

snowpacolypse & taking a minute.

Aside ~ ~ loveandlunge ~ Leave a comment

The theme of this week has been slow down and take your time.  I am not a fan of slow.  I want to run faster.  I want to get projects done more quickly.  I want to constantly be go, go, going.  But, this is no way to live and I keep learning this the hard way.

It all started with my annual check-up with my doctor this week.  Ever since my whole iron thing, I have kind of avoided doctors like the plague.  I had to see so many doctors during that whole excursion, I just didn’t want to anymore.  So, I’ve been living in limbo just hoping that my iron is fine and taking my pills religiously.  I decided to bite the bullet and see the doctor this week for a physical and she recommended I get my blood drawn, which came as no surprise.

I had to go on Thursday at 9:45 because that was the earliest time available and I just wanted to get it over with.  I went in and started talking to the phlebotomist and let her know this wasn’t my first blood drawing rodeo.  I had gotten my blood taken probably 25 times just during my iron spell alone.  She tourniqueted me up and got to work.  I was doing fine, until I wasn’t.  All of the sudden, my vision went blurry and next thing I know I was dreaming.  I woke up to a new man who had entered the room calling my name and putting a cold, wet towel on my neck.  I had inexplicably passed out.  I’m still not entirely sure why, but it is probably the second most surreal thing that has ever happened to me after going to the ER two years ago.

They had me lie down in a new room with my legs up until my face regained color and they could let me go.  As I lied there, I thought about how much this screwed up my plans for the day.  I was going to go to the gym.  I still had a ton of work left for the rest of the day.  I had to take my dog on walks.  I had a whole bunch of errands to run.  I had choir rehearsal.  I didn’t have time for this.  But, that’s when I thought about it some more.

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I could make all the plans in the world, but I’m not always in control.  Sometimes, it’s okay to take a break.  My body was screaming out to me to slow down, but I didn’t listen.  I didn’t go to the gym that day.  I didn’t run any errands.  I spent my afternoon and evening resting.  I thought about how lucky I was.  How lucky I was that even though I couldn’t workout today, I still had a functioning body that has allowed me to do some pretty amazing things.  I can run, jump, dance, and walk just fine whenever I want to.  That is such a luxury and something I take for granted far to often.

I was reminded to slow down again today when I was forced to.  We were annihilated by snow.  Honestly, it just keeps coming.  I’m a Chicago girl through and through, so I’ve seen my fair share of snow, but this is a whole bunch.

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Of course, with a lot of snow comes the inability to get anywhere.  So, I set up a little station at my house and started to get my workout on.  I did a leg workout that took me about 30 minutes and then did 15 minutes of HIIT.  This is a pretty short workout for me to be honest, but I think that that’s a good thing.  Every workout does not have to last an hour and a half just to count.  I worked hard, I got sweaty, and I felt good afterwards and that’s what it’s all about isn’t it?

This week has been humbling.  I slowed down and took my time and I feel refreshed for it.  I was adaptive and faced challenges head on, which isn’t always the easiest thing to do.  I could have done things a lot differently, but I’m happy with my choices.  I don’t have to be perfect everyday, I just have to be grateful that I have legs, lungs, and a body that allows me to get up and move every day.

-sj