I'm a Warrior, how about you?

 

I jumped through fire, ran (ok, walked) up hills, climbed over tires and went down a big muddy slide...and had the best time doing it all!

 

 

I managed to talk 3 of my girlfriends into joining me to do the Warrior Dash race in San Dimas in April. It was challenging in both a physically and mentally capacity.

I struggled with the rope climb up the tall slanted wall  as seen below.

 

It had less to do with my physical ability, but rather my mental...I have a small (ok, big) fear of heights and this one was of a decent height with nothing but concrete below should you fall.

I got 2/3 of the way up and had a mini panic attack. My girl T tried to talk me through it and I was almost ready, but felt weak from the waiting...so I made the slow trip back down.

 

I also did fundraising for the fabulous cause that is St. Jude's.

Who doesn't love helping a great charity while having some muddy good fun?

Thanks to friends, family & my amazing customers I raised $500!!!

How cool is that?

The best part was due to my fundraising we got the ability to shower on site rather than stand out under a hose like the 1000 other people who raced that day.

Such a lovely bonus.

I hope to talk these lovely gals back to try this again next year as I'd love to push through and do conquer that one obstacle that I let get the better of me this year.

I will say this, I am proud of myself as I gave it a valiant effort and had

 a smile on my face (at least most of the time)

 

adventures along the way

I am finding that somewhere along the way I lost the adventurous,take no prisoners attitude I had as a child. Why is it that as we become adults we start to judge & second guess our abilities at so many things in our lives?

My goal in entering my 4th decade of life is to find some of my childhood spirit and push myself to try new things.
Here's to a new year and new challenges!

(I haven't blogged in quite a while as I didn't have a computer for almost 9 months, ugh.
My lovely mommas was kind enough to get me this for a Christmas present!)


 

this is the worst of it...

So, I went on a hike this afternoon and to be honest while I greatly enjoyed it I had to really push myself to get off my ever so comfy couch and GO!

You know how sometimes someone will say to you

 

"this is the worst part of it, get through this and it will be fine after that"

 

well I think the worst part is making the choice.

 

Think about it for a moment...

...to begin you have to make a conscious decision to do it, whatever it might be.

 

As far as diet/exercise it is common knowledge you should eat healthy foods, burn more calories than you take in and exercise at least 3 days a week.

So, we know this right?

Why is it so hard for many of us around the world to actually do these things?

I think it comes down to one small thing, the little voice in our heads.

It can motivate us or de-rail us.

I am trying to listen to my own little voice more when it is trying to push me to get out & get those hikes in or take that favorite class at the gym as I always feel better after doing so. Also trying to ignore the voice when it suggests I can always go tomorrow.

My tomorrow needs to start today, right this very moment.

So, find what works for you...P90X, Zumba, Pilates, CrossFit or just talking a good long hike!

Just make the decision each day that you are worth it and get off the couch and do the thing that works for you!

 

 



self image

Ok, so here is the thing....we as woman tend to have issues with our self or body image.

Big shock, I know...and I am not saying men do not also have

said issues, but let's face it woman are SO much harder on ourselves

and each other than a man could ever be.

Why is this?

Does it make us feel better to put down another?

I just do not pretend to understand this phenomenom at all and know that at

some point in my life I also had those moments where I said or thought

less than kind words about another.

The reason why this topic is being brought up for my blog ramblings is based on

 my own attempt at getting healthier

(and the response from my friends & family as I do)

and a recent post I saw on Upworthy.com

http://www.upworthy.com/hey-girl-next-time-you-feel-bad-about-yourself-watch-this-video

 

The women featured in the video do not have what the media would say is the ideal body, yet they all have love for their bodies....as we all should!

I am slowly working on embracing the things I love about myself and working to change my view on the things I do not love.

That is the biggest trick in life I believe, focusing upon the positive and working

on turning the negatives around.

 

Recently I have been going to the gym 3-4 times a week as part of

my effort to get into better shape. Putting my time & money where my mouth is so to speak by paying for a personal trainer 2 times a month in addition to taking classes. My main problem is that workout clothes are the least flattering clothing to a person carrying extra weight...and the gym is filled with mirrors for you to see any & all of your flaws. I try not to think of myself in negative ways, but in a class filled with people who are several sizes smaller and a decade younger than myself I can't lie I have to work at being positive!

My outlook of late is I am there, putting in the time & effort.

At the moment I might not be in the best shape, but damn it I am working hard at changing that.

My friends & family have been amazing at encouraging & complimenting me through my journey.

I of course love being told how nicely I am doing, but there is that nagging voice that tells you how far you have to go...

 

So, here is my challenge to all of my lovely women friends...

Find 3 things you love about your body and what it can do for you.

 

To be fair I'll even share mine

 

1). I love my smile, which I use often to show the world how much I am enjoying my life! 

 

2). I love my feet (I know this is a weird one, but just read on...)

 they support me in my day to day living, including work

(waitressing is hard on the whole body, but especially the feet)

and a touch of fun nail polish color on those lil toes can just brighten up my day!

 

3). My hair, I am not super girly and thus don't do much with it, but it has always cooperated with me and takes very little to look good (thank goodness!)

 

I would love to say butt, legs or other such parts, but I am not quite there yet.

give me a few more months in the gym and that may change!

xoxox

I survived!

I completed my very first ever mud run!

It was harder in some ways than I thought it would be...and in some ways easier!?!

To be honest these sort of races are as much mental as physical. You have to get yourself into the mind set of having fun & just pushing through when you think you are at your limit.

 

My best friend did the race with me which was amazing.

We have so many fabulous memories, but this one is going into the top 10 for sure!

 

There were a couple obstacles that I knew going into the race were going to be a challenge for me, either mentally or physically. The up & over cargo climb was one of those....I do NOT like heights.

I found that I was so focused on being done, as it was the second to last obstacle, that I just powered through it. The other 2 that I dreaded were the tube we had to crawl through

(got good advice from a guy at that one to go in head first on my back & scoot/slide)

as I am slightly claustrophobic. Both my bestie & I dropped promptly off the monkey bars...someday I might be able to do those, but not there yet!

 

It was a 3.37 course with 20+ obstacles including about 8 mud pits.

Amazingly dirty & fun way to spend my birthday!

We got scratched, bruised and muddy...and had the time of our lives doing it.

We want to make it an annual tradition with as many of our friends as we can convince to get out there and do it with us!!!! 

 

 

 

It also inspired me to get back into my workout regime.

Have been slacking a bit the past few months....good have trained harder for the race, but hey I can get a jump start on next year right?

happy birthday to me

I am like a little kid about birthdays...I adore them!

This year I went down to my old stomping grounds of northern San Diego County to play with my friends & family.

Did a fun, but exhausting mud run with my best friend.

Birthday brunch at the place I had my first job.

Happy hour with all my girls and quality beach time with my bestie.

All in all it was just AMAZING!

Thanks to all the friends I got to see for making time for me.

I treasure all of you and what you bring to my life.

Trips like this just feed my soul.

xoxox

so, this whole Chick Fil A thing....

Ok, so first off let me say I am by no means a religious person.

I was raised  in a family that includes a couple atheists,  an agnostic or two along with various Christian religions being represented (Baptist, Lutheran & Methodist).

I respect EVERYONE's right to believe what ever they wish to believe, support it to their hearts content even. What I do not support is a group of people telling people what is right or wrong.

Being gay is not a choice...would someone choose to live a life in which they are constantly judged and told that they are an abomination against nature amongst other ever so kind statements?

I have friends and family who are gay.

I support them.

I love them.

I am in no position to judge their choices in who they love or

how they live their lives....no one is except them!

I support love.

One of my friends posted on FB earlier saying "isn't it within the bible to love thy neighbor....do we pick and choose which neighbor we can & will love?"

Another says she always goes back to the thought,
 "What is it about my love that is hurting you?"

What it comes down to in the end is that we as a human race to need to learn to love and appreciate one another's differences.
You do not have to support gays if you
 do not believe in them, but don't attack them.

 Let go of the hate.

You can be a person of religion without being a person of hate.

I personally have never eaten at a ChickFilA, and due to items within the news of late I doubt it will ever happen now. I do not wish to support an organization that gives money to groups that promote a less than loving view on gays & their lifestyle.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-badash/chick-fil-a-5-reasons-it-isnt-what-you-think_b_1725237.html

In what I think are important bits to this article these statements were made:

"Even if you don't support same-sex marriage, do you really think gay marriage is "inviting God's judgment on our nation"? Haven't we all heard enough blame from those who claim to speak for the Lord, like after Katrina or, more recently, after the shooting in Aurora, Colo.?"

I think people should use their beliefs, religious or otherwise to be a positive force

in our world rather than a negative one.

Promote love, understanding and acceptance.

Again this is just my own humble opinion...I know I will have some people amongst my FB friends who will disagree. That is what makes us as humans so great, we can agree to disagree.

All I ask is for people to not judge, just love one another!

I support love...how about you?