Today is the Day!

My personal goal is to be fit and feel good about myself. It sounds like a selfish goal; however, I spent so many years just doing for others, trying to please, and regarding my body as my enemy that now I have made it my priority. I think being in your fifty-somethings changes your whole perspective. Brian, my dear, handsome, funny husband, says, "We have worked hard to get this old. Now it is all about us." (:

I love to run, walk, work out at the gym, and especially practice yoga. Afterwards, I feel like I have really accomplished something and am proud. Exercise has to become something that you do every single day in some form or other. If it isn't a habit, being fit turns into spring or fall cleaning. Something that you need to do, something you ought to do, but definitely, it is something that you will do later or when you have time.

Today is the Tulsa Run. I have prepared for it. Training can always be more often, more expensive, and more intensive. However, today is what it is, and I am going to just enjoy it. When did we begin to look at exercise as something that we dread, but we know we have to do? I am choosing today to look differently at my running. I will enjoy the beautiful fall day. I will admire the other runners. I will enjoy the excitement of the crowd. I will have a good time. I will not be embarrassed that I have to wear a knee brace due to a twisting, weight bearing motion in zumba. I will cherish the moment and NOT be concerned about my time, my lack of speed, my competitive nature. I will do it, and in doing it, I will honor my body. I will breathe in a steady way. If it takes me three hours, so be it. I know this wonderful gorgeous smile of my husband will be awaiting me. He thinks I am amazing, and it makes me feel better about myself just knowing that kind man's opinion.

Afterwards, I will relish yoga stretch and hot tub time.

I am a little older, a little wiser (now I know not to drink water at all the QT stops), and a little more fit despite the knee issue. Amazingly enough, yoga has taught me all of this and so much more. Most of all, I will be a runner filled with gratitude at all God has blessed me with: a husband who loves me, five beautiful, wonderful children, two lovely daughters-in-law, one hard-working son-in-law, three amazing grandchildren and one on the way, and friends who believe in me even though I am not perfect.

John Wesley once said, "Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”

Namaste' and Amen to that!