We All Need Strength

Last year I joined a running group as a promise to myself to get back into shape.  I committed with this training group to run a half marathon (ok more like a blended run/walk cuz of the ole’ hip replacements LOL) but yes I was going to RUN again!!!

Crazy me right?

I trained for this half marathon for over 6 months. I challenged myself with hill repeats and other forms of cardio torture.  I was trying something different, and it was pulling and stretching me in amazing ways!

I was getting stronger!

I felt myself getting stronger both mentally and physically. I felt less stressed in my day-to-day life, I was sleeping better and I was loving this running thing!

So after 6 months of sweat, and countless mornings where I wanted to stay in bed but I got up and ran instead, the half marathon was now just a week away.  I was excited, nervous and feeling pretty great that I had put in the work and my goal was in sight.

Just days before the run, we found out the unfortunate news that my Aunt had passed away and her funeral was to be on the exact date of the half marathon.

I was upset to lose my Aunt, and of course I was going to be there for the funeral, so running in the half marathon with the thousands of other runners was now out of the question.  But I was also bummed that this goal I had worked towards would now not be completed.

I felt defeated, and guilty for feeling that way.  Geez Louise!

I could have quit.

I didn’t want to quit on myself after all this training and hard work so I decided to run my own half marathon before I had to go to the funeral. I knew if I waited until after, and the ‘real’ half marathon was done and I was reading about how my friends and training partners did, I would never ever run it.

So two days before the funeral, I set up an ‘aid station’ outside my house at the base of the driveway with water and snacks. I figured out how many times I’d have to run around the hilly streets of my neighborhood to run the full 13.1 miles in one go.  Then I was off, I ran and ran, and wow was it hard.

I wanted to stop so many times but here was my secret – I listened to the song Happy by Pharrell on repeat over and over – it was like a mantra, filling me with positive energy that kept me going with strength and conviction.

I also kept thinking to myself, if I don’t finish this run, how would I feel? LIKE CRAP, that’s how. So I kept going, mile after mile until it was done.

I was determined to finish my run in under 3 hours since those were the rules in the ‘real’ half marathon and I really wanted to beat that deadline and guess what, I did!!! Ended up crossing my 13.1-mile ‘finish line’ in 2h 56 minutes. Sweeeet success!

I felt a new inner spark of happiness lighting me up from the inside.

Think of yourself as a Diamond, beautifully cut, glinting in the light.

Inside of each of us is a diamond – I call it your Diamond Power. When you are faced with a challenging situation, and you face the challenge and move through it, it effectively adds another cut to your diamond, it makes you even more brilliant, it adds to your sparkle!!

Here’s 3 ways to grow your Diamond Power:

1. Stand in your Commitment – Once you’ve committed to reaching a goal, don’t let yourself out of it. Close the back door- make sure you don’t give yourself a way out of it. No excuses!
2. Think Big Picture – If you’re staring at 2 or more choices – make a decision that is in alignment with your goal. I want you to step back and ask yourself, how will I feel if I don’t honor the commitment to the plan or goal I’ve just set?  Ask yourself how you want to show up in your life, and how you will feel if you don’t follow through. Make sure you are showing up with your sparkle and great intentions!
3. You got to have Faith– Whatever you believe in; God, The universe, the Divine, have faith that they have your back, and you are not in this alone. If you ask for help, have faith that you will get the help you need.

Something that comforts me and strengthens me is the knowing that we are never alone.

We feel helpless when we are alone, we feel weaker. But really and truly you are never alone. If you ask for help to the Divine, to God, the Universe, it will appear – it just might not appear as you had envisioned – so be open to whatever way the help materializes. Stay open and allow yourself to receive.

So remember, stay committed to your goal, choose your actions wisely and trust you have all the help you need – and you will cross the finish line with sparkles on!!!