Lesson #36

A few days ago I posted something I wrote on my 35th birthday.  It was titled, "The 35 things I've learned at 35".  People seemed surprised that I'd taken the time to write those things down.  Some were impressed while others were just amused.  Needless to say, I believe taking time to reflect without judgement on lessons learned is vital for moving forward to the next goal. 

With my 36th birthday tomorrow, I've been thinking about what I've learned in this past year.  No doubt, My Pink Goal has seriously impacted my year & the lessons learned.  And while the lesson I take away from this past year does have direct ties to completing the 3Day, its a lesson that has applied to all areas of my life.  So here it is....{drum roll please}

"Completing a goal is not nearly as impactful as the work necessary to attain it." 

Now don't get me wrong...I get teary just thinking about crossing that finish line hand in hand with some of the women I've loved the longest in my life.  However, that's just one moment.  Training for the 3Day impacts my entire life for the rest of my life.  This is a journey...this is a blessing of life lessons...this is a lifestyle....this is change....this is opportunity.  When we lace up our running shoes & hit the trail every day in training we're taking steps that create a ripple effect in the rest of the world.  It's hard to imagine that sometimes but its true.  We're standing up for those who we love who can't stand up for themselves.  We're standing up for ourselves....for our health....for our future & the future of others...for the opportunity to provide everyone the lifetime they deserve. 

Maybe it's the time that I have to reflect while putting in the hours of training necessary to attain my pink goal but training has impacted my life in such an incredible way.  My workouts give me time to think about what I'm really doing & how it impacts my life.  They give me the opportunity to reflect on what matters, sort out what doesn't, and even give me time to have a conversation with my inner Goddess (as my friend Bev would say).  Attaining this goal has allowed me to focus on nourishing my body physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  Working to attain this goal gives me strength to say no to things that are bad for me physically, personally, professionally, or even physcologically.  It's even helped me take pleasure in saying yes to things that are good for me physically, personally, professionally, and even physcologically.  I guess you could say I've become a believer in the phrase "Life is the journey not the destination".