What Inspires You?

I decided I really needed to get over myself & the self pity I have had. Seriously. My life really isn't so bad. Sure, I struggle everyday with food choices & getting in exercise. Those "things" is probably the worst "things" I have challenging me. I'm a jerk. Yes, it's seems like I'm hard on myself & for good reason. Read on......

In order to get to my actual point, I need to digress a bit. You can expect that with me. I have stories within stories & pretty much a story for anything & everything. If you're a follower & regular reader you probably already love all my digressing!! Anyway....

I have a friend, Amy Moritz, from High School who is a journalist & writer. She is a very, very good one at that & I admire her quite a bit. I don't think she knows I always talk about her blogs or that I share them with my friends. I think what she has to say is important & valuable. Amy's writing always pertains to basic "things" - skills, feelings, abilities, etc. Her writing makes you say "yeah, I get it, makes sense" but it makes you feel capable & able. Anyone, athletically inclined or not can identify with what she writes about. Hopefully she realizes what an inspiration she is in so many ways by just being who she is. I'm going to share her blog, I feel it's a worthy read. Byline to the Finish Line is Amy's blog. Please read it. She really is a wonderful writer. I'm hoping she blogs about her story, what got her to where she is today. I know it, but it's her story to tell & it's a great one. Truly inspiring.

Amy's last blog, Motivation Born from Inspiration, really got me thinking. She wrote about Shad Ireland. Shad was inspired by the Ironman Triathlon. His story is amazing. Shad was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease & then Associated Respiratory Distress Syndrome. At one point Shad was given 24 hours to live. His story is amazing to read. Shad did not allow his sicknesses to consume him. He decided he was going to complete an Ironman Triathlon. Notice I didn't say compete but I said complete? Yeah, that wasn't a typo. I can't get my butt in gear to do at least 30 minutes or exercise and a guy with major health issues decided to complete an Ironman......more than once.

As individuals we are hardest on ourselves, our own worst critics. What we fail to realize a lot of times is that we are capable, in fact, we are more than capable. I let little things totally derail & wreak me. Why? I don't know. Because I'm human? Because I fail to see my capabilities & abilities? Because I forget my accomplishments & where I've succeeded? In reality, I need to get out of my own head & stop sabotaging myself. I am the reason I succeed & I am the reason I fail. I need to take in all the positivity from what I read & the people I know & feed off of it. I can do anything & do it right. So what if I have to keep trying, I can keep trying. All we can do is keep trying, right?

Amy tweeted today that she was going to be running 14-16 miles today & that the temps were cool but it looked pretty. Running & happy it looked pretty. If that isn't a kick in the butt for some inspiration.........

Happily,

Elizabeth
grazingthroughlife@gmail.com