reaching for the stars

A new year is supposed to mean a new you, right? Eating healthy, getting rid of bad habits, becoming a better friend…all great goals for the start of a brand new year. But now that we have officially fallen into February, chances are that those oh-so-healthy New Year’s resolutions didn't quite make their way into the new month with you. If you’re like most who made a commitment to change, chances are that you may not have reached your goal.
I've never been into resolutions. I think they are great for other people and if they inspire you to make a change for the better in your life, if only for a month, than I wish you long lasting success. They're just not for me. As my husband so cleverly pointed out, I'm better at evolutions and not resolutions. Making changes throughout the year, however big or small, tends to increase my chances of bettering myself. Giving up sugar for one month can be quite easy and often longer lasting than 30 days...but committing to cut back on my candy consumption starting January 1st would probably have seen me sneaking sweets the first week in.
I feel like my only resolution, if it could be called that, is somewhat backwards. My husband and I tend to swear off the gym for the month of January, knowing it will be full of eager exercisers looking to keep up with their resolutions and drop those holiday pounds. It was pretty evident last night as we made our way to the gym, finding only a couple cardio machines in use, compared to a couple weeks ago when finding an open machine proved to be the only challenging activity available. It may sound like I think I have nothing to work on but trust me, I do. Throughout the year, I can guarantee you I will come up with a handful of habits that I could do without or a list of new things to learn. But I know myself enough to know that if I truly want to commit to something, setting small goals for myself is the way to go. I'll evolve, learn a lot and make it to the end of the year as a better person without feeling like a failure because I couldn’t keep up with my New Year’s resolution. A new year does mean a new me…but it just won't happen overnight.

Have you stayed committed to your resolutions? Any advice for reaching your goals?

jumping into action

This weekend, my husband received a generous, and if I do say so myself, frightening birthday gift from one of his closest friends. While not something you can unwrap and be surprised by, the gift of a bungee jump certainly has the shock value that one can hope accompanies good gift giving. I am happy to report that he, along with the four others that were much braver than I, survived the 150 foot jump. And not only did they survive but they all survived with smiles on their faces, full of adrenaline and excitement and the desire to do it all over again. My fear of bridges combined with my lack of interest in throwing myself off of one had me with my feet planted firmly on the ground.
Bungee jumping isn’t on my list of things ‘to do’ in my life but I, like most people, do have a list of several things that I hope to accomplish or experience in my lifetime. While I haven’t actually created a bucket list or 101 things to do in 1001 days, I definitely dream of being able to put checkmarks next to some exciting, scary or adventurous personal goals. Jumping out of a plane with a parachute appealed to me much more than jumping off a bridge with a bungee cord so skydiving is something I can now proudly say I’ve done… and would highly recommend! And now that I have a couple half marathons under my belt, running the full 26.2 miles will be next on my list of activities to complete. It’s satisfying to know that I’m going through life accomplishing my goals and completing tasks no matter how scary, unattainable, crazy or physically demanding they may seem. While some items can be fun, some can be serious and some can be good for humanity, taking the time to decide what you want out of life and what you want to be able to say you accomplished can be such a motivating exercise that once it’s down on paper, it’s hard to ignore. And that may be why I have such a strong desire to see the ball drop in Times Square on New Years Eve, swim with dolphins in crystal clear water and have an exhibition dedicated solely to my own artwork…because looking back on my life, I hope to be happy with all that I’ve done and hope I never have to say “I wish I’d done that…”.

What’s on your list? Would you ever go bungee jumping?

ready to run

This weekend, along with 15,000 other fierce and determined runners, I will be pushing my way through the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Half Marathon with a goal of getting to the end. It will be my second time running a half marathon and while my speed may not be my strength, I will certainly be giving it my all as I lace up my shoes and hit the pavement for 21 kilometers of jogging joy. And I may not have followed my training program to the letter (it's hard to get out running when the couch is calling your name!) but I am ready to see how fast my legs will carry me throughout the streets of downtown Victoria.
I wouldn’t call myself a runner by any means but I can now say, after several years, that I truly enjoy running. That’s something I never thought I’d say, especially growing up with a mother who is most definitely a runner, having completed 23 marathons and countless other races, but my attitude towards the activity has certainly changed. We always joked that my mom was crazy, running for hours only to end up where she started…taking the car seemed much more efficient. But now that I’m one of those crazies, I find myself at peace when I hit the trails or the treadmill and the fact that I’m running in circles (or nowhere at all!) doesn’t seem so silly. It clears my head, activates my endorphins and continues to keep me healthy. And while my motivation to get going isn’t always there, once I’m out and about and jogging through the streets, I’m happy. My face may not show it as it goes bright red and I huff and puff and look as though I might blow my house down but there is something so satisfying about setting out to run a certain distance and completing that goal. And while this Sunday’s goal of completing 13 miles is one of my more ambitious objectives, I hope to get through it knowing that that sense of satisfaction will be waiting for me at the finish line.

Do you exercise? Or run? What do you do to stay in shape?
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