November 26, 2014

Pre-Thanksgiving Gratitude


I've been having a rough week in my personal life, and my anxiety levels have been high.   It's already Thanksgiving tomorrow and now less than a month until Christmas.  Life's bumps, work, grad school applications, and a to-do list that only seems to grow longer instead of shorter are constantly on my  mind. I haven't even gotten to planning my 2015 race schedule!

 This morning in my inbox I received this email from Runner's World motivation, giving me just the reminder I need not only for running, but for life.
Pre-Thanksgiving-Gratitude-Runners-World-Motivation

It's funny how sometimes the universe gives you what you need, even if it's in the form of a silly email subscription.  So as I try to re-center myself, breathe, and focus on the positive, I offer you some words of wisdom as we go into a holiday weekend.

Things happen but guess what? After that it's over, just like the RW quote says. There are consequences, but you can't go back and change a moment in the past. Dwelling on it and worrying it does nothing but make you more upset.  This is really hard for me and is definitely a work in progress.


Fear is paralyzing. I've done pretty well the past year at taking risks and trying to not allow fear or worry dictate my life. I've traveled, chased dreams, and pushed myself out of my comfort zone many times.  Yet I still find moments of fearing failure. Procrastinating because I don't want to do something I'm scared of.

As we come to the end of 2014 and maybe like me you are thinking about goals & the future, remember that trying and failing is much more satisfying than never trying at all.

Relax. I'm really over seeing the millionth article about how to stay fit and not gain weight over the holidays or how to keep your calorie count in check on Thanksgiving. I understand that there's a lot more treats and reasons to not keep up with your health and fitness goals, but seriously?  Why do the holidays have to become this evil monster? Don't be stressed about the holidays. Do what you normally do,keep working out, and eat some yummy food because you want to.

Yesterday I cooked a big dinner and didn't get a workout in I had planned. Whoops. It's okay, life goes on . I enjoyed taking the time to actually cook a nice meal  before travelling tomorrow, and that time in the kitchen was just what I needed yesterday. There's always time for a workout today when I'm snowed in this afternoon!

Thanksgiving is one day and if your day consists of 95% carbs, it's okay. Carbs are delicious. Get a Thanksgiving morning workout in because you want to, not because you think you need to run a marathon to work off Thanksgiving dinner.  
 If you overindulge in cookies or wine or mashed potatoes (which I know I will), tomorrow is a new day-I promise you'll be okay. 

Lastly remember to be in the moment and practice gratitude.  You never know what may happen each day and sometimes your life changes in an instant. Put your phone down and enjoy your family's company. Be grateful for your health, food, and the people that care about you. It's easy to get caught up in stress, holiday shopping, and the little things like if you bought a big enough turkey for dinner.

After being shaken up this week, enjoying the people I love and appreciating them has filled me with happiness and light.  While Thanksgiving is an awesome holiday because of a delicious meal, football, and pie, remember to give thanks.  Reflecting on the good in your life will make you feel marvelous.

Pre-Thanksgiving Gratitude-Give-Thanks-print
(source)
It's a little rambling of wise words and feelings, but you get the picture. 

Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels to everyone this weekend!


What's your favorite part of the holidays? What are you excited about this weekend? 

4 comments:

  1. have a fantastic thanksgiving, lady!

    i loved being able to spend canadian thanksgiving with my sister and i can't wait to see the family in georgia for christmas.

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  2. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well! Enjoy and don't feel bad to indulge a bit:) -L

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  3. What a wonderful reminder. The day is for thankfulness and gratitude. Why are we always so hard on ourselves, regardless of the spirit of the holiday. I plan on going with the flow and letting the day/weekend be a time for reflection and positivity. Thanks for sharing and Happy Thanksgiving!

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  4. Happy Thanksgiving to you! I hope things get better. I've been forced to have a new perspecitve on what to be thankful for this year as well because of a personal issue as well. Missing a workout is NOT the end of the world and learning to not sweat the small stuff is so important!

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