Happy Birthday to me!

:-)

I did it! I ran this morning.

I ran 1 mile this morning at 6 AM. I also did 10 push-ups (the girly ones) and 15 assisted pull-ups.

I need to figure out a better pull up system though, b/c my heels rest on the back of a chair at the top of it. I don't push though just rest them there. So basically, I'm sort of laying down in the air pulling up. My arms are long though, I don't lock off, I go all the way back down...and I feel like my core is strong and working. I guess it is almost like I am in push-up pose but on my back in the air instead? Of course, my arms felt like they were gonna fall off. I remember a long time ago when I could do that for much longer. I'll get it back!

I'm going to do my daily dozen at lunch!!!

the new challenge

Tomorrow is my 36 year birthday!

I start tomorrow morning off with 10 pushups and 10 pullups. Then I will run 1 mile.

Wish me luck!!! I've been studying all night for a histology exam that I have tomorrow!

My friend James and I have started a challenge to keep us both motivated. I am in school and cannot work out on a regular schedule with him like I used to. And my new schedule would mean going it alone. James has been putting off working out, b/c I'm not there with him. We usually do stuff together.

We have decided to do a 6 am challenge.

Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda...

I am not a morning person and never have been. It has always been hard getting up.

Even back in middle school and high school....I remember Mom coming in and waking us up, and I would just sit up in the bed under my covers not wanting to move. It seemed so hard to want to start the day.

In my 30's, I subconsciously hit the snooze button several times before it kicks in that "My alarm clock is going off"! And the only time I seem to never hit snooze and jump out of bed at the sound of the alarm is when I am getting up for a climbing trip! Imagine that!!! Or last summer when I started power walking tons of miles with my friend Anne. Knowing that she would be at my house, I would HAVE to be up and ready. Also, I started liking the way i felt to have walked 8-12 miles already before 10 am. I felt great and had the rest of my day to go still!

Anyway, now I have learned myself well, so I've started this new thing where I set my alarm clock for 10 minutes earlier than what I wanted to get up for. If I want to be up at 6 am, I set my alarm for 5:50. That way, I subconsciously hit snooze for 10 minutes, and then I suddenly realize it is 6 am and time to get up. It has been working.

However, I am still finding myself saying, "I really WANT to be able to go running at 6 am." I'm still not though.

I am no longer saying, "I wish I could get up at 6 am."; "I wish I could go run in the mornings before work."; "I wish I could run at 6 am."

No, I am now saying, "I WANT to run at 6 am." I started this for the new year 2011. I shall say I want versus saying I wish, or I should have, etc.

I have even taken a "sleep better" yoga workshop.

At the end of last summer, I bought a t-shirt from the yoga studio that reads, "I like who I am when I try." Some folks say you shouldn't try to do things just do. There is no try just do. Well, maybe in emergency situations where your life is at stake, there is no try...it's "must do". But for the rest of your life as it may be from day to day, if you never first try then you will never do at all. Right???

I tried eating Sushi again in 2007 and discovered that I really do like some of it. Now I am eating it. See?

I don't want to do things half-ass. How many things are you doing each day that are just half-ass? If you don't "try", it means you are doing it half-ass. You've got to really try! Really push yourself and want something. I really do like myself better when I try. It goes back to that old saying of, "How will know if you like something if you never try it?"

So every moring this year, I have "tried" to get up early to go run. It hasn't happened. But guess what? Other things have!!!

I snooze for 10 minutes, then get up at 6, and go to the bathroom. By then, my dog is barking to go out b/c he hears me. I go let him out and immediately go into the kitchen to grind my coffee beans and make a breakfast. I let my dog back in and feed him. It is now 6:15 or 6:20. Now I am awake. I still can't make myself go run. However, I load the dishes into the dishwasher or empty them, whichever. I put a load of clothes in the washer or take a load out of the dryer from the night before. Wow, I'm more awake now. The coffee is tasting good, and I find myself opening up my text book for school and I begin to study. It is now 6:30 or 6:45. I read and study until 8:00. I throw on clothes for work, and then I'm out the door. (Oh, I take my showers and stuff the night before...showers relax me, they don't wake me up)

Guess what? I have been getting to work on time. Wow! This never happens. I am always late to work in the mornings.

I'm getting all of this other stuff done in the mornings now, making some time for other stuff later in the day. I'm in a good mood at work when I get there and not still half asleep! My days are better...I get more done now than ever. I have more energy. And I'm falling asleep better and staying asleep. Feeling rested.

They say it only takes 2 weeks to get a routine in place. Mine was more like 2 months, but I'm getting closer to my goal.

I WANT to run in the mornings before work. It will happen.

looking forward to the summer...

Advisement appointments for summer school start on March 1st.

I'm undecided as of what to do for summer.

I had thought about going ahead and getting my general psychology course out of the way. However, I'm thinking I want to go ahead and purchase my study materials for the personal training certification and take the NASM exam as soon as possible. Therefore, I may just study for the NASM all summer.

I could do personal training while I am in grad school for physical therapy.

Now I am just researching NASM v. ACE. Everything I have read so far says to go for the NASM. I'm a bit confused. I don't care if one test is harder than another. I'm not looking for the easy way out here. I want to get the best personal trainer's certification possible.

I'm leaning more towards Personal Trainer or an Advanced Health & Fitness Specialist (or both).

Right now, it is hard to study for anything else while working full-time and taking Anatomy & Physiology at night.

I also need to go ahead and get my CPR/AED/First Aid certification as well. I will need those to get into the DPT program at MUSC and to be a personal trainer.

another post from Tinnybuddha.com

How to Accept the Moment & Still Make Progress on Your Goals

Feb 17, 2011 12:43 am | Cat Li Stevenson

Editor’s note: this is a contribution by Cat Li Stevenson

“There is little success when there is little laughter.” ~Andrew Carnegie

As a long-time, former night owl converting to a morning person, I’ve made a few discoveries about adopting a new routine.

Now that I wake up before sunrise, I experience a slow decline in my enthusiasm at around 10:00 a.m.

The other day, I realized that I had not yet poured myself a cup of coffee. Completely floored at how I managed to forget—but also grateful and proud that my energy stayed up naturally up until this point—I made my way to the office coffee machine.

I felt a sense of panic as I searched for the coffee bean bag on the counter—nowhere to be found. I looked in the grinder to see if perhaps the leftover grinds from yesterday could somehow fill my mug today. It couldn’t.

I finally looked in a cabinet nearby and—tah dah!—a whole stash of coffee beans ready to be ground! A sense of calm came back instantaneously. What I realized between 10:00 a.m. and 10:11 a.m. while searching for coffee is this:

I’m deeply fond of the comforts of my routine, whether I choose to admit or not.

I’ve fought it for the past few years. I’d come into the office sluggish and frustrated, and it was written all over my face to the point where co-workers would avoid me. I didn’t find a sense of purpose in my 8–5, and since I was a transparent person, I justified that it was okay to show it.

I was miserable during many parts of 2009 and 2010. I thought if I embraced my routine, I would somehow be settling.

I was afraid to allow things to make me happy in the present because I was trained to look forward. I was accustomed by my upbringing to continually outdo my current situation.

I felt that if I took life more seriously than everyone else—which included resisting anything that didn’t align with my personal opinion of success—I was a step ahead. I craved constant achievement. I was a serial improver and it made me unhappy.

Eventually, I came to a point where I straddled the line of giving up and settling versus fighting and improving.

I straddled for a year—immobile, lost, and scattered.

Fast forward a year later, and I’ve found that we don’t have to be torn between being in the moment and creating the next one.

Instead, we can carry both ambition and happiness with us on our daily journey. The goals, the destination, and the visions we have for the future are only worth accomplishing if we can be present and appreciate the ride.

Appreciating doesn’t have to mean settling. It just means to be here now and be a part of the ride, instead of on the sidelines fighting it.

Here are three ways to happily achieve:

1. Live your life one small improvement at a time.

Do not overwhelm yourself with pressures. Simply take it one step at a time. It’s easy to become stressed and enslaved by something we’re diligently pursuing. In the process, we only see the prize—the “someday,” the end—while missing out on the many amazing, little moments that could bring us happiness.

Embracing our current routine doesn’t have to mean to succumbing to it or becoming complacent, but instead to take growth one day at a time. Commit to a small adjustment each day that corresponds to your overall goal. The power of consistency will be transformational.

In The Compound Effect, Darren Hardy talks about the monumental improvements we can make in daily disciplines that compound over time to create results:

Small, Smart Choices + Consistency + Time = Radical Difference

Be consistent, be patient, and stick with it.

2. Rearrange the current routine.

Some of the most brilliant, accomplished, present people I know have a routine that they’ve tailored to their ambitions. They’ve created a daily, weekly, and monthly way of living that suits their grand purpose or goal.

In order to achieve without feeling imbalanced, treadmill-bound, or overwhelmed, it is crucial to create new enhancements to our daily routines.

Take an honest assessment of your day. Play with time; turn your day inside out.

Figure out how to puzzle in step number one—whether that’s going to the gym during lunch three times a week instead of chatting with colleagues; or waking up 20 minutes earlier each day to begin that inspirational book; or winding down an hour earlier at night with a podcast or your journal for better rest and your overall well-being.

Place all excuses aside and simply be open to redesigning the day. Give it a chance. Let it settle in for a few weeks before judging it.

I was a night owl for many years—I loved rebelling the midnight hour. Illogically, I thought I proved something by staying up extra late, just because. Come morning time, I felt fuzzy because I couldn’t move quickly enough.

Over the past few months, I’ve formed new priorities that required me to move writing and working out to the morning. I’ve found that my creative thinking at 5:00 a.m. is something completely different from what it was at 11:00 p.m.

The workout routine—despite my excuses about how I could never do the morning thing—has given my day a tremendous face lift. Jump-starting the day with extra time and wellness has set the stage for a more meaningful schedule to follow.

Find a way to puzzle in the enhancements for a better routine. Your happiness and productivity depend on it.

3. Become a source of time.

Once you rearrange your routine, the final key to empowerment is a small adjustment in the perception of time.

The biggest complaint I often hear from co-workers, family, and friends is that they are unsatisfied because their routine does not offer time to accomplish what they want. Because we feel there’s “no time,” we often think our routines create our reality instead of realizing we create our lives.

In The Big Leap, Gay Hendricks proposes:

“Begin with time itself. Do whatever it takes to get yourself in harmony with the reality that you are the source of time. A simple way to begin is put to yourself on a radical diet: complete abstinence from complaining about time. When you stop complaining about time, you cease perpetuating the destructive myth that time is the persecutor and you are its victim.”

We are the source of time. While this conceptually may make sense, it takes practice to integrate.

Recently, I removed “I have no time” from my vocabulary—and after two months of doing pretty well, the benefits have begun to feel both incredibly productive and enlightening.

Our days are too precious to fight. Take the time today to contemplate how to customize a more balanced path to happily achieve by reflecting on your own unique situation.

Acknowledge how far you’ve come to be who and where you are. Then brainstorm ideas to creatively redesign the day to bring more value to your routine. Find a way to grow a little bit each day, while being patient and present.

Carry these two ideas with you on the journey, savoring each moment with awareness, gratitude, and laughter while consciously creating the next.

***This blog post was taken from today's message from TinyBuddha.com

---

Tiny Buddha

Tiny Wisdom: On What’s Safe Feb 17, 2011 12:44 am | Lori Deschene “Your current safe boundaries were once unknown frontiers.” -Unknown Though we all know that reaching our potential requires us to stretch outside of our comfort zones, it makes perfect sense that we want to be comfortable. And sometimes there’s no reason to fight that. My father, for example, enjoys doing manual labor and has never aspired to a job that entails a high level of responsibility. It’s not just a matter of staying with what’s comfortable. It’s a matter of allowing himself to have and honor personal preferences. Of course this begs the question: If we want to open ourselves up to new possibilities, how do we know when to stay with what feels comfortable and when to stretch into a new way of doing things? Tiny Buddha contributor Sonya Derian tackled this issue in her post When to Go with the Flow & When to Expand Your Comfort Zone. She suggests that we need to ask ourselves if we really want to experience something different, as opposed to just thinking we should. She writes, “…if you want something more, or at the very least different, you’re going to need to step out to discover what’s on the other side. If you want something different. Not everyone does.” The real challenge, it seems to me, is finding the courage to answer that for ourselves. If you feel resistant to leaving your comfort zone today, ask yourself: What is it that you really want? If it is something different, would achieving, creating, or experiencing that justify a potentially uncomfortable transition?

November 12, 2011 in Columbia, SC

http://johncolver.com/workshops

There will be a Fit by Nature workshop here in Columbia, SC on November 12, 2011.

I'm excited!!!

Update

I have had my first round of exams in my Anatomy & Physiology 1 class. This is the first science class that I need to complete my many undergrad prereq's for grad school. (basically, I am getting another undergrad degree right now)
I received all Bs.....on my lecture exam and the lab exam! Yay!

I'm getting ready to get advised for summer classes. I also want to discuss going ahead and possibly getting into the Phase 1 of the PTA program, just in case. My main reason for doing this is that I am going to be job shadowing soon. If I am enrolled in the Phase 1, then the job shadowing can count towards the required observation hours needed to apply for Phase 2.

However, I'm not so convinced I want to be a PTA anymore. I'm seriously thinking about just going all the way and getting my DPT. (med school program - grad school) I want to apply at MUSC's College of Health Professions. It is located in Charleston, SC.

I feel that many more doors will be opened to me if I get my DPT.

Going along with all of this so far has meant not as much climbing. Not a big deal I suppose. It wasn't like I was leading a ton, and it wasn't like I was climbing 5.10's clean or anything!!! LOL

I read my friend's blog this morning (John Colver), and he wrote about having patience. I am finally climbing harder than I ever have before, and now I have to stop b/c of school? Suckage.
In the end, I will have an amazing career and not just some job that pays the bills.

I want the amazing career!!!

a really great blog!

I am so glad to have met this person and consider him a friend of mine. His name is John.
I met him on Facebook.

I thought I would share his blog here.
http://johncolver.com/

Also, he has a book coming out in April titled, Fit by Nature.

John Colver is awesome, and I am truly inspired by him and his work.

An Assignment from Seattle!

It is almost midnight here in South Carolina.

As I lay out on the grass in my front lawn, I look up to the sky. I'm just staring. I close my eyes for a brief moment and just breathe...listen and feel. (This may become a nightly ritual now...what if it is raining? Hmmm...)

Wow! It really is gorgeous out here. I always love the outdoors, but I never do this. I never just lay down on my front lawn and gaze up to the sky.

The moon is bright white...almost hurts my eyes to look. It is very powerful, and I am not. I feel humbled now. I am so small...yet it seems so close to me at the same time as if I could reach up and grab it. It lights my paper for my pen to write.

It is almost midnight, and sky is blue! Wow! It's a bit chilly out, but I'm over dressed. I remove my beanie and my down jacket. I'm now wearing just a fleece Omni-Therm by Columbia Sportswear.

The wind is calm to none. The air feels crisp and moist. It feels good in my nostrils as I breathe.

I can see stars glisten and white clouds are moving. I can't believe I can see white clouds on a blue sky at midnight!!! Strange...I'm getting goose bumps.

As i lay here, I inhale and exhale slowly. I say "Let" "Go". "Let" (inhale) "Go" (exhale)..."let" (inhale) "go" (exhale). ...Repeat!!!

this really clicks with me right now

“The moment in between what you once were, and who you are now becoming, is where the dance of life really takes place.” ~Barbara De Angelis

7 Important Vital Choices for Happy Relationships from Tiny Buddha - Daily Wisdom

7 Important Vital Choices for Happy Relationships

1. Practice self love first.

It seems like you can only have happy relationships if you can be happy with or without them. ~Erika Gonzalez

Know that it is not the other person’s job to make you happy. The only person who can do that is you! ~Christi Emmons

The ultimate kicker: be honest with yourself about who you are. ~Kelly Bell

Know that you can be yourself and still be accepted. The best relationship is when you bring out the best in each other, and you are purely content when neither has anything to say. ~Stephanie Schwenning

Take it off the page:
• Make a list or mental note of all the things to appreciate about you. Realize everyone has flaws, and there’s a lot more right with you than wrong with you.
• Work on forgiving yourself. The past is the past and you deserve to put it behind you, but no one else can let it go for you.
• Be good to yourself today. Practice yoga, meditate, or take a walk.

2. Focus on compatibility.

Be best friends first. ~Wendy Nicholson

Have an incredible “like” for each other. ~Diane Bateman

Have shared (or at least compatible) values and communication. Everything else can be forgiven, accepted, or put aside, however values are the root of how we relate to all beings. ~Frank Ra

Find the person who inspires you to be a better you, and always encourage them to become the best them. ~Corinne Morrill

Take it off the page:
• If you’re single, do something social that you love. You’re more likely to meet compatible people if you get out there and foster your interests.
• If you’re in a relationship, spend some time sharing something you both enjoy. My boyfriend and I met at karaoke, so singing together is a great way to connect.
• If you’re in a relationship with someone and it always feels like hard work, ask yourself: are you trying to jam a square peg into a round hole? It can be scary to walk away from the wrong person, but it’s the only possibility of meeting someone who will feel right.

3. Practice acceptance.

Accept that not everyone or everything is perfect. We are all perfectly flawed. ~Simon Kirk

Be non-demanding of your partner—partners don’t tell each other what to do. ~John Bigl

Mutual adoration and acceptance of the differences that make each of you individuals are keys to a phenomenal relationship. ~Casey Kimes

Happiness is a choice, as are all things in life. I choose to see and feel grateful for all of the best qualities in my partner, rather than focusing on shortcomings. ~Emily Roberts

Take it off the page:
• If you feel yourself focusing on everything someone appears to be doing wrong, ask yourself if there’s something else upsetting you. It’s easier to blame other people than it is to look in ourselves, but oftentimes that’s where the problem is.
• If you feel like changing something about someone else today, ask yourself what change you can make in yourself instead. If you feel unappreciated, show appreciation. It’s more empowering and productive to show people how to treat us than to complain about what’s lacking.
• If there’s something you just can’t accept, ask yourself if you’re willing to walk away because of it. We can’t change other people, but we can change our relationship to them.

4. Have realistic expectations.

Don’t expect it to be happy all the time. ~Stephanie Goddard

Don’t sweat the small things and speak up when it really is important to you. ~Elizabeth Sadhu

Remember that it isn’t always happy, but get through those not so happy moments together or apart, whichever is needed. ~Jessica Duff

Keep realistic standards for each other. ~Ashna Singh

Take it off the page:
• Eliminate the word should today—how a relationship should work, how people should act if they love you.
• Notice when you’re projecting something onto the other person that has nothing to do with them, like a fear from a past relationship. Then make an effort to let it go.
• Recognize when you’re looking for that person to do something for you that you need to do for yourself, like make you feel lovable or take care of your needs. Then release those expectations and do it for yourself.

5. Be kind in words and deeds.

Think about the person’s feelings before you speak or criticize them. ~Dana Brewer Covey

Have a fast ear and a slow tongue. ~Mark Ward

Have compassion and grow together, not apart, as the years go on. ~Krista Tverdak

Love must be bigger and stronger than anything else. Never keep any record of your partner’s mistakes and faults and be ready to forgive. ~Mel Escobar

Take it off the page:
• Make an effort to really listen—not just wait to talk.
• See the other person as if for the first time. It’s all too easy to take someone for granted. Really notice all the wonderful things they do, and let them know what you see.
• If you get frustrated with each other, ask yourself, “Will this really matter after I’ve cooled down?”

6. Be honest.

Talk about things that leave you vulnerable from the heart. ~Cheryl Floyed
Compromise and dream together. ~ Becca Stinson

From my grandparents, who have been happily married for 60 years: the three C’s: caring, communication, and compromise. ~Emily Larsen

Don’t sweat the small stuff, and if something really is bothering you talk about it in a calm controlled manner. Leave drama in the theaters and movies. ~Ben Reyna

Take it off the page:
• Open up about something that you’ve been keeping to yourself. It doesn’t have to be big and dramatic. People can only be there for us if we let them.
• If something’s on your mind, express it without implying the other person is responsible for your feelings.

7. Remember to act.

When you’re bored, do something about it. ~Ernie Somers

Adjust to change. Adjust to moods, lifestyle changes, and new additions, and always remember to love. ~Elysia Cordero

The rest comes and goes as we change and grow and struggle, but being able to laugh together brings you back together. ~Kerry Kokkinogenis

Have rich individual pursuits and pursue things together. ~Laura Texera

Take it off the page:
• If you haven’t in a while, take time to do your own thing today—completely on your own or with friends.
• Take time to laugh together, whether it’s watching funny YouTube videos or trying something new together.
• If you feel dissatisfied with your life, don’t assume it’s your relationship. What other adjustments could you make to feel happier with your place in the world? Maybe you need to take a small step toward a hobby or more fulfilling job.

And lastly…
Start over again and again. ~Miguel Angel Carrillo Infante
It’s a new day–a new chance to practice giving and receiving love.

***This content was taken from the tinybuddha.com website.

2010 in Review

I found more zen in my 2010!

I finally got to climb at Laurel Knob. Finally got to climb at The Red River Gorge in KY and at Tennessee Wall in Chattanooga as well. Awesome!

I actually bouldered some this year and sent problems! And I ice climbed again.

I learned how to climb offwidths and a water groove. I also got to practice my crack climbing technique...still needs work.

I also learned the most ever about placing gear. Hopefully this year in 2011, I will put that to use.

I made a ton of new friends and got closer to old ones.

I already knew but got reminded again that the best climber in the world is the one who is having the most fun! :)
I did not quit climbing, instead, I am having more fun with it now than ever. I just had to change my perspective is all.

I challenged myself this year in 2 muddy obstacle course events. I started running again and power walked a shit ton of miles. I also survived a 1 hour CrossFit class. LMAO!!! I have once again challenged myself both mentally and physically. I found out that I really can be all that I can be.

I went on the most awesome adventure vacation EVER to Kauai, Hawaii.

I stopped fooling around and enrolled my ass back in school. I start on Jan 11th.

I finally bought that camera, took some classes and am loving photography!

I learned that expectations lead to disappointments and limitations hold me back. I will forgive the past, and not worry about my future. As my feet are firmly planted for 2011, I am aware of where I am and who I have become. As I look around in awareness, I will lift up and grow, opening my heart fully to this new year. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!

2011, bring it!!! I don't need a clean slate. Instead, I thank Life for the way that it is...IT IS WHAT IT IS. I am ready!!! I am focusing upon what I really want this year, and I am not going to worry about the how's or about charting a course. Besides, what I want is already mine because I own it now. I refuse to worry about my first steps. I have been inspired this year, and my instincts and impulses are showing me the way now. I am getting busy. I am going all out, and I am gonna go hard...(train smart and study hard)!

looking forward to a new year

I have two weeks of freedom left! Hahahaha
I start school on the 11th.

I decided to take Anatomy & Physiology I first. I will take Anatomy & Physiology II after. Both are required for the two different programs I am deciding on going into later. I definitely want to be in the field of physical therapy. I'm just not sure yet if I want to go the full route and do the DPT (grad school) or do the PTA program at tech and be an assistant.

The PTA is definitely cheaper and would take less time to complete. I don't know. We'll see.

I'm really excited about going back to school. I'm a little nervous too. I went back to school though in 2002 for paralegal, and I got a 4.0...so I'm not too worried. I took 2 classes each semester at night and worked full-time. This time, I can only afford one class at a time at night. I will still be working full-time. I hope I will still have time to climb and do all of my workouts. Exercising is very important to me. Where there is a will, there is always a way! It will all fall into place.

2011 will bring a lot of newness for me. I am really stoked!!!

Myofascial Pain Syndrome

This pain gets really old! Had another massage today. Wish I could afford them every two weeks.

I know some people think FMS is all emotional...most docs still don't even really know what it is yet. To me, to have a better understanding of myofascial pain syndrome really helps me. I know it isn't all in my head. The pain is real folks. Frankly, it sux!

I have felt better though since 2006, when I started making lifestyle changes. The keys to success are: exercise, pain meds, massage therapy, stretching and stress reduction. I have found that certain foods I avoid also help.

Here is a link about FMS and Myofascial pain: www.healthcorner.org/articledetails.php?aid=215&tsrc=gc&ppceng=google&kw=myofascial%20pain%20fibromyalgia&id=26312&gclid=CLyuyryO_KUCFYHc4AodpTq3nw

I keep reading up on it. I wish there was a cure.