Fortitude.

These last few days, I have let my mind wander. I answered the door to fear, and almost sat down to hear the usual sales pitch of doubt and self condemnation. It amazes me just how quickly our thoughts can rule our mindset if we let them.

This morning I was greeted by the most magnificent sunrise, a cool breeze, and my Dad so strong in my heart.

A song came to mind… and I hummed its beautiful lyrics. I was reminded about my strength, my fortitude, and the reason why I must practice what I preach.

No thing, no human, no thought can change this woman and her drive to do better.

🎼”I went up to the mountain
Because you asked me to
Up over the clouds
To where the sky was blue
I could see all around me
Everywhere
I could see all around me
Everywhere
Sometimes I feel like
I’ve never been nothing but tired
And I’ll be walking
Till the day I expire
Sometimes I lay down
No more can I do
But then I go on again
Because you ask me to
Some days I look down
Afraid I will fall
And though the sun shines
I see nothing at all
Then I hear your sweet voice, oh
Oh, come and then go, come and then go
Telling me softly
You love me so” 🎼
Find your strength today, and remember you are loved. 💙

#hopedealer

Mountain.

The climb in any journey is filled with uneven pavement, unexplored trails and pathways, and unexplained moments of both sorrow and joy.

I can’t stay stuck or complacent. I must wake each day hungry for change, thirsty to arrive at the doormat of peace, and eager to be a leader not a follower.

Seek to move mountains. Train to fulfill your greatest potential.

Do not settle for anything less than what brings you victory.

The summit of life reveals beauty and satisfaction… but it’s the climb that tells our tale of both resilience and determination. 🖤

Overcome, Not Over-Complicate.

The triad you see in this picture is all me, however each image reflects stages of my journey. Each picture depicts truth, and displays spiritual, emotional and physical transformation.

As a child, my smile was real. Happy thoughts of mud pies, laughing with my best friend, and reading my favorite books were all I needed. Life was simple. The cruel world, awful people, rotten concepts of thinking and hatred remained dormant and had not reared their ugly heads.

The middle picture was after life had truly pulled the rug. Negative influences, compiled with tremendous self-loathing was driving the car. Addictions to food, alcohol, and hating myself comprised my daily ritual.

I was stuck. I hated myself. I played the game, forced half-hearted smiles, and repeatedly begged for God to use me for good.

The last picture is a woman who found her joy, wakes up happy on purpose, and chooses to feel and experience all life will offer her. This road behind her has taught her that instant gratification is bullshit, and ordinary moments, wide-smiled surprises, and a random chat with someone at the grocery store is what life is all about.

Take time out today to do what you love. Be ever so gentle with yourself… but own your crap. Decide that today is the day you start over.

Overcome, not over complicate – and may who you are designed to be shine brighter today.

CARPE DIEM!! 🖤

#HopeDealer #AnyQuestions #runningmotivation

Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis…

As a child, I was carefree, with a zest for life. I didn’t know about responsibility then, or have worry. I didn’t understand the concept of adulthood, paying bills, raising children. I didn’t know about the harshness of cruel people, who the taxman or bill collector was, or that I would soon walk the road to darkness.

In my early to late adulthood, I was taught the hard lessons of love, the fear of crippling anxiety, the sadness of the battle with the bottle, the raw truth of feeling less than.

I felt the defeat of being overweight, the sadness of lack of joy, and had an overwhelming dreaded falseness that I could not become who that little girl on the left dreamed of.

In my midlife, I found the love of running… and today I inhale gratitude with each breath.

I welcome joy, I preach hope. I tell the booze to shut up and lay down. I make my choices. I decide who stays and who goes, and I will choose peace over bullshit every time.

Faith leads the way. Hope lights the path, and perseverance steps you there.

Take a step… take a breath… and find your way to your metamorphosis 🖤.

#hopedealer #IAintDoneYet

Stay in Touch with Suzanne

Thank you for supporting my writing and running endeavors at RunBeforeyouFly.com. I’m Suzanne Swanson and I’d love for us to keep in touch!

The Road to Self-Worth

The responses I have received from my Run to Change Lives interview have truly been overwhelming and sincerely heartfelt. I have received many messages today on the subject of self-worth and how did I use my love of running to help me achieve it?

We are conditioned to feel less than. We have been taught to try harder, to “erase and try again,” to hesitate when we are given an opportunity to better ourselves, and that we are selfish when we put ourselves first.

The open road, and my running sneakers have given me back what other people, and certain concepts have tried to repetitively take from me… my self worth.

To make progress, allow yourself the wonderful endowment of self-acceptance. You have been given a gift. You were made for a purpose.

You are allowed to sit in both places of uncertainty, and places of great unrest .

You are allowed to sit in unsteady moments, and stand taller when you have rebuilt the foundation that once tried to crumble you.

The open road will listen, will push you, will be gentle some days and fierce the next– but it will guide you to regain your own love, life and trust back.

Whether it’s the park, the track, the mountains, the pavement, the bicycle, the pool, the yoga mat… take all your lack of’s and should be’s there.

Discard them one by one… and when they come back… let them visit but NEVER invite them to stay again as they no longer serve a purpose. Amen.

🖤#selfcare#selfworth#hopedealer#restday

Follow along as Suzanne Swanson takes us through her transformation from addiction to athlete. Find support and healing in your own life! We’re sending Suzanne’s blog updates via email along with a daily dose of motivation. Don’t miss the next post… delivered straight to your inbox.

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Get Out There

Because some days we wake up… sip a little rocket fuel… put on our very best shark-loving outfit and go 🙌🏻💙.

Today is about gratitude . Thanking life, God and the universe for all the blessings it continually gives, allows, and surprises me with.

You can’t create magic moments by covering your eyes… get out there and see what you’ve been missing💙‼️

#imaluckygirl#ilovemesomesharks#sundaysarejustthatgood

Why Not Wednesday

WHY NOT WEDNESDAY‼️‼️

Why not wake up today and decide today is the day you change your life?

Why not wake up today and decide today is the day you cut the excuses?

Why not wake up today and decide you are going put to rest doubt and fear?

Why not wake up today and forget the scale, forget the harsh screams of others and just be wonderfully you?

Why not wake up today and smile and wave at all them haters and naysayers?

Today is yours. The work is hard, and the road may be long, but the journey… every paved and unpaved mile, will teach you something valuable. Set out to find gratitude in each mile.

Have acceptance in each setback, and have hope for every victory yet to come. Someone is watching you. Show them kindness, teach them love, and let them in on your successes.

Bitterness need not apply. Now let’s go smash some pavement… after all, it is WEDNESDAY‼️ WHY NOT?

Be an Influencer.

One woman…
One mind…
One beating heart…

Never ever again to settle for less than what feeds my soul.

Do I pray for this world? You bet I do‼️

Am I going to just sit back and let the world happen to me? Hell no‼️

Wake up and be an influencer!!

Stop whining‼️
Make your bed‼️
Make good food‼️
Lace ’em up‼️
And go scream it from the rooftops‼️

#wecantstopwinning #fridayvibes #beaninfluencer

Run with Our Pack!

Run Before You Fly Private Facebook Group is open to all who wish to continue to share their experiences, love of running, and battles of life, with each other. Together we are better.

Courage, Dear Heart.

C.S. Lewis says, “Courage, Dear Heart.”

As I reached for my mug today and read the word courage, I was quickly reminded of what this means to me.

Every moment in life is a chance to pin courage on ourselves.

We continue to be tested… and when you are, say no and tolerate nothing less than what brings you peace and happiness.

We continue to be sculpted… and when you are, let the clay take the form of nothing less than what brings you awareness and stability.

We continue to be confronted by all the people, places, and things that leech upon us to suck the life out of us… and when you are, tolerate nothing less than what offers you good character and integrity.

Life will always test us. When you are reminded of this, remember that you are not required to please, settle, tolerate, accept, nor deposit anything that does match your goals, wellness, priorities, dreams, and blueprint.

Take your courage… pin it, share it, send it, save it, be it, keep it… but never lose sight of how you got it.

Grit is Gold.

My life has certainly been a journey full of crazy moments, unpredictable seasons, challenge, adversity, and hope.

There are many things I have done wrong, choices I would have made differently… but my heart still swells at a random act of kindness.

Holding the door for a stranger, someone telling you your smile is priceless, a cup of coffee made perfect, sneakers and sunshine.

These prove to me everyday that in this crazy world gone mad… good still remains.

People make me laugh and sometimes scream, but helping them realize their worth, and reach their goals is my true purpose and passion.

Do not settle for brief moments, or average seasons of life. Know your worth… price tag that bi&c@ and own it.

Envision lays the foundation… but grit gets you there. Happy Friday, People!