Category: Empowerment

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Inhale Courage, Exhale Fear

She awoke one day in her usual frame of mind. Her head pounded from booze the prior night. The processed crap she had eaten just before laying down did not comfort her as promised… only left her feeling more empty and digusted.

She slightly remembered her repeated promise to herself only hours before that someday things would be different.

Fear roared louder and louder, telling her she wasn’t strong enough to change. Fear invited itself in to set up camp in her mind, expecting to stay for the long haul without question or hesitation.

Courage had other plans, and waited ever so patiently to surface. Courage held her hand and led her inward.

“We’re going deep,” Courage whispered… “We may be gone a while. But when we come, back fear will no longer live here.”

“Are you sure I’m ready?” she mouthed.

Courage took a big inhale and said:

“We’ve waited our whole life for this moment. Onward, Love… the end. 🌸🌷🌿.

What fear is holding you back today? Inhale… exhale… onward.

#hopedealer #inhalecourageexhalefear #wegotthistogether

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.

Sign up to hear from Suzanne via email here.

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It’s Not Easy, Going Rogue.

Back in my hometown this morning on my beautiful paved roads of familiarity. This past week of mountain climbing put my body to the test, revealing areas of needed improvement.

My mindset was challenged… yet this experience gave me a sense of improved peace, and a complete appreciation for what it truly means to work for the reward.

I’m starting today with a refurbished attitude. I journaled my new goals this morning, releasing all the crap that was ready to slither in and set up roadblocks. Each day begins with a choice to settle… or a choosing of doing better… being better… living better.

It’s not easy going rogue. Standing tall for better choices, seeking better people, living for God and loving yourself enough to be transparent so others can see it is possible.

I’ve lived in my own hell. I wrote the book on feeling sorry, feeling guilty, and falling short.

Today is glorious. The air is perfect, the sun is shining. I hear the wind softly singing its own song, and the birds are happy. Today can be the day you decide change is gonna come.

I see you… I heard you… I believe in you. Let’s get going. Time waits for no one.

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Doing Great

“Sorry, can’t today… I’m off doing great.”‼️

-Suzanne Swanson

We all need this reminder. What challenge do you face today? Life has its cunning way of prompting us to believe that we are not capable of living better, overcoming obstacles, and experiencing greater things.

The truth is: we are not just our personal stories. We are not just our failures and successes. We are not just our addictions and shortcomings. We are not just our PTSDs and our depressions. We are not just our wisdoms nor our lack of knowledge.

We are fighting a battle every day called life. We combat the ways of words and actions of people, ideas, and daily unfairness. We work tirelessly to build our stability, challenge our weaknesses, and strive to be better.

Arm yourself today with good thoughts. Know you are unbelievably loved, and despite the toxic crap that can rain down on you…

“You are doing great.”

Say it until you feel it, believe it, and see it.

Spread hope like a virus, and know you are not a “just”… you are more!

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Letter to a Narcissist.

Her awakening came not by chance, but by an inner voice that was calling her. She was desperate for change but stuck in a quicksand of past failures, deep hurts, and powerful addictions.

She cleared her throat, wiped a single tear off her cheek.

She saw the courage one day, it came to her in a flash. She knew in her heart of hearts the day had to come. She would have to seek justice for herself. So afraid and scared, she wrote the words that she knew would trigger an ending to the madness.

She wrote the words of freedom and liberation. She wrote the words that only a coward could read and twist to inflict more guilt and manipulation.

She was tired, she was exhausted. She was playing a game of chess she could never win because she is not skilled in sickness, and obsession.

She heard the words of what the Spirit told her to write… she backspaced, afraid. Then she re-wrote it.

“Relish in this day because this is the last day any of you will have control over me again. I am not afraid anymore.”

She knew these words within would end the game. Peace would come in the morning. Stand in your beliefs of good versus evil, be afraid of nothing, their guilt-infused words, the booze, and the food only have the power you give these things.

“Seek Me and forgive yourself… you are set free 🖤.”

My letter to a Narcissist, my addiction, and my unhealthy lifestyle ~

Set yourself free. Run to freedom, and allow peace to flow like a river…

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.

Sign up to hear from Suzanne via email here.

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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. 🖤

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Running, and My Why for Doing It.

The essence of who I am begins with my why. Why do I fight so hard to try and change lives? Why do I fight so hard to stay committed to my health and wellness?

The Run to Change Lives family has been a warm and friendly place to share all our journeys, our sorrows, and our victories. It has been pivotal in me sharing my story, and offering hope to all those who are lost.

People ask me all the time, “WHY DO YOU RUN?”

I run when life is suffocating me, and the open pavement provides strength and air to breathe.

I run to pray for all of those who reach out to me for guidance… for those who feel as if their life has nothing left to offer.

I run in times of confusion, when I’m stuck and torn between the strings of my heart verses the soundness of my brain.

I run to dream. I hear the Boston Marathon crowd in my head.

I envision the spectators, I can feel the course, and close my eyes and feel the victory of this accomplishment.

I run to see God’s beauty and all the things that daily I take for granted.

I run to hear nature, and for a moment in time… just simply be in awe of how our earth spins, and that I get to be a part of it.

Finally: I RUN TO CHANGE LIVES. AMEN.

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Mental Reset

Today I am going to put some powerful work in and press the Ctl Alt Delete reset button of my mind.

When stresses accumulate, when toxic people show back up, when the ways and behaviors of this world are heavy on me… I need a reset.

It’s so easy for any of us to be persuaded back into old patterns of unhealthy eating. Invitations to our destructive habits and addictions can arrive wrapped in deceptive packaging.

Do not be fooled, and do not be led. Be the leader.

Take time today to meet yourself on the roads and trails of your life. Be grateful of where you are, be accepting of where you have been, and be hopeful of where you are going. When the anvils and pressures sit heay… hit Ctl Alt Delete. Clear your head space… and start over.

Every day we are given a new chance to re-arrange, re think, and re-adjust the choices and progress of who we are. Take your power back. Claim it, own it, and use it for good.

Our wealth, our health, and our prosperity are gained but only by the fruits of our labor. Grace is new every morning… and may this road, and these sneakers continue to be the steady ground that has changed my life.

CTL ALT DELETE RESET and GO.

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Run and Be Happy!

For me to become a better athlete, and keep churning at the handle of my personal and professional goals, to ensure my sobriety, and integrity… I need to always meditate to put life in its proper position.

Conflicting thoughts on nutrition, running gear, beauty products, financial plans, life strategies can cause massive chaos to our thoughts if we allow it.

People will always show up on your doorstep of life to inflict their opinions or “two cents” of *their* being into *yours.* Do not allow such individuals to interfere with the trajectory of your journey.

We face adversity together. We can get through uncertainties by the hands and bodies of our personal experiences, and by our very own truths we have allowed others to view.

When the road is bumpy, stay on it.

When you feel like you can’t run, walk, or jog another inch… go three inches. When you see the walls crumbling… believe that when that wall falls, it leaves a new space for unimaginable growth you never thought possible.

Today I am grateful what each of you bring to the table. Your stories, your jokes, your humility, your honesty, your progresses, your setbacks.

All teach us that we are listening…and we can overcome. We all motivate differently. We think differently, we run differently… we set different goals, and that is okay.

Today’s meditation brought up some superior points. Just do your best… don’t be a shitty human being… and never stop being who you are. 🖤

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What Does it Take?

A reader writes in:

“Suzanne… I want to transform my life, but what does it take?”

It takes raw transparency and admission. It takes sleepless nights, and self-evaluation. It takes brutal honesty, and a solid moral compass.

It takes sacrifice, selflessness, and sanity. It takes 4 a.m. wake ups, and sweat, and tears. It takes humbleness, and acceptance, and an openness to learn.

It takes less outings, and more sleep, less processed shit, and more whole foods. It takes pushing yourself, and pavement, and pride.

It takes simplicity, and serenity. It takes less ego and more higher power. It takes more giving and less receiving.

It takes willpower, and determination. It takes big dreams and ditching small-minded thinking. It takes love, and hope, faith, and trust.

Yeah… that’s what it takes… all of it.

Take it or leave it… but believe in you. Believe in what your soul yearns for, and believe with all of this… anything is possible.

Amen ❤️. #hopedealer #transparency #transformationjourney

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Run Before You Fly Private Facebook Group with Suzanne Swanson 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.

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No Excuses.

Fulfillment Friday…

My old life was a mess. My terrible habits. My lack of respect for myself and others brought me to a place of unhappiness.

I tried numerous times to get my shit together with little result. I was lonely, fear-struck, overweight, sick, stuck, tired, and deflated.

4:30 am used to be the time I would just be crawling into bed along with my regrets and whisky stained tear drops… praying to stop my insanity.

Today at 4:30 am I was sipping my rocket fuel… getting ready to slay double digits down the boulevard.

You want to be transformed? Good… let’s go. 🖤

You want to be fulfilled… take my hand and I’ll show you the way. Amen.

“Wake Up, Beauties ~ It’s Time to Beast”

#hopedealer #runningmotivation #fullfillment #dontmakeexcuses