Running Motivation and Writing Therapy for Those Ready to Heal from Trauma, Banish Negativity and Achieve Greatness on Their Own Terms
Living in the moment detached from the bothers of this life.
Sometimes we find pure joy and pleasantries by accident… seeing something in a new appreciative view, not having expectations but hope, and thanking God just for the very breath I was given at this dawn…
Serendipitous is my vibe today… May it be yours.
Most of us will wake up today with a burden we have been carrying around full of heaviness.
These little pieces of anger, sadness, depression, anxiety, unworthiness, self-loathing, self- criticism, and negativity move in unannounced and work tirelessly to set us up for failure.
I am reminded today of the lesson a sunflower 
teaches… they are made to grow roots deep and wide, to survive strong winds, and always put their face to the light.
Today I am choosing to put my face to the sun, ground my feet, and be truly grateful for the strength I am “growing.”
Be a sunflower today 
.
Our shadows hold the essence of who we are. They hold our stories… they become our platform for growth, and reflection.
Shadows are beautiful, and equally important as the light.
When we swirl in spaces of deep trust versus mistrust, faith versus control, patterns of painful choices, we purposefully turn our face from the light.
There is always a divide of what we dream of being as opposed to where we stand at this very moment.
This morning, let yourself rest in who you are. Do not let your joy be stolen, and know the light does return.
Accept, not resist, what you can accomplish today.
Shadows and light… love and hope… faith and fear. These things are necessary for change.
Live your story, and love all the humanness about you that got you there.
Amen.
Good Saturday Morning!
It’s not just another day. It’s more than just a shuffle to the coffee pot. It’s not about let’s just exist and pray nothing gets in our way today.
It’s not the crap on television or fake news. It’s not the stigmas of BS people have so generously placed upon us. It’s not about faking our way through the day and hoping no one sees our struggles, our shortcomings and our setbacks.
It’s about trying to love and accept ourselves even when the mirror and mind are fighting against us. It’s about forgiving what we could not understand and educating ourselves on nutrition and wellness.
It’s about owning what we could not change and fighting like hell to do something about it.
It’s about trying our best and believing that no matter what… life is begging us to sign a contract with renewal, and hope, with faith and freedom.
You are enough. Today, tomorrow, and forever. Time to fly.
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An intentional life accepts only things that do not serve yourself or others. Embrace only those things that will add meaning.
Seek only what adds to the value of your being. If your soul is searching, there’s a reason. Do not let your existence slip through the hands of doubt and fear.
You are here to live with intention, to love with open arms, and to pursue the blueprint that was designed for you.
Believe in something greater, something unseen, something better… it’s out there waiting for you to land softly.
Wait not another day to create your dreams and work your goals into action.
Onward…
As I end this Friday and welcome the weekend, I pause today to take a simple step in counting blessings.
We get so consumed day in and day out with work, with the rat race of life… we simply do not pause enough in gratitude for what we have.
Today, I was shown true kindness and appreciation from a patient and their family. I am thankful to be able to fuel my body with goodness, and come home to a place that feels both comfortable and peaceful.
Tonight I get to use my pen and my journal and release all that went well this week, all the pent-up nonsense that must be let go, and as fast as my hand will go… continue to create and manifest all the wonderful moments, challenges, and magical things that are yet to unfold.
It’s a simple but rarely done activity… because we merely lose touch with what is truly important.
Maybe you found a lucky penny, maybe a friend made you smile, maybe your coffee was paid for, or maybe you just simply made it through another day. Give thanks and celebrate whatever it is.
Life only comes once. We have once chance to break the seal of fear, and dance with possibility. Count your blessings… and lay your head tonight in victory. We made it through another day 
.
Mayday Monday….
As the holidays draw closer with each passing day, most of us continue life as normal. We trim our trees, wrap gifts, bake cookies, and celebrate the true meaning of the season…
But what about those who are struggling? I want to talk about this because so many of us at this very moment are in a space of mental entrapment.
One of us on this very day wakes… and struggles with not taking a drink. One of us has lost a loved one, a pet, or is mourning someone who is still alive.
One of us is facing a job loss. A father is struggling to feed his family. A veteran is struggling to tie their own shoes.
A woman is closet eating in shame, and another is carefully applying makeup to hide the bruises.
Somewhere a child is feeling the brutal effects of a bully. The narcissist continues to gaslight, and still the world turns without a missed beat.
Feeling or creating joy through chaos and trial is tough. It’s a daily challenge to not let these things define us emotionally or physically. But all is not a lost cause…
Wake up and pray for someone even if you don’t know them.
Go visit a veteran. Smile, listen to their truths and tie their shoes if they need it.
Take a walk with a friend, and listen. Don’t assume, don’t judge, don’t react… just be the ears they are desperately trying to find.
Donate to your local women’s shelter. If they are there… believe me when I say… it took courage beyond measure to get there.
Send a card of encouragement to a friend, and cut the ties of those people, places, and things whose only agenda is derailing yours…
The greatest gift you can give yourself this year is the gift of helping someone.
Not everyone faces the same lot in life. I don’t know the reasons why… but I do know this. Kindness goes a long way. Small things add up to big things, and the sum of it all = greater human decency.
Be someone’s Mayday today… even if it’s your own.
#RUNBEFOREYOUFLY #remembertheseason #besomeonesmayday
Are you an empathic introvert trying to hold your own in a world of extroverts?
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Wishing you peace, comfort and joy this holiday season from Run Before You Fly.
To be a front runner in our personal lives requires us to lead with an open heart, display a willingness to be consistent, and have the courage to face our monsters hiding in the closet.
As I reflect back on the slideshow of my life, often times it seems surreal. The moments when I retrace and pace the steps of how I got to this place, in this very moment, seem translucent.
My years of active addiction and being overweight ingrained feelings of shame, driving the markers of failure deeper. I denied my inner cry for help.
For years I tried to hide the whiskey on my breath. I wept in silence, I gulped processed food in silence… and I hated myself out loud.
I don’t know what you’re facing today… but I do know this. Perhaps today is the day you must descend down in order to rise up to a better tomorrow.
Sit or lie with whatever it is, until you have comfortably declared that it will no longer control you. And remember: just as the autumn leaves must fall to face their destiny… even on the ground, their beauty is magnificent.
Today does not have to be radical nor does it have to be complicated. We are all worthy of moving at our own pace. Today is about understanding that as we grow inward and in faith, it gets harder to fake what we won’t be.
Make an advanced choice to put your truth in front of your impression.
We start slow. We start by admittance. Ask yourself… what do I need to face today? Maybe it’s been hidden for years, or maybe the prints are still fresh.
Move through today with grace and strength. Life is waiting for you.
RUNBEFOREYOUFLY #faceitfriday #runningsavedmylife
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!
Are you shaken, or grounded?
Arising to face the day can meet us each with a choice. Do we allow things to shake us upside down and apart? Or can we root deeply into the earth and ground ourselves?
I know for me… ridiculous thoughts, unhealthy patterns, and toxic people will continue to try to seep through my protective barriers in hopes of initiating unsteadiness and crumbling my solid footing.
Stumbling a bit is okay. Actually, it’s quite necessary in the grounding process. We are not meant to do it right all the time. We are not meant to be perfect.
We are meant to receive daily grace, find acceptance in the beautifully broken, seek only those who better us. This is how we land at the place where we will root our foot and ground ourselves in what we believe in and fight for.
If you move about awkwardly today… it’s okay.
If you are unsure and stumble a bit… it’s okay.
If you aren’t sure why you’re here or where you’re going… it’s okay.
But when you feel like the moment is right… ground down… plant your feet… release all that is not serving you.
Allow all that has shaken you to dissolve… and find the steadiness you deserve.
So… shaken or grounded❓ You choose… 👈🏻
When we stay in tune with our inner being, we recharge our power. Yoga and meditation are important for me as a runner to seek gratitude in my capabilities.
As a human being, these practices allow me to reset my focus. They set me back into the present moment and sketch a blueprint for my well-being and success.
I can easily get sucked back into conflicting thoughts. I can easily get drawn into a vortex of shit that promises success and elation but only delivers despair and destruction.
Today, seek what is good. Demand nothing but that which will fill you with happiness and promise.
Leave toxic crap where it belongs… and rise above the people and things you set you back. This leg of my journey always brings challenge… but this woman will always bring grit, and self-will.
Rise up today from wherever you are. Re-set. Re center. Re-focus, and then hold yourself.
Tell yourself you’re listening… you are trying… and that you are loved.
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