Category: Mindfulness

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Simple Gifts.

Seek the simplicity of life. Stop and admire God’s awestruck beauty. Give special thanks to all who have set roadblocks… and those who have lifted them.

Practice what you preach. Make your bed. Make peace with yourself. Tell toxic people they’re un-invited, and set the table of your life with only those who bring you hope, goodness, and insight.

It’s never too late to start over. You’re not a lost cause. You have a gift. Use it. Be still, be alert, and be ready. Life is waiting for you.

My road has taught me something so valuable. That I matter, my ways of being matter, and you matter. The view finder of this road this morning was a gift. Find yours… and know it was meant to teach you… period. The end.

#lookathisview #morningvibes #beastudentoflife

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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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Reflections

Today is my rest day. Today is my day to allow myself the much-needed physical break of pushing my body to its limits the previous week. Today is necessary and needed.

Today my mind is tired, too. As much as we try our best, we can easily get caught on the racetrack of uninvited thoughts, fearful imaginings… temporarily stuck on the rewind button of would’ve and should’ve… or the fast forward button of the what-if’s.

We forget to stay in the right now… in the very present moment.

My job as a nurse can be mentally taxing. Covid is tiring. It’s exhausting. I try my best to trust in what I know, to help those even who are bitter, and to stay grounded in my roots and beliefs that led me to this field.

My Job as Mom makes me question my own choices at times. I ask myself, am I teaching my children how to survive in a crazy world? Am I teaching unconditional love? The worry never ceases, yet with faith as the foundation… I know they will be just fine.

In pausing… I ask myself, did I make the best food choices I could last week? Did I run my heart out with pure love and joy of what my sneakers allow me to accomplish? Did I practice diligence and perseverance?

I can get in my own way. My head space can be annoying, relentless, and a pain in the ass. But my mind teaches me. My thoughts can be changed. I can look at life any way I choose. I have control of what I put in my mouth. I stay sober, I eat right, and I try my best.

Give yourself permission to feel… to question… to make adjustments.

Allow time to sit alone with your soul. Ask it what it needs, and then allow the universe to help you get there. Reflect unto others your gifts.

Reflect often and softly, reflect clearly and wildly… be gentle with your decisions, and forgiving in your results.

Amen 🖤.

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Wherever You Go, There You Are.

There is an old adage that says “Wherever you go, there you are.”

We cannot escape the truths within us. We cannot run from our disjointed problems or fears. We can only try to mute the demons that show up to destroy and derail every good amount of progress we make.

It took me years to realize, life isn’t perfect. The ebb and flow of our emotions can take a toll on us. Treat yourself and others with loving kindness as you move toward your transformation.

I love running, I love to push my body to limits that I know are crazy. I fight hard to balance my nutrition, and work tirelessly continue to walk the tightrope of this crazy ass society… BUT most importantly, I’ve learned to take a breath.

Stop and stare at wildflowers, look out onto the lake and appreciate its gentle stillness. Life is passing us by and will wait for no one.

Be diligent in your work. Be accountable to yourself as you embark on crushing your goals, but always remember “wherever you go, there you are.”

So learn to be willing to accept where you are, change what you can, and love who you are unfolding to become🖤.

#manifestmonday #runnersstories #unfoldinyourjourney

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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The Porch.

Every once in a while I take time to visit my porch. It’s a quiet place looking out into farm fields, the road I run every day, and the occasional passerby walking their dog.

This porch has tremendous meaning. It used to be the place where I would drink as much alcohol as I could, eat too much crap, and dwell in self-pity about how I wanted my world to change so badly. It was a place to contemplate how much I hated the choices I was making in my life.

My porch today takes on a much different meaning. I sit out here now so incredibly grateful for the lives I’ve touched, and those who have steadily helped me get here.

I log my running miles, reflect on my training, meditate and focus on the things that I aspire to be. I give thanks for the universe and God, and I appreciate everything spiritually.

I seek stillness, all while sober, healthy, and knowing that I can dream, be, and achieve anything I damn want to…

My porch was a place I used to dread visiting because I knew the sadness that was tear-stained on its wood.

Today my porch sees and witnesses a different me. The wood of its foundation is solid and strong, tough and weathered… just like the woman who sits there now and rejoices. She is me… and she is happy 🖤.

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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Visibility.

Did you ever stop to think how scary it can be to have your visibility dimmed or hidden? One minute you can see the road ahead, the next you’re following your gut, keeping the faith that you will sway gently with curves, relying on familiarity, and trusting that with each step… although foggy, you will get to your destination?

This morning’s run started out very dark, misty. Visibility was poor. I run these roads every day, I know them like the back of my hand… yet when our visibility is stripped… things appear different, even feel different.

I thought about faith on this run, and how sometimes we simply must trust. We have to believe in something greater… something better… something wonderful. Knowing that if we are just patient enough, the path will be lit and the view is incredible.

The last half of this run, the sun crept up over the horizon. The pavement was suddenly clearly marked, and the view between the trees was breathtaking.

Life can have poor visibility. We can for a moment be in dark places… but in these moments, hug the corners, rely on something bigger and greater, and have faith that your path will light.

We learn in the fog, and become a beacon when it lifts. Amen. 🖤#walkbyfaithnotbysight

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Doorways

The doorways we choose each day in our life path are crucial to who we become. I have walked both intentionally and unintentionally through doorways that have led me through destruction, fear, and choices that carved the walls of my strength.

Doorways can be deceiving. What you think is on the other side can be filled with false hope. Empty promise. The same room… the same toxicities… the same repeated cycles.

The doorways of my previous addicted world always seemed to open even wider when I was at the brink of disaster. That woman on the left was trapped in those rooms for a very long time.

The woman on the right carefully examines her doorways these days. Before she enters, she asks herself: if I step in, will this doorway entry serve my greater purpose? Will it fulfill me? Will it allow me further growth and less bullshit?

Take the time to think about your goals. Think about who you wish to become. Do Not Enter the doorways that are jaded, altered, or that will not serve you.

Guard the doorways to your success… and do not let any person, place, or thing enter without your permission.

You control your doorways now… what a beautiful concept this is….🖤. Go be wonderful today.

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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This Morning’s Run

This morning’s run was a hot, humid one here in New Jersey.

Often times I get up and go without much thought on where I will run or how far I will go. I tie my laces, walk out my door and immediately I am on my familiar county roads.

Some days I see just wildlife, some days many town locals wave as they pass me in their cars. Today was just the hum of the local farmer’s tractor off in the distance, the sounds of the birds, and my heavy breathing trying to fight the humidity.

As I passed the barn with that beautiful flag hung… I am quickly reminded of just how lucky and blessed I am.

I get to wake up and do what I love, on these back farm town roads that I love but not without what that flag represents… not without those men and women who bravely fought so I could be just this lucky.

This is my home… these are my roads… and today I am just a happy girl.

❤️🤍💙

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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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!

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Lost and Found.

So many of us stay on a path lit with false promise, poisonous venom, and a plan to keep us on a road to destroying what we were all born to have… peace and stillness.

I will continue to share my story and be a vessel carrying Hope. We do not have to stay stuck. We choose it.

We do not have to stay lost. We choose it.

We do not have to let toxic people, places or things dictate who we are… we allow them to.

Release the voices that are trying to crush your spirit. Let go of what whatever is telling you victory is not possible.

Be kind today. Be patient with yourself. Drink some water. Peer out into the unknown… and find your way home.

“I once was lost… but now I’m found.”

Get up and get after it today. Draw the shades back, let the light in… and let’s say yes to life today!!

#getupandmove #peaceofmind #welcomehome


We are World Changers.

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.