On Being Vulnerable.

Vulnerability is always staying in search of the light. It’s questioning the whys… it’s continual motion toward a direction of your inner truths, and creating an positive impact to those around you.

The in-betweens of the space you are sitting now and where you are headed are often filled with small miracles, daily victories, and subtle moments of learning and triumph.

It’s okay to sit in the gap of uncertainty from time to time, as uncertainty brings about more possibilities for growth.

It’s okay to not tolerate what you once allowed, and fight for a better tomorrow.

Pay attention. Seek to follow those who ignite you. Seek to follow those who give and not just take. Pay attention to acts of selfishness versus acts of selflessness. See in yourself what you want others to see in you.

You are the light… you are the miracle… and you are the force within yourself.

Embrace the hard… and it gets softer. Embrace the doubt… and it gets harder.

Onward.

Arm Yourself with Kindness.

Sometimes when I reflect back, I can’t believe how my journey has unfolded. This is not about what you weigh or what your size is.

I have learned that the representation of a number to our self worth is BS… and being connected and comfortable in our skin comes in beautiful forms of all shapes and sizes.

This is about treating yourself with kindness.

I spent half of my life nearly drinking myself sick. I allowed foods that were not serving me to rule my decisions, and give me a false sense of comfort. I lived in a rat race of comparisons, instead of allowing grace to move in for healing.

On occasion I still may wobble… life sometimes tries to sway me back to a place that I know will leave me empty and without joy.

Arm yourself with kindness. Focus on feeling your best, leading by example. Shut the toxic opinions of others out, and choose what is best for you.

Today the sun is shining. My head is clear. My body is fueled with nutrition that I can pronounce, my coffee is hot, and I’m grateful for another day.

Don’t overthink it. Don’t wish your life away. Don’t false-idol the people who you think have it all. Start simple… be kind to yourself… and be amazed where that takes you.

~ From the Diary of What Running and Life Have Taught Me


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Life is My Teacher.

The older I get and the more time that passes… life continues to train and teach me.

It’s not always grandiose nor measured in lavish material “stuff”. It’s not what I can gain from you but what I can give.

As I move through my years… self reflection gets easier, not harder. I seek simplicity. I love my routines. I worry less about things I cannot control, and allow room for acceptance.

I am so grateful those who remain true and journey with me for light and strength… and have learned from those who pit stop in for their own benefit.

Today I ask myself… do my efforts match my words? Do my victories triumph over my defeats, and will I forever live to make a difference? The answer is yes.

Find a few good people… find a good routine… and find yourself back home to in wellness that’s waiting for you.

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Finding Your Freedom.

Joy is subjective. How we reach it and what we choose to do with it when it lands in our arms is based on our beliefs and experiences.

This route I’m on tonight is a road I have walked and run countless times… the bends… the cracks and splits in the pavement… the familiar landscapes, and trees… the same fallen down fence, and tiny creek that has displayed both softness and fierceness, takes me through the pages of my personal story.

I have taken this road through many roadblocks, setbacks, and milestones. I have walked this road through tear-stained eyes of “just another” attempt at sobriety and healthy living.

I have prayed incessantly on this road for new beginnings and purpose. I have revealed my deepest secrets and regrets here, and have found overwhelming contentment is my success and healing.

Tonight, as I look to all the sights and sounds that have embraced all my metamorphoses… I am simply thankful that I get to tell my tale.

I get to give back and spread hope… and most of all, that my joy was not in front of me or behind me… it wasn’t beside me or gone from me… it was there all along… inside of me.

Scream your story from the rooftop… someway… somehow… someone needs to hear it. Amen.

High Hopes.

She is somewhere between where she was and where is going. She doesn’t dwell or stay in the past, but she visits occasionally to be reminded of all she has overcome.

She visits occasionally to allow her demons and villains to see they no longer control her, and that their voice is no longer audible.

Crappy food, drained bottles of booze, low-budget thoughts, and self-doubt are now replaced with high hopes… mixed with healthy nourishment for the mind, body, and soul.

She reflects this morning not only on all that life has taken from her… but more importantly how much it has given her.

Transformation comes in many forms… physical, mental, spiritual, and with a rebirth of gratitude and healing.

Most of all… life has been good to me.

Lace, tie, run, repeat… I’m a lucky girl 💜.

Ladies… Say YES to Fit and Fabulous in Your Forties and Fifties.

Suzanne and Dina have a Magnificent at Midlife Challenge coming to you soon! Learn more and sign up for updates on the challenge here.

Stops Along the Way.

The space between where you stand now and where you dream of landing is filled with many stops of uncertainty along the way. I am thankful for every setback, every tear, and plea of why me.

I am thankful for what my addictions allowed me to see, and why I never want to return there again. I am thankful to able to learn, and grow… to breathe and push my body to limits I never thought possible.

I am thankful for the first pair of running sneakers that humbled me… embarrassed me… and stayed patient as I navigated myself to a rebirth of health, appreciation, and love for the unspoken guidance of my paved roads.

Life wakes each morning with ten new reasons to quit, to surrender, to grumble, and to avoid. Be the one reason you prevail. Live thankfully… the end 👊🏻.

Take Charge of Your Health.

Every time you spend money 💰. You are casting a vote on the kind of health and wellness you want for yourself.

Every morning you have a chance to start over and become more joyful.

To sustain well-being, you must have resilience… to have resilience you must practice discipline… to practice discipline you must believe in something greater.

Words are empty without action. Action is strength… and strength requires zero compromise.

You want the right time? Now is it.

Go get it. 👊🏻

New Beginnings.

Spring exhibits mostly mud puddles, melting snow, and nature rising back to life. Spring is a chance uncover the long, dark, deep break of winter and start again.

New beginnings are often scary. We are creatures of habit. We are stuck in fly traps of addictions and bad habits. We tell ourselves our sanity lies in what we know… but does it?

I once fake-smiled my way through life. I was a yes-man for destruction, and a saleswoman for unhealthy. I made excuses not progress, and was drowning in tears of my internal unhappiness.

To begin again… drink from the well of goodness, not perfection. When you think you’re done… realize that you are just beginning. The obstacle course of life will be there. Negative people and ideas will be there. Take one strand of hope, one heap of faith, and one pinch of self-worth, and watch your mind and body change for greater good.

Spring is here. A chance to wash away all that doesn’t serve you, and renew your vow to yourself. Renew… Repurpose… Respond to your highest calling 👊🏻.

May this season of re-birth be our best yet.

Shadow Self

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.

The Art of Wellbeing

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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