Showing Up Uninvited.

My past is a place where I visit from time to time, but I don’t stay long anymore. I don’t ask for an invitation to visit. I show up uninvited to remind it of just a few things.

My past told me I couldn’t become an athlete, because I was lazy… undetermined and unfocused. I ring the doorbell of my past, and when it opens the door… it now sees the face of grit, hard work, discipline, and eyes that see long into my dreams and goals.

My past told me I couldn’t overcome the bottle. That Jameson and Vodka would destroy me long before a pair of running shoes could.

I ring the doorbell and when my past answers, I say remember me? Now it sees the girl who hasn’t touched a drink in 5 years. Who put down the bottle to pick up her self-worth, and found self-love again.

My past told me I couldn’t make a difference: “You’ll never be an example, or a leader. You’ll never succeed.

I ring the doorbell and when it opens the door… my past sees all of you. It sees your kind words and support. It sees us sharing all our achievements together.

My past asks me if I would like to sit and stay awhile… maybe get reacquainted. I politely decline. As I leave, I turn around and say:

You thought you would break me. You thought you could keep me prisoner, hold me in the dark, never to be rescued.”

As I shut the door, the beautiful light shining down upon me pierces that dark place. The past quietly closes the door with nothing left to say.

Find your willingness to be better. Do not let people, places or things hold your happiness… they will drop it every time. Find your light and burn that bitch so bright, you light up the world 🌎✨⭐️.

Now let’s get this run done ✌️.

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.

Never Give Up.

Every day we make a choice. Today I choose to NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP 🖤.

The work is hard and tiring, but the road is paved with self-satisfaction, and a joy that no one person can ever take from me.

Find what you love and do it… do it with fire in your eyes. Do it with a smile… do it happy or sad… alone or afraid.

Just know that every day you are writing your legacy. How will you leave your mark on this world?

How will they remember you?

Someone is watching you. Be kind… be bold… but be undoubtedly an example of good.

Now let’s get this done 🖤.

Today is the Day.

Today is the day everything changes…‼️

“Like a small boat

On the ocean…

Sending big waves…

Into motion…

Like how a single word…

Can make a heart open…

I may only have one match…

BUT I CAN MAKE AN EXPLOSION”

And I don’t really care if nobody else believes…

’cause I still got a lot of FIGHT left in me.” 🖤

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Always Buy the Sneakers.

Look what just came home to Mama 🤣🤣!

In my defense… it’s been 12 days, 6 hours and 15 seconds since I bought my last pair😂😂!

Always wear a smile, always hold the door for someone, and ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS buy the sneakers 💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛.

HAPPY SUNDAY ☀️.

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

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.

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Don’t Touch My Laces.

Today is simple. Wake up and do your best. We all need support, we all need encouragement. We need laughter, and appreciation for others. We need help from time to time, we need acceptance and humbleness to be teachable and to grow.

We need a few good friends, we need more sincerity and a lot less posed fakeness.

I have crawled from the depths of hell out of my alcohol addiction. I have lost 90 pounds not by sheer luck but by discipline, and hard days, mixed with both tears of deflated failure and of joy.

I have learned how to negotiate running as my beautiful outlet for this batshit crazy world I live in, for the toxic people and negative people I must deal with, and for the continued benefits of my health and well being.

Don’t let anyone tell you how to tie your laces. Only you know where you’ve been… where you are… and where you are heading. As for me… today I slip on my headband… sip the rocket fuel… smile… and go celebrate that I get to wake up and do what I love.

#rocketfuelinmycup

#tiedyefashion

#donttouchmylaces

Wave at the Haters.

You have one life… one chance… one dream to leave a legacy. How you wake up and act today will set the stage for your life tomorrow.

DoI have regrets? Yes. Do I stumble with my choices sometimes? Absolutely.

DoI know that I will never allow certain people, places, or things to be responsible for the detrimental navigation of my own happiness?

You bet your @ss I do.

Today is my day and yours…!!

Don’t politely tell this world who you are. SHOW THEM.

I promise you, someone is watching. We have a choice, we have a say, and we determine who we will become.

Amen and amen!

#beyourownmayday

#waveatthemhaters #smileatastranger

Stay in Touch with Suzanne

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

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

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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.

Be Your Own Mayday.

This morning I woke up to a crisp beautiful spring day. The sun is shining, I feel a cool breeze as I step outside.

This past week was one of the hardest I’ve endured in a long time. Adapting to the loss of my dog was so hard. I could feel myself slipping into a place I do not want to dare ever visit again.

With that as I laced my sneakers I thought about how life is ever changing… how life has been deeply kind to me… how lucky I am to feel so loved by so many.

I pondered how if we never take chances we simply cannot succeed, and that in order to keep growing I must allow myself to feel it all… and that it’s okay to be sad, that pain teaches us that while it’s horrid in the moment… even at its most powerful state it cannot rob us of better times ahead, nor take away the most precious memories.

Today is my first run in a week, as my feet slam this gravel… I think of how truly lucky I am for my resilience… for my legs… for the next journey set before me.

I don’t quit. I don’t roll over. I get up and I forge on… faith trumps fear. Hope surpasses despair… and the light always shines through the darkness.

How’s that for Mayday…

#beyourownmayday

#rungirl

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.