Run Before You Fly – Page 15 – Running Motivation and Writing Therapy for Those Ready to Heal from Trauma, Banish Negativity and Achieve Greatness on Their Own Terms

August 24, 2021December 14, 2021

Where I’ve Been.

Timely Tuesday…

Back from a well rested time at the beach. With so much going on in this crazy world, how wonderful it felt to “almost feel normal” again.

Nostalgia flooded my mind all throughout the week as the smell of Coppertone, French fries, seagulls, and kids laughing brought me to a happy place of memories as a child growing up with beach vacations.

I realize as I get older earthly material things mean less and less to me… and the time spent with my family and good friends is priceless. Life is truly flying by quickly, and now more than ever the present moment is where I must try like hell to allow myself to stay in.

I also became more aware that I am typically very hard on myself, but also that I am uniquely me… that what I do matters, and that where I have been and where I am going tell my tale of just what I am made of.

Today I woke up in my little hometown, back on my country roads, with my familiar surroundings, and a renewed sense of why I do what I do.

I know where I have been, I know where I am going…

“The cure for anything is truly salt water” ~

August 20, 2021December 14, 2021

Happy Place.

Once a year, the countdown on my calendar begins. I mark my beach vacation in a special color. I wait with anticipation to get to this place. A place of sweet summer smells, crashing waves, and miles of sand to toss my cares to.

The sea for me is cathartic. It amazes me. It’s gentle and sweet one minute, strong and powerful the next. It’s a place where I release all my worries. Reflect on where I have been, and pray for better days ahead.

This morning as I was running on the boardwalk, I watched the people. I see each of their faces. Some are young, some are battered, some are aged with wrinkles, some are sun-soaked, some smiling with excitement, some are deeply troubled with sadness.

I think about where they may have been in life, what their story is. Why has their journey led them to this place on this day?

I will be using this time to spend with my family, to stay off social media… as I do find that once in a while, I need to rest my mind from all of the world.

Disconnect back into myself, journal, work on my writing… and truly return to the days when being at the beach was a time worth waiting for.

Take time for yourself today. Hit the reset button, disconnect from everyone else’s crap, and focus on what is right in front of you.

Life is short… the beach is timeless, and a period of restructuring ourselves and quieting all outside noise is a must for continued spiritual growth.

Get up and get after life today. 💙. Amen.

#hopedealer #shuttingdownmymind

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.

August 18, 2021December 14, 2021

My Father’s Daughter.

This morning I set out for my 15-mile training run.

Today was rough… humidity at 98%, and an added challenge to run without music for that distance to allow time for truly resting my head from purposeful noise… and just allowing nature’s music to be the background today.

It’s these days I often think of my Dad in heaven. So many thoughts are going through my mind…

Happy that he’s at peace, a little jealous that he doesn’t have to deal with the stressors of what’s around us. Heartbroken that I can’t ask him advice on how to deal with certain things…

But even still as I round the corner to finish this run, I know he is looking down… proud at what I have overcome, smiling at who I am becoming, and glowing because his lifelong harsh but gentle teachings are woven in me.

“I am my father’s daughter.”

Fifteen miles of “I-get-to-wake-up-and-do-what-I-love…”

Life has really been good to me. 💙Amen.

August 16, 2021December 14, 2021

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 🖤.

August 15, 2021December 14, 2021

Embarrassing Runner Story

LONG HILARIOUS POST‼️‼️ A MUST-READ‼️

Okay, so allow me to be your comic relief on a Sunday Morning. I know most of you expect that my posts are going to be very poignant and filled with valuable information. I have been transparent with you, I have shared with you my story of addiction and obesity.

I have showed you my overweight pictures and struggles… but, today I’m going to share probably one of the most embarrassing things that has happened to me to this date as a runner!!! I’m actually still laughing 😂.

This morning my running partner and I left my house at 5:20 for our 14-mile run. I had attended a beautiful wedding last night, and they were kind enough to have a special vegan dish made for me. It was extremely hot and spicy but delicious, so I ate it all 😂.

This morning I told my running partner that I felt a little off, I had not gone to the bathroom yet… but whatever, let’s just roll with this run and get going.

About 5 miles in my stomach definitely started to rumble and I thought oh my god what am I gonna do? Straight ahead, I see a lime green porta-john and think, “Thank God, he has answered my prayers…”

Now mind you, it’s still very early in the morning. I figured I could hop in, tear it up and get out. Perfect, I say…. who will ever be on these country roads this early!!!!

Two minutes later, I hear a diesel truck pull up– literally what feels like is going to be crashing into the porta potty and I hear “Okay, boys… let’s git this thing loaded up” 😂😂 LMAO.

I start sweating profusely with panic, (’cause what’s happening in there ain’t pretty 🤣🤣). I have to now yell and say “WAIT, THERES SOMEBODY IN HERE‼️”

I open the door and a larger bald man looks at me in disbelief. I just politely say “Sorry about this” and take off running 😂. Ten minutes later, I see the rollback truck pass me with Old Green strapped to the back! I was doubled over in laughter thinking my god, what if they didn’t hear me and I got hauled away to the Land O’ Porta Potty’s…. never to be heard from again.

Things I learned today…

Never trust a port a potty… even if it has a friendly face.
Despite my trauma 😂, I was able to wake up and do what I love. God’s beauty is amazing. I am so thankful to have eyes to see it.
I probably never should eat spicy food like that again.
I will most likely be the topic of discussion at the porta-potty headquarters and I love it😂😂.
I could’ve been abducted into the porta-potty missing persons database and my running partner never would’ve known the difference because he was ahead of me…. saying “I don’t know, she was just right behind me.” 😂
And…. I love my new Run to Change Lives Water bottle.

Be safe out there y’all….. SWANSON OUT!!!🖤

August 12, 2021December 14, 2021

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

Join Our Safe Space on Facebook.

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.

August 9, 2021December 14, 2021

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

August 7, 2021December 14, 2021

Perspective.

When self-doubt creeps in and negativity creates a hazy film over our progress… changing our perspective can make a world of difference.

See yourself through different eyes… love who you are. Be proud of the accomplishments and progress you’ve made.

Accept the things that cannot be undone, and continue to march forward, placing the building blocks of your dreams and goals into action.

Self doubt will come. People will try to cloud your vision, and trials of life will attempt to strip you of the faith that is necessary for contentment and peace.

Seek today to be happy on purpose. Know that waking up and trying to be better, moving your body, and mentally seeing your destination is critical to a healthy mindset.

You are allowed to be unsure, you are allowed to self question… that’s where growth comes from. Shift your perspective… simplify the plan, and trust that you are exactly where you need to be your journey today

Let’s make today beautiful…