The Finish Line

Well, I am back and blogging.  I have taken some time away from my computer to enjoy my family over the holidays and also to get caught up on work (the kind of work that actually pays me something).  I have started my training for a half marathon. Let me tell you it is not easy getting back into a regular workout schedule.  Also, I am proud to announce that I have started my book.  It is so exciting!  I can't wait to finish it and see what happens.

Now that I am back in the blog world I have a million ideas running through my mind of what to post first. I have decided to talk about what I will work on for this year. Every year I decide to re-evaluate my spending, quite bad habits, run harder, train harder, be a better mom, give my job 110%, organize my life, be a better partner in my relationship, be a better friend, pay off some bills, etc..I try to give it my all in every aspect. Sometimes, I get to all of it, and sometimes I don't.  This year for the most part, I have set the same goals and I look forward to working on all of them.

I recently read an article about living in the now.  A mind set that reminds me a lot of AA.  Concentrate on the moment, getting through minute by minute, day by day.  In the article there was reference to a book about a long distance runner who reported that during long runs it was not helpful to look at how far he had gone or how far he has to go but simply at where he was at the moment.  This is so true.  When I am on a longer run if I think about the future I loose it, if I loose myself in that moment I am fine.  Yet, I can't help but to think about how this whole thought process could lead to dormancy in other situations.  Why wouldn't we look forward to set goals and work hard to achieve them?  Isn't it good to look at what we want in order to get accomplish things?  I mean even on a long run we have a set a goal for distance and time.  When I was in school for my MSW, I did concentrate on that semester, however, if I didn't plan ahead for the future I would have no reason to keep going, or to even start for that matter.

For me one of the best feelings after a long run is the sense of accomplishment.  The finish line.  Looking back and evaluating how I came to the finish line, how I could do it differently next time, and how well I did this time.  The thrill of crossing the line is what helps me to complete the run when I feel like giving in.  I look forward to looking forward.  I believe in the now. I believe it helps overcome many obstacles, however to me the outcome can be so good how could you not look at it?

And so, I look forward to looking forward.  I also look forward to loosing myself in the moment when I need to do so.  I guess my overall thoughts here are do what works and don't give in or give up. Set goals and work hard to cross the finish line! This time of year is the time when most of us think of how we will live life differently, and so think about it, and do it.  Think about the fun of the outcome, think about the difficulty along the way, think about how you will handle the difficult times, but most of all think about just changing that one thing that bugs you the most about yourself.  Do it for you. And those who mean the most and will be there to watch you achieve the best.  Don't give up even when you feel like it, and maybe that 's where the moment by moment, minute by minute, day by day will be best served, then look back and look ahead.

Looking back at my year and thinking about my accomplishments as well as my failures, I can't help but to think WOW did I do that? [in a good way] And ok a little of [What the curse was I thinking?] After all is said and done, I am proud to walk away from last year with a peanut butter sandwich some dirty magazines and a scary elf in my attic. After all it is up to me to decide how I view my past year. And that 's exactly how I will end it.