My Health Madlib - Spiritual Shoe's Spiritual Shoes #HAWMC Day 21 @wegohealth

Daily prompt. Health Madlib Poem. Fun with parts of speech! Today’s prompt is inspired by the classic game – and poetry – put together. A website I love to visit for writing prompts (when I want to push myself to be creative) is Language is a Virus. They have a few fun tools – one of which is a poem generator: http://languageisavirus.com/cgi-bin/madlibs.pl. You enter any words you want and they automatically fill the words into a classic poem.

With a little help from ESLDesk.com (because it's hard to come up with 21 verbs, 25 nouns, 9 adverbs and 3 adjectives at 5:00am!). Here is the "raw" poem, as it was auto-generated by the website, with no editing from me. Can I just say up front that I fell in love with the title immediately?!?! Are you kidding me? I want that to be the title of my autobiography when I grow up. :-)

spiritual Shoes's spiritual Shoes

     affectionately i have never Running, believably beyond
 any Feet, your Runners have their peaceful:
 in your most active Street are things which Inspire me,
 or which i cannot Accentuate because they are too enthusiastically

   your pink look remarkably will unBalance me
 though i have Refocus myself as Race,
 you Smooth always Ocean by Ocean myself as Friend Visualize
 (Simulateing safely, wondrously) her changeable Spouse

   or if your Love  be to Accept me, i and
 my Belief will Walking very joyfully, optimistically,
 as when the Brain of this Feet Cooking
 the Thoughts mindfully everywhere Talkinging;

   nothing which we are to Moving in this Flowers Eating
 the Trail of your enthusiastic Shirt: whose phone
 Drinking me with the cat of its Internet,
 Awakeing Magazine and Vegetarians with each Rideing

   (i do not Play what it is about you that Overtake
 and Motivate; only something in me Sleep
 the Pen of your Runners is satisfying than all Friend)
 Paper, not even the Music, has such kind Sun

 - Vera & e.e. cummings 

I love it, love it, love it! With today's prompt, it was also suggested that while Madlibs aren't necessarily made to make sense, we can edit the poem to sound more like "me" and maybe add or a subtract a word or two. I don't want to do too much editing because the way it is now, it leaves so much room for interpretation; seeming completely nonsensical but in a philanthropic sort of way? 


I mean, honestly, "In your most active street are things which inspire me"? My theme for each of my posts for this writer's challenge has been about inspiration. About being the example. About getting healthy and bringing others along for the ride. I relate that specific phrase to our Galloway running group. We create active streets every Saturday morning and our members are in the inspiration, to each other and to those who see them from their cars, front porches and restaurant tables. Now for the slightly edited version:

Spiritual Shoes's Spiritual Shoes

    Affectionately I have never attempted running, Believably beyond
 any feet, your runners have their peaceful stride:
 in your most active street are things which inspire me,
 or which I cannot accentuate because they are enthusiastically moving

   your pink look remarkably will unbalance me
 though i have to refocus myself as I would to succeed,
 you tranquil, always ocean by ocean, myself as your friend, visualize
 (Simulateing safely, wondrously) her changeable ways

   or if your love be to accept me, I and
my belief will walk very joyfully, optimistically,
 as when the thought of this feat infused
 the thoughts mindfully everywhere talking;

   all which we are moving in this oasis
 the trail of your enthusiastic shirt: whose call
 follows me with each step I take,
 Awakening Mind and Souls with each step

   (i do not say what it is about you that overtakes
 and motivates; only something in me
 the imprint of your runners is satisfying than all others )
 Listen, not even the music, has such a kind sun

 - Vera & e.e. cummings 

 I think I could sit here and drive myself crazy trying to get this poem to make sense, but it is supposed to be a Madlib, so here's where my editing ends... and my Saturday night begins!


Happy Training!

Dinner Party for 5 - My Guest List #HAWMC Day 19 @wegohealth

Daily prompt. 5 Dinner Guests. Who are 5 people you’d love to have dinner with (living or deceased) and why? What five people would you want to have dinner with if you could? They can be living or deceased, famous politician or your best friend.  They could be an expert in your condition or not know the first thing about health or wellness. 

My Dinner Party Guest Theme:  People who inspire others to do good for themselves, be the example and affect change in those around them.

Jared Leto - besides the MAJOR crush I have on him and being the lead singer of one of my all time favorite bands, Jared is much more than a singer and actor - he is also a true humanitarian. And actually, he played the role of legendary track star and Olympian Steve Prefontaine in the movie "Prefontaine". If you're a runner and you haven't seen this movie, I highly recommend it - not only for Jared's portrayal of "Pre", but that of R. Lee Ermy as Bill Bowerman, a 24-year track coach for the University of Oregon who designed and made his own shoes for his athletes. Shoes that would eventually become a little-known brand called Nike. :-)

But back to Jared's love of people worldwide....  he is (like me) a vegetarian, but much more strict - a vegan! It's something I'm striving for but I know it will take a little more time for me to get there. He made a short film for Amnesty International in support of human rights and supports the Art of Elysium which encourages musicians, artists and actors to dedicate their time and talent to children battling serious medical illnesses and conditions. In addition to the work he's done work for Habitat for Humanity, he and his band raised just over $100K for Haitain relief efforts after the big earthquake hit in 2010. You can help the continued relief efforts in Haiti by purchasing Jared's Haiti Photo book, of which 100% of net proceeds go directly to those in need.

John Sarno, MD - the man is brilliant. He is the author of The Divided Mind: The Epidemic of Mindbody Disorders and the #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection. I strongly believe that much of our physical pains are tied directly to our brain (specifically the Ego) and that with practice, you can teach your brain to overcome these pains. This is the basic idea behind mindbody disorders.  Runners are great examples of this theory. We endure hours of high impact activity on a long run. Yes, pains creep in every now and then, but you can learn to dismiss them and enjoy those remaining miles pain-free. Jeff Galloway wrote an entire book on mental training for runners. I posted a review here. While Dr. Sarno's books can be a little scientific, the fundamental concepts are clear and well-stated. I would encourage anyone with chronic or acute pain issues to read The Divided Mind. You will be amazed at what you can control physically by controlling your Ego.

Dean Karnazes - what can I say about this amazing Ultra Marathoner. Ultra Marathoner isn't even a big enough phrase to describe what an incredible athlete and runner he is. Talk about inspirational. He ran across the United States with a mission to inspire others. He has written a multitude of books on running, including a contributing author of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Runners: 101 Inspirational Stories of Energy, Endurance and Endorphins. He continues to use his talents and gifts to inspire others to live happy, healthy lives. He is a living legend in the running community, not just for his unbelievable feats in distance running, but for his commitment to the health of this nation and others.

Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD - Since my early college days, I have read many publications written by Nancy Clark and attended a few conferences where she was a featured presenter. She is a renowned expert in nutrition, with a specialty in sports dietetics. Through personal consultations, books, Powerpoint presentations and a plethora of valuable resources, Nancy is quite literally an open book who obviously wants to affect change in as many people as she can reach and help them achieve their health goals.

Lastly, I want my nearly 17-year old nephew who just ran his first marathon (I hope the first of many to come in his life!!) to come to the table....even if he says nothing. Why? Because he is the next generation of adults. I would absolutely LOVE for him to hear about all the different ways he can affect change in himself and his friends; that he does have control of his thoughts and learn how those thoughts affect his physical body and motivation. I want him to hear from experts that it's okay to set big goals for yourself, expect some challenges along the way, and know that you don't have to play into the idea that you are a victim of your body or your environment. And maybe most importantly, that sharing your knowledge and passion inspires hope in others and quite possibly the motivation to take control of their lives, regardless of their situation, and pass it on and on and on.....

Be the example. Be the inspiration. Be, as Ghandi said "...the change you wish to see in the world". 

Open Book Quote - #HAWMC Day 18 @wegohealth

Open Book. For today’s post, open the nearest book (or find your favorite and open that!) to a random page and point to a word or phrase on that page.  Using that phrase or word as your inspiration, free-write for 20 minutes – to be sure, set a timer and see what you’ve come up with.

Book Choice: Running Within by Jerry Lynch and Warren Scott; pp 113:

"Whatever you wish to concentrate on, create a way to become more attracted to it".

I really love this quote. I swear I wasn't searching for one that would be easy for me to write about.  As it relates to running and my desire to be a smarter and stronger runner (ie. what I wish to concentrate on), I found a way to LOVE running because running a marathon before 40 had been a goal of mine for over 10 years before I found the courage to get my butt in gear!

I thought using a "couch to half marathon in 6 months" program was just the ticket. The program used run/walk intervals, with increasing running segments relative to the walking segments as I progressed week-to-week. The program proved to be too much for me and I ran my first half marathon with leg and back pain from about mile 8 to the finish. While I did get to the finish, I had to take several months off to recover , go to PT for weeks, and to heal a badly ingrown toenail. I was bound and determined to find another way to keep moving forward as a distance runner.

I created a way to become more attracted to it through research of the multitude of training programs and advice from every resource I could think of....and more that I found through my initial research. This is the time when I discovered Jeff Galloway's run/walk/run method. His run/walk intervals started me at 2 minutes running/1 minute walking. Before I knew it, I was back up and running some good distances again all while continuing to heal from my previous injuries. It took a lot of patience and time, but I loved how I felt at the end of each training session. I felt confident, successful and proud of my accomplishments with every passing week. The next year, I ran the same half marathon and cut 25 minutes off my first half marathon time. I was elated!

I still use the Galloway training method and yes, I do run/walk all my races too. Every year I get faster and stronger. I found a way to love running and to keep loving it because this method works for me. I don't get injured anymore (well, at least not from running....I'm an absolute klutz sometimes!) AND I started an official Galloway training program in Simi Valley, CA so I could give this gift of "how to love running and keep doing it" to anyone who will listen.

I truly believe that, especially when it comes to making good healthy decisions for yourself, if you don't find a way to like or even love what you're doing or how it makes you feel, the change or decision you wanted to make won't "stick". 

Figure out what you want and then find a way to fit it into your life in a way that draws you towards it!!! It exists....I promise. But it's up to you to find it. :-)

Learning the Hard Way - Make it Count! #HAWMC Day 17 @wegohealth

I guess it's obvious now that I fell out of the WEGO Health Activists Writers Challenge after only a week. I'm proud of myself for trying at least. I made it 6 days! It was a lot of fun, but sometimes stressful too.  I definitely learned that my issues with perfectionism get in the way of my writing. In that short time, I came to realize that I don't need to write a thesis every time I sit down to write a blog. I can have a single idea and write for 15 minutes about it. I can post an inspirational quote that is hitting home with me on any given day and relate it to what is happening in my life.  The writers challenge is still ongoing of course - today is only April 17th and I hope to at least jump back in for a few days a week.

At the end of the first week of this writer's challenge, I was promoted to a management position at work and one of my cats, Mollie (13.5 years old) was getting very sick. My brain was such a mish-mash of excitement for my promotion/accomplishment, fear and worrying about how to help my poor Mollie who was in more pain than I ever care to witness any of my pets in EVER again, topped off with guilt from not staying committed to the writer's challenge. My focus for the last week has been on adjusting to my new role at work, carrying for Mollie who was diagnosed with Spondylitis and requires medication twice daily (talk about stressful!!!), racing (more to come in another blog soon) and getting ready for our Galloway program's very first 10K training program kick off!

Today's WEGO writer's challenge topic is to write for 15 minutes about a lesson you learned the hard way.  I am learning a lot about my writing style and how to open myself up to presenting information differently through this writer's challenge; but not in a "hard way" per se.

Daily prompt: Learned the Hard Way. Let’s take a look back as we seek to go forward. Some of the beliefs we hold play a significant role in our lives today because we learned them the hard way. According to human nature, we will make mistakes throughout our lifetime. However, more important than the mistake itself is what we do when we realize we have stumbled. Sometimes, it is tough to address our slip-ups and move ahead. But it’s necessary in life. So for today’s prompt – what’s a lesson you learned the hard way? Write about it for 15 today. Was it challenging to revisit mistakes you have made? Does the lesson you learned then, help to explain some of your actions today?

My first and hopefully only "Did Not Finish" at last year's 2011 Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN is a biggie for me. And yes, it still sits in the back of my mind, even though I've completed 2 full marathons and several half marathons since then. It was the first full marathon that I attempted to "race". I had an aggressive time goal. I trained harder than I ever had in my life for many months. And it all backfired in mile 21. When I dropped out with less than 4 miles to go to the finish, I was a physical and emotional wreck. I knew (and felt) from the minute I woke up that morning that something about me was "off". I didn't feel like eating before we left for the train that would take us up to the Start. What's worse is that I shrugged it off! Who does that before a marathon when PRing is a goal?!?! Me. In hindsight, I had too much going on in other areas of my life and did not appreciate just how much it was all impacting me. I couldn't even run a mile the week leading into the race because of my low energy and total lack of motivation - and I STILL didn't let myself adjust my race day plan. Stubborn. Stubborn. Stubborn.

Despite these warning signs, I went out too fast, failed to adapt to how I was feeling that morning, and ended up in a military medic truck in mile 22, crying, barely able to walk on my own with a faint, irregular heart beat. I blogged about the whole experience and included a lessons learned section. This is one of my major purposes for writing the race recaps. It's not all about celebrating successes, it's about taking a hard look at your race day strategy. Did I prepare enough? Was it too much? Did I stick to my race day plan? What worked? What didn't work? How can I use this race experience to better myself for the next one?

Each race is a learning experience. No course is the same. No race on the same course is the same. This is part of the beauty of running and racing. The journey is one of strategy, learning about and listening to your body and staying flexible (and confident) enough to make adaptations to your plan when you're feeling AWESOME and also when you're feeling not-so-awesome.

While it is sometimes difficult to look back at these mistakes, without exploring the outcomes, the experience is, in my opinion, wasted. The lessons I learned absolutely explain some of my actions today. I fuel up before a long run - even if I don't feel like I need it - and I share this with our running club members. I've learned to back off during a run and even throw in an unplanned rest day at the expense of not meeting my weekly mileage goal if my energy level is dipping too low. No more forcing workouts when I could just be enjoying a run!  After all, if I can't get to the Start feeling strong and healthy, I haven't prepared myself to run the race I showed up to run.

Ultimately, learning lessons "the hard way" is, for me, often times a sign that I'm extending myself beyond my limits....or at least what I perceive to be limits (self-imposed, you could say). I want to push harder, but that plan was too aggressive or maybe not aggressive enough. If I'm not not stumbling or making mistakes, I'm staying in my comfort zone. And while I think that is okay for a while, I must bust out of that zone to make forward progress - it's not always going to be pretty, or smooth or even consistent. But from each try will come a lesson. And with each lesson, there is growth.

I'll end with this fitting quote from Thomas Edison:

Health Haiku #HAWMC Day 6 @wegohealth

Daily prompt: Health Haiku. Let’s switch up the writing style a bit for today’s posts! As you probably know, a haiku is a “miniature Japanese poem consisting of 17 syllables – five syllables in first line, seven in second, and five in the last. No rhyme or meter scheme is employed when writing haiku. The aim of the haiku is to create something greater than the sum of the parts.” Traditionally, haiku poems were written about nature and aim to capture the essence of the aspect of nature that is being described. So let’s go with this but, of course, make it about our health focus....

This is definitely a first for me. Although, it would not surprise me to learn this was a writing exercise we had to do in high school English class! So the first thing I did of course was Google "funny haiku images". Here's a few Funny Friday Haiku poems to get us going:

Image Credit

Image Credit

Image Credit

Image Credit

In staying true to my health status focus for this monthly writer's challenge, here are the two that I came up with today:

Happy Happy Weekend!!

Ekphrasis #HAWMC Day 5

Daily prompt. Ekphrasis Post. On Day 1 we discussed that images can help tell stories, but on the flip side images can also inspire stories. Today’s challenge is one for the eyes. Go to flickr.com/explore. The webpage automatically generates a random photo (or you can refresh your page to see a new photo.)

We all have different visual queues that inspire us. Write about this image or let this image inspire your own writing for today.

What was your image? How did this image inspire you?

You might be asking yourself, what the heck is ekphrasis?  I had no idea until I looked up the definition on Wiki this morning:

Ekphrasis or ecphrasis is the graphic, often dramatic, description of a visual work of art. In ancient times it referred to a description of any thing, person, or experience. The word comes from the Greek ek and phrasis, 'out' and 'speak' respectively, verb ekphrazein, to proclaim or call an inanimate object by name

Here's the image that came up for me.

Spring - Primavera - Explore by Buonaventura & Carla

How beautiful is THIS?!? What an amazing expression of natural beauty, grace, and yes I do see HEALTH! A slender, healthy, mature woman among beautiful green rolling hills. This picture screams "I'm alive!" The large blooming flowers are bursting with color, no doubt due to the 'health' of the soil each planted is rooted in. The nutrient rich soil is the foundation from which these big beautiful flowers arise from. One can assume from the green grass that Mother Nature has taken care of her family by providing them with just the right amount of nutrients and water they needed to grow and flourish. 

I can appreciate the subject's desire to pluck these magnificent flowers from the ground. Regardless of the purpose, which could range from bringing them into the church (or is that a mission?) for her own enjoyment or the enjoyment of others, flowers are symbolic of love, peace, sympathy and general well-wishes. 

Admittedly, that road in the background is just asking for a trail run. And what about those hills in the background? I'd love to tackle that! :-)

I Write Because....I Can! #HAWMC Day 4 @wegohealth

Daily prompt. I write about (my) health because… As writers, we all have unique styles, motivations and stories to tell. But hidden behind those is the question of “why?” Why do you write about health? Take some time today to reflect on why you write about (your) health. Reaffirm your mission and celebrate your successes as a health writer.

I have loved reading and writing since my days as a young child. I started a teen novel as a junior high schooler with the intent of submitting it to a magazine that was holding a contest. The best novel would be published! I wrote at least 2 or 3 chapters. I remember sharing it with a few friends, but not any family members that I can recall. My fear of rejection and lack of self-confidence stopped me from finishing and submitting it. Boy do I wish I could read it today! Keeping a diary wasn't appealing to me, but reading others' stories and writing creatively on my own was a constant in my life through high school. Then college hit. My free writing time became homework and research paper writing time. Personal reading time went from fiction and fantasy novels to social, life and physical science books. 

My brother-in-law actually turned me onto the blogging world a couple of years after I started running. I was so interested in "expert" opinions on races, gear, nutrition, etc that I forgot about "the people". Once I started delving into blogs, I instantly recognized that these reports and posts were no different than the "expert" resources I was seeking through well-known, popular magazines and websites. In fact, most were better! Full race reports of races I'd considered registering for. Shoe reviews - some resulting in shoe purchases that I never thought I'd try. New healthy recipes. New on-the-course fueling options. Struggles with work, life and training balances. New workout types, drills, training schedules/theories. I was seeking information, and unexpectedly saw myself in some of these posts along the way.


The more I read, the more I thought "Hey I have information I could be sharing with others. I can do this too!". I resisted the urge to make what I consider to be a big commitment. At first, the thought of being so public with my experiences and opinions wouldn't really be of interest to anyone but me. "What if...... no reads it; no one agrees with me; nobody values my opinion, etc". I decided not to let these fears of what other's would think of me stop me from starting up my own blog. I wanted to write for ME if nothing else. These are my stories. If others find them interesting, AWESOME! At the very least, I'd have a place and reason to start writing again.

After my first half marathon, years before I knew blogging existed, I sat down and typed out every detail I could remember from the race - from the Expo to the Finish line. I had an undeniable urge to capture all the sights, sounds and emotions I felt out on that course. I cried for most of the writing session. It was SO incredibly emotional. I shared it with several friends and family members; many of whom admitted it was an emotional (and tearful) read for them as well - and I think it may have been the starting block (gentle kick?) for those same family and friends who are now runners. :-)  "My First Half Marathon" race recap was the first blog I posted when I launched Love, Live, Run in July 2010.  To do this day, I still receive emails from my readers who tell me they too were in tears by the end. And yes, reading it today still makes me cry too.

My motivation for writing today is a little different, but much is the same. I didn't expect to write product reviews when I bought a new piece of equipment, read a book I like, bought a new pair of running shoes - but I put my opinion out there for all to see. I still write to share ideas, experiences, have public venting sessions - all in hopes my readers learn something new, either about themselves, a product, a race, changes in lifestyle (read about my transformation to becoming a vegetarian).... anything educational. 


In short, I write about my health and my health focus because...
.... I want to inspire people to live healthy, active lives
.... I hope sharing my experiences will help others make decisions that are right for them
.... I'm so verbose, I can't believe anyone follows me in a verbal conversation at times
.... this is my sounding board; a way to fully think through and develop my thoughts into cohesive statements with clear messages
.... I like a visual history of my health status as it is ever-evolving
.... I CAN! :-)

Superpower Day! #HAWMC Day 3 @wegohealth

Daily prompt: Superpower Day. When we think of a superhero, we imagine powerful characters standing up for those who are unable to. So, when you think about it – in a sense, Health Activists are superheroes! We each have an extraordinary talent. For the purpose of today’s prompt – feel free to draw upon what you consider your current talent to be....For today’s prompt write about your superpower and how you use it or would use it.

Ooooh, I love this one! Many people in my life know what a comic book, sci-fi, superhero freak fan I am. Hubby and I started a tradition of attending Comic Con International in San Diego a couple of years ago. Four days of super-powered energy. Talk about the power of a group (as I did in my Day 2 post). Comic Con provides the space for like-minded people to come together. The group stays together (in a sense) over this 4-day event and feel comfortable expressing themselves in ways they may not feel comfortable doing in other public arenas. You won't be seeing me in these costumes in public unless it's opening my front door to hand out treats at Halloween. :-) We work together (in a sense) to keep this dream weekend alive. We supportively comment on others' costumes, stand in line for hours to see panels from our favorite comics, tv shows, writers, etc.

Superman and Supergirl are by far my two most favorite of all superheroes. By nature, their 'human' side is kind, honest, loyal, - and seemingly normal from outward appearances. But when someone needs help, there's no hesitation in seizing opportunities to help those who are unable help themselves. Whether by "superhearing" cries for help or coming up on a situation where they can  rescue someone from a crisis or unfavorable situation, they have the necessary confidence in their powers and abilities to turn bad into good. The result of a hero's action may mean the "end" of a villain. From a health activist perspective, if the villain is poor eating habits, non-existent daily physical activity and/or lack of self-confidence and self-worth, a Superhero intervention can help you see the light. After all, villains are dark creatures with harmful spirits, clouding your ability to see the pathway that leads to positive changes in your physical and/or mental health.

While I think it would be egotistical to put myself in a Superhero category, I understand that being an inspiration to others can be hero-like to the people's lives you change. I think that's what my Superpower is - being an inspiration - and finding avenues to affect as many people as possible. When I realized the impact my lifestyle changes were having on my immediate circle of friends and family, I just knew I had to find a way to keep it going.

Providing space and opportunity for those who feel helpless when it comes to starting and sticking with a new lifestyle change is a great feeling. I know people coming into our running program have similar thoughts. "What am I doing here?", "Can I really do this?", "I want to achieve this goal but I don't know how to get started", "I have trouble with keeping myself motivated and I think this group will help keep me on track". This is where I and our leadership team come in. We understand the uncertainty; but never fear - the inspiration they're looking for is all around them. We are the heroes that stand by them, believe in their strength and determination, relish in their successes and new-found confidence, and keep close by in times of challenges...just in case those villains start creeping in. 

Not everyone in every situation needs a hero, but it's nice to know someone is looking out for your best interest; keeping you safe, caring about your quality of life, inspiring you to see yourself in a new, confident and self-loving light, and having your back in times of trouble. This is my gift as a health activist. To understand what you can offer others is recognizing your Superpower - and mine is inspiring others to see what they couldn't find in themselves. I'll end here with a quote from author Joseph Campbell that I think sums this post up nicely.

"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself."
Joseph Campbell

My Favorite Inspirational Quote #HAWMC Day 2

Today's (well, yesterday's)  WEGO writer's challenge is to free write about a quote that inspires us, but limit the writing session to 15 minutes.

For many years, my favorite quote has been one from Henry Ford:

Coming together is a beginning; 

keeping together is progress; 

working together is success.

I can apply this to so many different areas of my life. As it relates to health, the "Power of a Group" is a term that comes to mind. The power of groups is amazing. I see it with our running club every weekend. Bringing people together to work towards a common goal important from a support perspective. You're not alone in your triumphs and lows. You have accessible and understanding 'sound boards', resources, maybe a shoulder to cry on (in joyous and low-spirited times).

Coming Together is a Beginning

Building on Day 1's theme of being an inspiration to others - it is that same inspiration you can use to bring people together with a common goal; whether that goal is to train for a half marathon or commit to eating healthier. A group is more likely to be successful at reaching a goal because everyone wants to be part of the success.

Keeping Together is Progress

Trust in others doesn't come always come quickly. Dedication to the 'cause' also comes to mind with this part of the phrase. Groups that stay together requires some level of commitment from each of it's members. Dedication, trust and commitment come with time. Keeping together is progress because anyone can form a group of members with a common interest - it's maintaining that circle of support that can take everyone to the next level.

Working Together is Success

Success doesn't come without hard work. Your common interest group has come together; they're keeping together because they have trust in their group members. "I can be honest here without being judged". Each person contributes in their own way but it takes 'work' from everyone to achieve the goal. In my running club example, getting across the finish line takes work. But it's the work the group does together during the training sessions that gives them the confidence that the goal is not only within reach, it's in sight and they're about to cross that finish line!

Honestly, I'm not terrible happy with this post. I struggled with it last night, thinking "it's only 15 minutes". Free writing with a time limit is a real challenge for me. I hope you find inspiration in this quote - regardless of my under-developed thoughts here!

Please feel free to share yours with some brief statements about why it inspires you!

Day 1: My Health Time Capsule: The De-Evolution is Here

This post is the first of a 30-day writers challenge I accepted from WEGO Health. The perfect opportunity to get back into writing on a regular basis so.... here we go! If you're ready to get started, sign up here!

Daily prompt: Pretend you’re making a time capsule of you & your health focus that won’t be opened until 2112. What’s in it? What would people think of it when they found it?

A time capsule! I think the last one I physically put together was back in the 80's as a Girl Scout. I can also recall a time capsule I witnessed being lowered into the ground at Disneyland in front of the castle in 1995 as part of the theme park's 40th Anniversary celebratory events.  The elaborately decorated time capsule was dedicated to the children of the 21st century with strict instructions from Mickey that the capsule remain closed until the park's 80th birthday - July 17, 2035. Follow this link to a complete list of it's contents.

I think of time capsules as physical entities whose contents represent current events, trends, styles, and beliefs. Today's writer's challenge is about a time capsule of me and my health focus - neither of which can be described or explained by the physical world alone. "Health" is such a general term, encompassing mind, body and spirit. So what IS my health focus and how do I represent it for whomever opens it in 100 years? A hundred years ago, 'sick leave' was barely a term anyone understood. The concept of health insurance and yes, health care reform was just getting underway. The connection between good health and a productive society/economy was coming to light. I can't say what the state of health care reform will be in 100 years, but I can say with 100% certainty that my health focus is inspiring others to be the healthiest and happiest human beings for as long as possible.

Remember this cartoon by Sidney Harris?

Today, it is without debate that most Americans would have a similar response when asked to explain how food gets from (presumably) farms to their kitchen tables. Maybe something like this?:

Time Capsule Contents

Personal Statement of Truth: The new revolution in health is to get to a place of de-evolution.

I want the future to know we've let technology take over our responsibility and accountability to ourselves. As a nation, we're too stressed out, too tired, too anxious, too depressed, too strapped for cash and too busy to cook with ingredients with less than 3 syllables that we can pronounce or put on a pair of shoes and pound the pavement for 30 minutes a day. We use our own lives as excuses not to live or have the life we want and deserve.  To improve the quality of your life, de-technify your food choices and de-technify your physical activities. Put down the chicken nuggets that we all know don't actually have any chicken meat in them. Frozen deep fried zucchini sticks are not vegetables. Stop spending thousands of dollars a year on health club dues if you're only going once or twice a month. Join your local Community Supported Agriculture to support local farming, eat wholesome foods that you can explain where it came from and how it was prepared. Most importantly get away from buying processed food. Put on a pair of shoes once a day, grab your kids, your spouse, or a friend and commit to moving your body for 30 minutes a day. 

What I Want Others to Know

Affect change in yourself. I started training for my first half marathon about 6 months after the Before photo was taken and I haven't stopped running since. Be responsible for yourself. Take accountability for who you are and the choices you make. You are not a victim of society or technology. Be an active participant in your life and share the power to affect change in others. Being healthy is contagious!

Summer 2006 vs. Summer 2011

Affect change in your community.  After 3 years of distance running, I wanted to share the gift of running with as many people as possible. It had changed my life and the lives of many friends and family members who started running shortly after witnessing the changes in me. Several months after finishing my first marathon, I started up a local running club. In just the first 15 months, we've changed the lives of over 100 people, helping them achieve their goals to run Half and Full marathons.  In just 10 days, I'll be introducing this program into my workplace - fully supported by our internal California Wellness Human Resources program.

Share your experiences.  I am including all of my personal blogs, published and unpublished. My blogs are the story of my personal health trials, failures and successes. From the wildly emotional and physical success of My First Half Marathon, to an exciting interview with a local journalist about my running club, to my first big failure in my long distance running career and the unexpected ensuing fallout, these are the highs and lows of who I am and how I share my health beliefs and personal health status with the public.

As far as "What will people think of" my time capsule....  I hope they see a person who decided to take their life back and share that gift with as many people as possible. Whether the audience is one or a million-and-one, I hope the message is clear: Your health status is contagious. Be the inspiration and provide opportunity and space for others to join you.