Day 3: Project Begin Again.

"A true human being is never what he or she appears to be.  Rub your eyes and look again." -Rumi

I admit, it's hard coming here to write after such a long day.  However, I did get a chance to write some intentions and gratitude in my journal today between work and picking up my kids from school.  Despite feeling exhausted right this very moment, I am feeling darn happy with my day.  Starting with an early wake up, 3 mile treadmill run, coffee, shower, lunches made, kids off to school, fabulous day of being with kids in the classroom, got all my kids to where they needed to be for sports and play dates, AND fit in another treadmill run (while my son drew pictures next to me) before making dinner and driving kids around again!  Wahoo!

Gosh, I haven't even written a paragraph yet and already, I'm feeling more relaxed.  Maybe it has something to do with the clicking of these computer keys.  Oh, yes, I forgot to mention this in my last gratitude:  I got a new computer.  Some of my friends and family knew that my old laptop (that I got back in 2011 when I had just begun my blog) was stolen in Thailand on our trip there this last December.  I was sad about the computer but I was MOSTLY sad sad sad about the fact that all my pictures from the last 5 years were on that computer. :(  I never backed them up.  :( I know, stupid.  Luckily, I have used Facebook quite a bit over the years so I have pictures and videos of my kids there but I still feel sad when I think of all that was on there.  Sad, but also grateful that that was ALL they took.  Anyway, long story short, my husband surprised me with similar version (one I like better) of the laptop I had before.  I'm excited to write again... from anywhere.  For myself, on this blog, long emails to dear friends...

Ok, on to Day 3 of Project Begin Again.  

For the sake of keeping my goals for this project before me, I'll begin my posts with this:

So, here's how this will go. 

1. I will write something on here every day for 38 days because that is how many days until my 50k.  
2. I will keep in simple!!! Some days will consist of three sentences if that's all I have.   
3. I will write for me.  
4. I will try very hard NOT to compare my old Runninghood self to the Amanda typing today.  
5. I will keep my posts to daily gratitude, intentions and.... because how can we not feel sad, heavy hearted and powerless at so much happening in our world...I will include at least one small way I can or have done something to make the world a better place (this can be as simple and powerful as helping my child learn a lesson about love and kindness).  
6. Why am I doing this?  To Begin Again.  Just as with training for a marathon when we put in our daily workouts, I want to get into the habit of focusing on the things that make me happy and my intentions for making my life what I want. Writing helps me with this.  

Day 3:

Intentions (Many of these intentions are long term so I will likely mention them more than once.):   

• Practice Spanish as a family....each of us in our own account on Duolingo.  Yes!  We all did this today.  It meant making all my kids sit down before bed to do it but we got it in!  Love this program/App.  If you haven't heard of it,  you should check it out.  I feel like we are all learning fast.  Now to stick with it.  
• Continue making family dinner a priority at least a few times a week.  This is our time to talk, share, laugh, and support each other with whatever comes up.  As the kids get older, the schedule gets busier and busier and we end up eating on the run, standing up in the kitchen, and at staggered times as people get home from practices, work, playdates, etc.  
• Keep making time for two-a-day workouts this week!  It's definitely a balance.  
• Continue making time for the little parts to fitness that build strength, core, etc.  Over spring break my mom (who used to be a personal fitness trainer/body builder) gave me some good workouts to try.  She also told me I haven't been doing my pull ups the "correct" way.  Whatever that means (I guess body builder pull ups)... I listened.  :)  

My mom snapped this to show me my pull up form when she was schooling me on the "correct" body building pull up form.  She's a tough trainer!  

Gratitude:

• Feeling safe in my community.  I read the news sometimes and often feel so sad.  Honestly, if I read too much, I feel scared.  Then I feel powerless and so heartbroken.  I lose hope.  But I also realize how thankful I am to live in a place where I don't live in fear on a daily basis.  
• Seeing my oldest daughter fly through the Hunger Games books that I once read and loved.  The rule in our house is I want them to read the book before they can watch a movie made from a book.  I love seeing her love reading right now!  
• Grateful for TRAVEL:  Past and Future Travels.  Thailand in December was a dream...went way too fast but it is as trip I cherish.  And I'm already dreaming of the next big adventure with our family.  
• My home.  
• Special friendships that really are family too.  I'm so so so excited to see one of these friends soon. A friend I actually met through my blog YEARS ago but has come to be like a sister.  
• 2 runs fit in today.  The fist was only 3 miles (8:30, 8:30, 7:14).  The second was 5 miles but 4 of them were at around a 4% avg incline at 8:30 pace so felt like some good work!!  The last mile was around 7:4x.  Both runs on the treadmill but that's what worked today!  

How have I, or can I continue to play even a small part in making the world a better place (Be the Change):  

• When I sat down to write this one today, I kept coming back to a Rumi quote I have written on the chalkboard in front of my office desk. "A true human being is never what he or she appears to be.  Rub your eyes and look again." -Rumi.  This quote is a reminder to see people in new light...to not be quick to judge but to look again.  It reminds me to try to recognize the gifts in others...to believe in the potential and uniqueness that is within all.  I want to work on seeing the BEST in others...especially people that rub me the wrong way at first.  I want to stop myself and question WHY they annoy me or WHY I might not like them at first and then look deeper.  It's about perspective and remembering there are layers to each of us.  What we see first, isn't always who that person really is.  

That's all I have for today.  I'm FRIED.  Off to BED!!!  

-Amanda