A new year is upon us which means a fresh start and resolutions for many. And like many, I used to set resolutions I wouldn't keep. Several years ago I recognized the flaw in this tradition and decided to try something different. Inspired by Ali Edwards , I chose a word to represent my upcoming year rather than set resolutions. This brought me great inspiration, so I continued the tradition several more years. But then, in 2012, I went another direction . I worked on composing a list of my core values the previous year and it seemed to make more sense to honor my list rather than focus on just one word. You could say my one word for 2012 was "value." And that was really powerful in 2012, but this past year didn't turn out the same. So I believe it's time to change things up again. 2012 was an amazing year of transformation for me. I lost 40 lbs. I embraced running and ran multiple races, including my first marathon. I moved to a new home that meant much less driv...

Do you allow yourself to dream? I mean really dream? Huge, almost unimaginable wishes for yourself? It wasn't until recently that I realized that I wasn't. I was never truly allowing myself to dream big. I always kept my dreams small, realistic, and what I believed to be "doable." My dreams were "safe." They were things I could easily achieve often with little fear standing in my way. But doing that was setting limits for myself. I was basically deciding what was and wasn't possible before even trying. And if I've learned anything these past couple years, it's that anything is possible. Going from non-athlete to marathon runner really helped me see this. Dreams can be huge, wild, crazy, scary, etc... And really, shouldn't they be? It's those wild, unimaginable dreams that really help you appreciate who it is that you are. They give you purpose. Something to reach for. When you limit your dreams, you're holding yourself back. You'...

This past birthday in March, I took a leap of faith and signed up to run my second marathon ( CIM in December). And I have struggled to come to terms with my decision ever since. The further I got from my first marathon last December, the harder it has been for me to wrap my mind around the idea of doing it again. This was not helped as I took a break from running to let last year's injuries heal. The further I got out of the running habit, the harder it has been to get it back. It's been a challenging year. Nothing really bad has happened, but I've felt a bit out of sorts and even lost at times. A drastic change from the focus and drive I felt last year. But now, despite a continued struggle over whether or not to run this year's CIM , I have come to the point on the calendar when I needed to start a marathon training plan. Training for a marathon isn't something to procrastinate about. In order to keep my options open, I decided to begin a training plan. Two wee...

This week's meeting topic at Weight Watchers was about eating on vacation. It seemed of little value at first, because we have no vacations in sight. Maybe a day trip here and there, but nothing more. But as we discussed the issues and strategies, we were asked to remember past vacations and the successes we had. So I immediately thought of our whirlwind trip to Disneyland for New Years this past December. I remembered packing nutritious snacks, and breakfasts, to not only help with food choices but also to save a little money. But more important than that, I remembered how great I felt during that trip. We spent three long days in the parks, but I felt great. I never truly felt tired the way I had remembered past Disneyland trips. I felt like I could walk for days (which we essentially did). I even remember feeling happy and energized as we waited on Main Street for New Year's Eve fireworks at midnight (my two little girls could not say the same; in fact my five year old...

Hmm... So what do I mean by this? Let me explain. It started with a few seemingly unrelated ideas. The first bit came last fall from a conversation I had with Tiffany Han , a wonderfully inspiring life coach. It was brought to my attention that things that I had always thought were inherently true about myself didn't have to be that way. If I wanted to change something, I could. I was the storyteller of my life and I could rewrite the story if I so desired. I had that power. Hmm... Then, last month, I finished watching the 14th season of NBC's the Biggest Loser . I've only watch one other season, but both times I found it incredibly inspiring. And one of the contestants, Jackson , at one point said, "Weight loss is 100% mental. You have to want it more than anything." Now from reading people's comments on Facebook, not everyone embraces this point of view. But I recognized its value. I had seen this in my own weight loss journey, as well as in long distance ...

It's been almost four months since I ran my first marathon, and practically that long since I've written a blog post. I know I never quite finished my marathon story here, but I've found it increasingly difficult to return to it. Just as I took a break from running to recover, I seemed to have also taken an unintentional break from writing and creating, too. I'm now slowly returning to everything. It is not only taking effort to build back up my running, but also my writing and creating. And even though it is challenging, these are all necessary activities for me that I hold dear to my heart. As I add them all back into my life, I'm feeling happier, less lost, and more alive. The marathon was an incredible experience. As I've written before, the weather was crazy and my emotions overflowed. Once I started, the weather remained awful, but my emotions actually calmed. I may have been wet, and a little cold, but I had my music in one ear and I was running. I ...

My first "zentangle" I know I owe you the end to my marathon story, but today I need to interrupt that slow moving story for a visit to the present. Since completing my first marathon last December and losing over 40lbs in the process of training, I've actually felt a little lost. After months of training and "dieting," I had reached my finish line. I had achieved some really big goals and faced some really big challenges and fears. So now what? You'd think "set another goal" followed, but between slowing down my running to heal and the holidays and the unpredictability of life, I was hesitant to push myself into another goal right away. And that was alright at first. I had been working hard and a break was in order. So with mixed emotions, I stopped running for awhile and I enjoyed the holidays with my family. I even snuck in a family trip to Disneyland to ring in the New Year (what better way to celebrate a year filled with incredible accom...

Here I am! I did survive my first marathon on December 2, 2012! I am officially a marathoner! Yay! For those who have been wondering, I am sorry I left you hanging for so, so long. December brought some unexpected distractions and I feel like I'm just realizing its January, even though we're over half way through it. Yikes. Nonetheless, here I am 1-1/2 months later and 26.2 miles further into the amazing journey that is my life. As I left off , I grew increasingly nervous as I got closer to the California International Marathon ( CIM ). Not only had my training not gone as plan due to injury (aka IT Band issues ), but the weather became a huge factor. In past years, the CIM would generally fall on a cool, crisp day, but no such luck for me. It was stormy, wet weather with 30-50 mph winds. I must have checked the weather forecast hundreds of times in the days leading up to it, hoping to see a calmer forecast (and I swear when I went to bed the night before, the forecast was cal...

image from Tiffany Han I've been a little off lately. Nothing really major, just little things. Recovering from my ankle injury and getting back on track with my marathon training (Only 39 days from now! Yikes!). Running behind on numerous things like Halloween decorations, birthday planning, and blog writing, etc.. Falling victim to a seemingly insatiable sweet tooth (emotional eating at it's finest). I've been feeling a bit out of sorts. And then yesterday, I happened upon a blog post by my friend/life coach, Tiffany. She shared a list of 13 things she'd like to accomplish before 2013. With so much starting to swirl around in my head, making a list was just what I needed. So I made a list: Keep running 1. Continue my marathon training. I have one more half marathon this Sunday . I also plan on doing strength training at least twice/week (whether its at the gym or at home--no excuses) until the big day. 2. Run my first marathon on December 2nd ( CIM )! C...

As I've mentioned before, I joined Weight Watchers this past January which led me to finally lose the weight I had struggled with since college. In fact, I lost 42 lbs total and this week I achieved Lifetime status . Before joining Weight Watchers, I had tried countless combinations of diets and workout routines, but I had little long-term success. Nothing seemed to stick. Even doing the Couch to 5K program and running several 5Ks last year didn't help me lose weight. But running did break my previous pattern, since I actually enjoyed it and wanted to continue. But something more would need to happen for me to successfully lose weight. And this year I finally figured out what the extra something was: I needed help. Seems simple enough, right? Well it's taken me years, practically my lifetime, to come to this "simple" realization. Being raised strong and independent, I'm often most comfortable being in control and solving my own problems. But trying to do it...

I realize that the other day , I was a bit vague. I wrote about the "stories" we often tell ourselves, but I didn't really share my specific "stories." I shared examples of my rewritten stories such as my running and weight-loss, but I didn't share any of my current "stories." Stories of things I've always thought were impossible to change. Things I thought were "just me." "That's just the way I am." And you know why I didn't share? I was scared. I was scared to admit them and face the possibility that things could be different. But I am going to share. So many little things lined up that I need to share. The other day, I came to realize that I've spent a lifetime telling myself one story that I've never, ever considered questioning-- I am shy and quiet . But do I have to be shy and quiet? Do I need to be fearful of speaking in front of people? I can change that if I want to? My head is spinning. Ima...

Here we go again, it's Marathon Monday #2 (continued from here ): Week 1, Day 1 of Couch to 5K ( my first run ): May 1st, 2011 "It felt good to get outside. Running was hard, but short enough to do." ~from my C25K app journal entry When I took my first run last year, it was not love at "first step." Running for even one minute at a time was rough. It was hard on my heart, my lungs, my legs, etc.. But I was determined. I needed to get healthy. Earlier in the year, I had started my fitness journey (another year, another try) by using our elliptical machine while watching TV. As warmer weather and longer days approached, the ellipse became more and more of a chore. TV shows I had been watching while on the ellipse were ending. And it was getting harder to be indoors, with the nicer weather. Not to mention how difficult it was becoming to stay inside among the household clutter that comes with a busy family. I needed a change. So as challenging as it was, the C...

Fall wreath made with wire hanger, burlap strips, and fabric scraps Do you ever find yourself so inspired that you just can't sleep? So inspired that your heart races with excitement? So inspired that your mind races with ideas? I certainly do and that's what I am experiencing right now. I am inspired in so many ways it's crazy. This always seems to happen as we approach this time of year . Fall is coming! I really treasure everything about fall, whether it's the cooler weather, football Sundays, hot tea, and the smell of cinnamon. Family time visiting Apple Hill and local pumpkin patches. Time spent baking yummy treats and making seasonal crafts and decor. Celebrating Halloween and my daughter's birthday and Thanksgiving. What is not to love about fall? And to top it off, the arrival of fall brings us closer and closer to the most wonderful time of the year--Christmas (today marks just 100 days until the big day--Yay!)

This summer, a little over a month ago, I ran my first half marathon. 13.1 miles! For me, it was 2-1/2 hours of running with a brief walk through the various water stations. An amazing accomplishment for someone that struggled with just one minute of running a little over a year ago. So I was proud! I knew it would be a big deal, so I often talked about getting a 13.1 decal for my car window to mark the occasion. And I did! In fact, my family presented me with my new decal just moments after I crossed the finish line and I couldn't have been more excited, or exhausted. I proudly placed that decal on my car window and my heart sings every time I see it. It holds such incredible meaning and memories. I love seeing it every time I open the garage in the morning or walk to my car in a parking lot. As I once again noticed my decal this morning, I had a thought. Wouldn't it be great if we could all have decals celebrating our proudest moments? Something the whole world could see, bu...

For many years I've struggled with my weight, especially after having my two daughters. I tried countless times to lose weight, using various diets or exercise regimens, but never successfully. Often, I'd find it difficult to maintain changes long enough to see results, so I'd get discouraged and return to my old, bad habits. My emotional eating, my sweet tooth, and my fairly sedentary lifestyle would always get the best of me. But last year, things finally started to shift and change. It happened little by little, but it started happening. For instance, I increased my physical activity last year, first using our elliptical machine while watching television and then switching to running using the Couch to 5K program in May 2011. Being more active didn't come naturally, especially the running, but I did it because I knew something had to change. I needed to get healthy for myself, but also for my girls. I wanted to be an example of how to live life, not an example...

Today was one my first mornings of "freedom" since both my daughters are now in school and it's one of my days off. I can't tell you how excited and anxious I was to have time to get things done without carting a little one around with me. But it was almost too much pressure. I wanted to get so much done that I felt frantic. I felt a bit like our dog Sprinkles racing around the house in excitement with too much energy to contain. I'll admitt, I almost feel the same way as I return to my blog. I have so much I want to share, so much I want to write. In fact, I feel overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. I know the beginning is often a very good place to start, but the beginning is not so easy to pinpoint in life. And life is what I'm looking to share here. I hope to share stories about my life and lessons I'm learning, art and projects that inspire me, adventures I take with and without my family, and my running and weight loss journey. I may not know exac...

Lately my girls have been loving musicals and this makes me so very happy! I really love musicals even though I poked lots of fun at them growing up (I mean people spontaneously bursting into song and dance, how can you not make fun of that?). Even with the joking, I still loved watching them. When I was little I loved watching The King and I (I imagine I loved all the amazing dresses) and we would watch the Sound of Music what seemed to be every Sunday. I love Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins, Gene Kelly in Singing in the Rain, and Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz (but I do have to admit I didn't see the Wizard until I was an adult--gasp!). So the other day we were listening to the Sound of Music soundtrack in the car and you know what? I actually started to listen to the words. There is a lot of inspirational and motivational words mixed into these sometimes silly musicals. For instance there's the obvious ones, I Have Confidence In Me: ".....With each step I am m...

This past weekend I was excited to receive my pre-ordered copy of Creative Bloom by Jen Swift , a fellow Kelly Rae Robert's flyer . I've truly enjoyed all the artists and blogs I have found by way of Kelly Rae Robert's past e-course. Sometimes it's hard to explain why we gravitate towards one blog or artist, but Jen was one of them. Her blog is well written (and updated regularly--something I'd like to be better about), her wire art was something new (and I seem to collect hobbies), and it was just really fun to see someone "real" in the final stages of getting a book published (I just LOVE craft books). She's been a great inspiration. Her success makes me feel as if I can dream big, too. So I knew I wanted to get her book when it came out, if anything just to be supportive of a fellow flyer. So I snatched up one of her pre-order packages and I'm so glad I did. The package arrived beautifully wrapped with precious wire art gifts and her book. I ...