What Fuels your Fire?

Fear of Missing Out, It's a real thing. Especially with Social Media and the circles that you travel in. You see what others are training for. You see the progress, the pitfalls, the races, the oohs and ahhs of the masses when they finish, and you feel like that should have been you. You could do that, right? An then that inner voice, says, "Hell No! You're not made for that! You'll break"...on and on it goes. That perpetual argument in your brain which is based on what you see and hear... Not what you feel.  

As Caolan has told me time and again, STOP!  Close your eyes, take a breath, and look deep inside to see what makes you happy. What fuels your fire.

That has been me for the last few months.  Sure, I've been training for some races I have on the calendar, but this year is different. As everyone is laying out their 2016 plans, I've been sitting here trying to decide what I want, what makes me happy, what makes me take that extra little breath and think "Should I?"

But it's not an ultra or some epic huge marathon that is making me excited this year.  It's the trails. The simple trails.  As a kid, my family would go camping and we would hike in the woods of Wisconsin for hours.  I loved it! It made me happy!  Fast forward to being an adult...it hasn't changed.  Every time I go hiking, or go to Colorado, just walking out on Caolan's trails, it makes me smile. I am a giddy little girl when Caolan, Abbie, and I go hiking up in the Rockies.  It makes my soul soar and my heart happy.

My Favorite View in Colorado

Hiking in the Rockies with Caolan and Abbie

So this year I will concentrate on running through the woods, or the mountains, or even around some lake at a park. I will feel the earth underneath my feet, look up at the trees or at the views. Slowing down to walk when the trail gets technical, running when I can, and just being present.

Mud and snow and Happy Feet

So my advice to anyone, as they watch the whirl of Social Media and feel like if they don't run further, faster, do more... is this....

I'm not missing out on anything.  I plan on helping and cheering on my friends who are taking on their own challenges and encouraging them on what fuels their fire. The race distance doesn't matter for me right now. I just want to run and be.... that's my goal for 2016.