Enjoying the Ride...

It's been a while since my last post. That is not to say that nothing has been happening, but rather the complete opposite. I've been consumed with so many activities, that the hours of the day just couldn't keep up with me. Training around 30 hours a week paired with working 30 hour work shifts, I could run faster than Flash himself and still not get everything I wanted to do, done. Not only has time been on a different page than me, I've just been having writer's block, plenty on my mind, just nothing to say, if that makes sense. Is my mind overloaded from being on the move, causing the writer's block? Am I stressed from all I'm having to do, making it seem I have no time for myself? Why do I/we do what we do?

I've been reading The Tao of Pooh lately, and recently the topic of "Bisy Backson" have been hitting hard, calling for a definite share to the world, or my world. Author, Benjamin Hoff introduces the idea of a Bisy Backson as "almost desperately active", a misconstruction of the simple statement, "busy, be back soon". He adds, "Let's put it this way: if you want to be healthy, relaxed, and contented, just watch what a Bisy Backson does and then do the opposite." Often, we focus on the final product before the journey is even started. When Pooh considers what he likes best in the world, he decides the "...moment just before you begin to eat honey" was what was enjoyed most. In effect, it is the journey, or the process, that we most enjoy. This, of course, goes against the typical person's attitude towards a task. The goal is to get the task done (much like this blog post). The process is often seen as punitive. Pooh would say to enjoy the process; to see it as an opportunity to create, to develop, and, above all, to understand the central role of change and growth in life.

Growth in life is a prominent idea that embodies everyone, but the fact that growth is a process of positive change is often over looked. We are too focused on what will or could happen, instead of realizing what is currently happening. 

On this current journey to the 2016 Olympics in Rio, what is currently happening is new friendships developing, new perspectives in life growing, new awareness of myself are being realized, and even new goals are being developed. Exhausted from working part time jobs after trashing my body through training, I realized how we come by amazing people every day of our lives. I met a very strong woman who has a natural gift to motivate any person while working as a custodian. Working at Nordstrom, I met several people whose soft, caring heart you could feel physically, being very supportive by doing the simplest of acts. I did complain and struggled through my hurting body, but I was so grateful because if not for these unwanted experiences, I wouldn't have met some inspiring souls, creating new motivation for myself. The journey then becomes more interesting and diverse. 

This journey is not only yours, but the lives you encounter, whether significant or not. During this season of time, we all realize the effect of family. Family supports you for anything you want to do, and in turn, you want to do incredibly well to make you family proud. You can say we as professional athletes are in the business to inspire, but I am constantly going through times of inspiration, ironically, by those who say they are inspired by me. I love this journey I am in, because I am realizing I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Reaching the goal (Rio 2016), just means, the end of this chapter, and the beginning of a new, in this novel we call "life".

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Things worth a thought lately: Niwot/REAL training athletes + New car + Colorado Christmas + 12hour road trips + Nordstrom co workers + gas prices + Stuart McMillan + WAC Family + Samoan Athletics + homemade gifts + Italian Christmas + H&M pants + G.Pincock + No Sugar