Just breathe!

I feel as if I've got so much going on, I need to stop and remind myself to just breathe.  Breathing is so important in all aspects of life.  I know how to breathe properly when swimming and I'm learning how to breathe correctly with weight lifting; but sometimes that rower can kick my butt.  It's helpful when your trainer is reminding you breathe in/breathe out.  It reminds me of the metronome when playing piano.

Inhale, Exhale, Inhale, Exhale!

When it comes time to train, I need to push all that's going on out of my mind and just work for those 60 minutes.  Sometimes kicking and punching a bag actually helps me feel better.  I guess what I'm trying to say is mastering your mental game is equally as important (if not more so) than mastering the physical game.  I doubt myself a lot and when that happens I withdraw and make backward progress instead of forward progress.  Does that ever happen to you?

Some people self-sabotage with food.  That's not me.  I think my self-sabotage is in the mental aspect.  I mean I am NOT the person who says, I'm going to go have a donut.  Or I'm going to go have a drink.  I'm the person who stayed in bed extra long this morning and got my husband and son worried that I wouldn't get enough calories in so they brought me breakfast in bed.  But mentally, sometimes that's a whole other story.  And I'm not writing that to get any reassurances from anyone.  I'm being that honest with you because I know others struggle with the same thing.  I don't like being coddled - not in the least.

Well, when you put it that way?  Continue all the time!

What do I do when these feelings of self-doubt creep in?  I unplug from social media.  I pull out my favorite Bible verses.  I journal in my written journal.  I read entries from a year ago and remind myself how far I've come.  I think of past athletes or coaches and think, "What would they say right now?"  I ask myself where would I be in a year if I did quit today.  That one almost always snaps you back to reality.  I talk to my husband, my family, and my trainer - but again not to get pampered, just to get back in the right mind-set.  I go for long walks with my favorite music.

What works for me may not work for you and what works for you may not work for me.  But if you get those feelings of quitting, work on that mental game.  I went to Jason McClelland's high school play last night and one of the songs was "Get Your Head in the Game."    That's it - get your head in the game!

My week began with my mom having to go to the ER again and kind of just snowballed from there; but today is a new day and I plan to conquer the day and the week.  (If you think of me this week, think of her and her finding a solution.  Telling an 88 year old woman, "Well, you're 88" is NOT a solution.)

I just want to say a big thank you to all that follow me.  Out of the blue my sister and my niece both from states far away wrote me this week at just the right time to tell me how I was inspiring to them.  I had friends invite me to coffee, I had a mom at the play last night tell me I inspire her; I've had people I hardly know stop me in the grocery store and say the same.   Nancy called me out of the blue to chat; Jenna wouldn't let me back out of the bod pod date and I'm glad I didn't.  You all inspire me and help me to stay at it.  So thank you for your wise timing and your wise words.

Hanging out with you two was just what I needed!

For my family followers, I will write a family blog post early next week to update you on all that's going on with our tribe   Will there be a doctor in the house?  Upcoming events for my followers is a trip for my boys to the Gallapagos Islands (for 10 days) with a carry-on bag only.  Just saying that causes me stress and I'm not even going.  My very first ever NASCAR race in Phoenix with my husband as a "March" date, and a decision I need to make about my Masters swimming.   I'm sure I'll write about these things eventually.  Until then thank you again for your support.

(I'm supposed to be with friends in 30 minutes and my husband is telling me to eat - so that's it for today)  :)