UNLIMITED

“A lifetime’s worth of struggle is not overturned by a moment of positive thinking.” –Jillian Michaels

Let’s be real. Most of the world teaches us to be people we really don’t want to (or should) be. We are taught that it’s okay to have jobs that don’t make us happy, success is defined by having “more”, that it’s perfectly acceptable to not be truly happy and accept mediocrity.  That’s what I was taught by my parents’ actions and even sometimes their words. I resigned from a really good job in the summer of 2011. A job that Forbes magazine rated as one of the top 10 hardest interviews in the U.S.. When I resigned I was told I made a mistake. I could have had a nice place to live, pretty good income, stability, etc… but I knew I would have been miserable working 14+ hour days.

I took a leap and I reached a new level of happiness, but the quote above is true. I had a lot of personal struggles for many years, and they don’t go away easily. A few positive changes, isn’t enough to reach my potential in happiness. Thus, after admitting to myself I could be happier, I decided I needed to take some actions. Actions, I will share soon, and hopefully some actions you can benefit from as well.

FIRST, I’ll share why I’m doing this.

As some of you know I moved from my beloved town of Salida to Buena Vista in early fall. I actually wanted to move to a completely new area then, but I had a decent job at the Boys & Girls Club and then got a free place to stay at a motel if I worked here for the winter. Free apartment…..sounded good to me, even if I wasn’t necessarily thrilled about living here (don’t get me wrong, Buena Vista is beautiful and a great place to run…but only in summer, and it just doesn’t fit me). Of course, everything happens for a reason. In short, Colorado made me feel more at home than ever when I was in the mountains, but not so much when I was alone at night, on holidays, etc…. now I feel much more fully “at home” in large part to a very wonderful unexpected someone. Now, I really just am not enjoying living here, working at the motel isn’t fun, paying rent will suck but it will be WONDERFUL not to have a Disney themed house with walls covered in photos of people I don’t know, and while I find I’m doing some good at the B&GC, I strongly feel I could find a job that can fit me better and that it’s my time to go. Here is where my problems arose…

·         I have no idea what the heck I want to do

·         I have no idea where I should move (besides I want to move a little closer to a certain someone)

·         Looking for a place to live, a new job, and a possible roommate is a pain the in the butt.

·         I’m pretty sure I spent most of my money on races I dnf’d or sucked at.

These thoughts got combined with…

·         I had a terrible year racing last year… what if this year is the same or worse?

·         What if my iron and health issues aren’t resolved?

·         I sucked last year, no sponsor will be interested in me.

·         Etc, etc, etc,…. Blah blah blah.

This thinking has carried on for quite awhile. It’s destructive. Absolutely nothing good can come from it…. nothing.

Thankfully, I finally realized this with some help. Rachel recommended Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life by (my girl crush) Jillian Michaels. Maybe you don’t like her but face it- she’s pretty, healthy, successful, strong, and most importantly, she love’s the life she has. So I got the book on audio CD and started listening to it on a long drive to Boulder. She nailed my negative chain of thought. OF COURSE nothing good can come if I put limits on what I can and can’t do.

Recently I got asked to do a cool little interview and I thought “Why they hell would someone want to interview me for running…. I sucked last year….what if I suck again this year?!”  I wasn’t helping myself at all. 1) I’ve been so worried about feeling as fatigued as I did last year that I haven’t even given myself a chance to think how much fun I can have running this year and 2) I do deserve an interview…. Despite not being healthy last year, I worked really hard and always kept trying. I’ve really tried to learn from it and hopefully I can help someone else.

In my Jillian Michaels’ car therapy session I decided I was going to change my thinking. Silly me has decided this before but then did nothing to back it up. This time WILL be different. I will have a plan!

First Steps of Sandi’s Plan:

1)      Make a Vision Board. (check)

-I’ve heard of how making a vision board helps years ago. You get a cork board than put pictures of the things you want on it. (Think BIG here, but don’t be ridiculous) This goes with the Law of Attraction. Positively think of the things you want and it will work with your other efforts to bring them to you.



Start of my Vision Board



        2) Print out Jillian Michaels’ Working it out Journal. (check on printing)

-Normally, I avoid stuff like this. It’s just extra work and thinking about things that are hard or I may have tried to block out. That’s ignorant thinking and it sure isn’t bliss. Sure it’s extra time, but I have a lot of life to live and I should do my best to give it my all. (It is a lot so if you print it out for yourself, you can give yourself a goal that is good for you, like maybe only answering 2 questions a week.)

       3) Write this post. (check)

- Really, it’s part of my happiness plan. By writing this I am doing a few things. 1) You now know that I am looking for a new job and a place to live. Maybe you or someone knows something or someone that could help me out. 2) Writing and trying to inspire others makes me happy. 3) This will motivate me to keep on track. 4) I put positive thoughts out there… let’s see what positive things I can “attract”.

4) Keep reminding myself to stay positive and have an UNLIMITED mindset.

This will be a big challenge but I HAVE to do this. I owe it to myself. If you struggle with this try putting up positive reminders and quotes and have someone who wants you to be happy to help keep you in check! I’m focusing on thoughts about living in a place I love with a job that makes me happy in addition to running healthy and happy. What areas do you need to change your thinking on? SURROUND yourself with positive thinking!

5) Make more plans when the time comes. I’ll definitely have some more posts on positive thinking!

Side note: If all this positive thinking, Law of Attraction stuff sounds silly, YOUR SILLY! (I say this because I care!) Even research shows it works. Sick people with positive people around them recover faster than those who don’t. I’ll try to back this up more in future posts.

Now, say see-ya lata to those stupid thoughts that limit you, and think about what will make you happy. We were MEANT to be happy! Don’t let the rest of the world fool you. Sure we’ll take some hits and shed some tears, but these are things we can learn and grow from to ultimately make us happier.

"Cause I need freedom now
And I need to know how
To live my life as it's meant to be....
And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again"

 ~Mumford & Sons

The rib tattoo says "The only limitations we face are the ones we place upon ourselves"
Maybe I'm just doing this so I can live up to my tattoo?! :)