This Mama has MOJO!

This is a picture of me (on the left) and a dear friend of mine (on the right) directly after we crossed the Iron Girl half marathon last weekend.  I am proud of myself for completing the race as a new runner and for actually enjoying it.  But, I was completely blown away by my friend's persistence and dedication-because here is the kicker...she is a single mom of a baby boy.  That's right, you read that correctly, my friend is a single, full time working mom of a 7 month old and just completed her first ever 1/2 marathon.  Now that's Mama Mojo!

When I first decided to do the race I posted on my Facebook wall asking who's "in?"  My friend (pictured above) responded that she was-and I thought she was joking.  At the time she had a 4 month old and had just returned to her full time job four weeks prior.  But she was not kidding and off we started with our training.  She did her thing and I did mine during the week, but we ran our long runs together on Sundays.  She would pull herself out of her new mom slumber each Sunday morning, drive 45 minutes to my house so my husband could watch her baby and off we went to hit the pavement.  Nothing deterred her- not the sleep deprivation, not the long drive, not her multiple aches and pains, not the million other things she that were on her to do-list...not even our 11mile pre-race run in the pouring down rain.  I would have understood if she cancelled for any one of these reasons, but she never did. She cursed at me a few times for getting her into "this mess," but she kept on running. This Mama was amazing!

She made a decision to do something for herself and made it happen-despite the obstacles. Which proves to me perhaps the most important step in making something happen for yourself is deciding to do it, period.  Everything else from that point on can get figured out.  We don't need to get caught up in the details.  We can figure those out later.

What are you thinking about doing differently in your life?  Is it a change?  An addition of something positive?  Learning something new or giving something up?  Whatever it is, you can do it!  You just need to make a plan-and here's how:

Make a Plan
I am a big believer in setting goals and intentions.  Not just big ones, but the daily ones as well.  Just thinking about what you want won’t necessarily make it happen.  However, getting clear about what you want, talking about how you are going to make it happen and getting into motion usually will!   Setting goals and visions for the future will help keep you accountable and on track.  Without a definitive direction, we are just blowing through life without much control – or as a mother … just surviving your day-to-day, trying to stay afloat.

    Steps for making a plan:

• Get  clear about what you want- Think about it, talk about it and write about it.  What do you want your life to look and feel like?  Be as specific as you can.
• Get into action-Forward moving will produce energy.  Take a baby step or jump right in, but make a move in your desired direction.  Don't let fear paralyze you.  What is the worst that can happen if you took even the tiniest step?
• Enlist support-Find what or who can help you.  Enlisting the help of others will also do wonders for your commitment and accountability. 
• Stay aware and flexible-Kids get sick, situations change, goals need to be modified.  Stay flexible and positive-revise as necessary.  If something didn't work, don't view it as a failure, but an experiment from which to learn.  Take this knowledge and apply it for your benefit.

Now get out there and do something great for yourself!!!