God's truth

In truth God wants us to Flourish. By leading a Flourish life we are following what God wants us to do according to His Scripture. This is a "win, win" situation where we benefit from living our optimum lives....being the best we can be according to our own unique talents, so that we are a bright small reflection of God's goodness. Psalm 23:3 for instance : "He gives me new strength. He leads me on paths that are right for the good of his name.". This is a perfect illustration, as the Psalm states "He leads on paths that are right" which equals truth full pure living, which equals following our unique life path, heart and true calling so that we can give God Glory. For me, this means the more I flourish (the more I live optimally in accordance with my own individual giftings and talents: like living super athletically/really fit, truthfully, kind, LOVING, wisely, artisticly) the more I am a good example of an optimal life, Christianity and Joy..... a sort of brightness that gives God glory and helps draw other individuals to Him. Again and again, I realise that in truth a Flourishing life is what we are all meant to work towards, by way of our own individual talents and our best efforts to live optimally, ideally as truthfully as possible......our best lives.....a Flourishing life for God, Jesus and Holy Spirit!

More Incentive and Motivation to keep going:

It never hurts to make a list and look at the reasons why I get up and train each day and how this is contributing to a flourishing life! So here are a few more reasons:

- Every time I get up and train I am contributing to a Flourishing life and giving God glory by the gift of athletics he has given me.

- The day is always better.

- I am always happier, more in control, wiser and calmer....more energy.

- I'm flourishing.

-I'm full filling my destiny to be an athlete every time I train.

- I am builind credibility by way of practicality. Credibility for my job as a Personal Trainer and Motivator, something that simply can't be read in a text book but must be learned by continual training.

-Via credibility....as a happy by-product (do what you love and the rest will follow) I'm making money. Every run, swim or work out contributes to my success in my career and builds my credibility = more clients= more money.

- I'm doing what I'm meant to do. What God designed me to do: Train:)!

Reach for the sky....one step at a time.

Some very good thoughts:)

The more I run the more I want to run.

Iron sharpens Iron.

Once the mind accepts anything the body will respond.

Mind over matter.

Today, again like many training sessions I rolled out of bed completely smashed....feeling exhausted having had a long week and little sleep. I decided not to procrastinate but give an easy run a go, even though a tough tempo was scheduled. Before I knew it I was working my way into one interval, telling myself "just try and see what happens".....completed the first hard 5' and then followed into an easy recovery jog for 1' then back to "just trying and seeing what happens" into the second interval. Giving my self permission to do something easier if my body truly needed it, paired with an open mind to the possibility that in fact I CAN do the scheduled work out, always seems to set me up for success. It is this openness, paired with mercy, that seems to phychologicaly work and, well, being TRUTH FULL with myself. Yes I was legitimately tired, so I bargained with myself initially and gave myself permission to adjust and start with an easy run and see how I felt. Looking later into the run, I was open minded enough to give an interval a try. Then realising that I had energy I was truth fullwith myself to continue on and complete the work out because in truth I could.

flourish

God's message to me

Be true to yourself and your heart and the rest will follow. Being true to myself means: living a highly athletic flourishing life, never compromising my training volume or consistency! Also, projecting this enthusiasm for life and sport to clients, inspiring them and getting them inspired to train.....feeling some of the same feeling that training has brought me.......God's gift of movement. This can and will only be accomplished if I am true to myself: training lots, training hard, living the life of an athlete (this is why I'm good at my job too!)......my true calling.....God's gift to me. Flourish eternally through God, Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit.

(also, just a side note, this thought was re-emphasized to me during a tempo run that I didn't think I could do.....shifted my attitude completed the tempo run with style and fortitude.....realized again the importance of attitude and of course as always how VITAL training and being an athlete is to every component of who I am......this is the way GOD created me!!)

Some of the best things in life are hardest earned. Make a commitement. See it through. Enjoy the work, enjoy the movement......feel the joy in your training. Enjoy the journey. You need to know for yourself. Which to choose: Distance Running or Triathlon.......or both?? Just do it. Train. Train and find out. Do what you love to do: Train. Flourish.

To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift" Steve Prefontaine

"Once the mind accepts anything the body will respond"..... good quote from an exceptional marathoner

Why do I train.....

My motivation and dedication to keep moving forward and staying consistent eternally in sport lies in the fact that I have a deep love for training and the knowledge that athleticism is God's gift to me, that I must full fill as vitally important component of a Flourishing life specific to who I am. While others may find motivation in continued wins, success, vanity, social ect.... my motivation lies in a foundationally strong place God and love. God giving me the gift. Love, well loving training. That's passion. That's a timeless strong foundation. Sport is forever in my life, not just a passing phase, but a lifestyle that continues forever.

Moving eternally

Moving eternally. Working, working, working, towards my goal, never giving up, looking forward, moving forward, enjoying the continual pursuit of excellence what ever the result may be............the cycle will perpetually continue what ever the result may be: train, in joy, hard work and passion. I'm running towards my goal, never giving up, running forward, repeating the cycle of training, training, training and making higher goals....... in joy and work............ moving in joy, passion and love, eternally perpetually dedicated, because this, yes this, is God's gift to me: movement. True joy to the depths of my soul through movement..........active....running, jumping, swimming.........moving, moving..............inhaling..................breathing life's beauty and movement in deeply............... b r e a t h........... awwwwwwww...... hurts so good...... feeling movement to the tips of my fingers, heights of my heart and bright of my soul.......moving eternally in passion, hard, hard work, joy and LOVE.

Flourish Eternally.

Attitude paired with Actions is everything

Choose your attitude everyday. "Are you OK with this?", me: "It doesn't matter if I'm OK with this, at this point, I have to choose my attitude and make this situation WORK, I have a goal to achieve and I will achieve it.". Flourish where ever you are, what ever your doing. Actively work at a Flourishing life, through good times and bad. Practice, Practice, Practice. It's not just positive thinking, it's ACTIVE Living, choosing to live to the best of one's capabilities EVER DAY. It's like a race, good patches and tuff moments, but you keep going, going, going to the best of your capability.....and your glad you did, despite that hard moments, it's always better then caving....eventually you get those wins, life wins. One step back, three steps forward. I will not give up. I WILL achieve my goals. Live your best life.

Flourish.

how timely is this...a great post off of Lucy Smith's blog!

This Post reminds me, as I'm nearing towards my seasons biggest race, that training and being an athlete is not just about one day or one event, but about the journey. A good reminder. I'm going to practice enjoying the ride of sport:)!

Loving Your Game: Enthusiasm in Sport

by lucy ~ July 17th, 2009

Enthusiasm: Strong interest or admiration for a purpose or a cause. Great eagerness.

I was looking for a word to describe those people who always seem thrilled to be training, who look forward to competing and who always have a smile on their face because, to them, sport is fun. I have always admired the athletes who maintain high levels of professionalism and consistency in their sport, a champion’s mentality and a commitment to being the best athlete they can be. We can all experience, on our own level, the true essence of athletic success, by focussing on the experiences and by allowing ourselves to tap into the joy and possibility of sport. Enthusiasm for a chosen path means we approach our endeavours with an energetic attitude of learning and never-ending challenge.

I saw this quality once when I watched world class divers from Britain training at my pool. They were doing intense dry land skills, practising on boxes and mats, displaying phenomenal focus, strength, balance and grace as they coiled and flipped into the air. Their faces were full of concentration as they prepared for each practice flip, but immediately afterward they would visibly relax and look towards the coach and their peers for feedback. One woman executed her back flip then stumbled awkwardly on her landing. She accepted this gaff with a wide laugh, not a self-conscious giggle, and it occurred to me how light-hearted the athletes were, even while training such difficult skills. They seemed to be playing, like big kids. I thought to myself how lucky they were to be so skilled and so competent, yet be so able to enjoy it.

So I started to explore what is the quality that allows some athletes to be focussed on the process of success in a positive, creative way. I say creative, for there will be anxiety and distraction in most athletes’ lives, but athletes can learn to view so-so days and setbacks in a way that is not crippling to their path or their self-esteem. Being an athlete is hard sometimes: there is discomfort and goals unmet. Being a parent is hard too, but nobody said that you can’t enjoy the things that are hard. Most athletes and parents will tell you that the positive payback from what they do far outweighs the negative aspects.

There are those athletes who show up to workouts and march through the drills and sets with discipline and pith. Unsmiling, never satisfied with themselves, their environment, or their coach, they can’t work hard enough, and are rarely satisfied. These are the athletes that in races are fierce, grimacing and uptight, needing to produce a great result to justify their dedication and path. Then there are the athletes who can create a fulfilling career out of serious play and keep it in perspective. I have watched kids run. They run invigorated and full of the joy of pumping their little arms and legs, full of a joy for what their body is doing and how fast they are going. Kids don’t think about what anybody else is thinking of them, there is no self-conscious focus on outcome. Watching young children play, during that time of their lives when they are not yet cognisant of the concept of win or lose has got to be the clearest illustration possible of the joy of human movement. Running is fun.

When I think about my career as an athlete, I think not about the countless races that I have won, nor the money that it pays. I don’t even focus on the many disappointments anymore; they are now experiences that made my career richer. I reflect mainly on the path, and the process that has led me to this point in my life right now, the reason for the many decisions that I have made along the way that have kept me in sport and not moved me out of it. In many ways, I could say that I have found my niche. Being involved in personal excellence, either my own or through coaching others is my mountain to climb. Being part of a vibrant healthy community of athletes and coaches gives me great joy and sustains my enthusiasm for this lifestyle.

I see enthusiasm amongst new and young athletes, both recreational and elite. When I start working with new athletes, I sense this enthusiasm in their voices as they receive their first training schedules and complete their first training sessions. They are proud of themselves for getting out there, are intoxicated by the sense of goals and possibility that they have placed in front of themselves. The first few times we talk about training and racing I wish I could capture their spirit and energy in a bottle. I remind them often of the feelings that they have now; I ask them to remind themselves about this passion during hard training weeks or times when things are not going so smoothly.

I believe that training for success requires a certain amount of discipline and a good work ethic, and that it is impossible to sustain this dedication without really enjoying your path. But how can we as athletes train so hard and with such dedication while maintaining this lighthearted attitude? How can we keep working so hard day in a day out? What drives us to take such care of our bodies, to get enough sleep, to eat well and keep planning seasons full of intense competition? I believe it is more than discipline and determination, hard work and effort. I believe that work ethic is derived from a sense of enthusiasm and that comes from feeling that your training and racing has a purpose, even if you are the only person who knows what that purpose is. It comes from having dream goals and from believing that no matter what happens you are on the right path.

I look at great athletes, and I see a people who are dancing with the challenge of competition and improvement. I see people who have taken adversity and obstacles and made them into part of the path, not walls or prisons. I see athletes who share enthusiasm willingly–not hoarding their successes–and who reap the rewards of having a hugely supportive community who share their passion and enthusiasm for life. I’m sure you know someone like this in your life, someone who you admire and look up to, not for their success, but for their attitude.

As you look toward the biggest part of your year, I urge you to remind yourself of your goals and dreams for yourself in sport. Your sense of purpose in your training is what is going to fuel your enthusiasm for what you do, it is what is going to give you mental energy to train during the day when it doesn’t come to easily, or the to run on when the discomfort sets in, and the times when you feel busy, tired and pulled by any of life’s great demands. When you see enthusiasm in your peers, recognize it and name it, and hang around that person in practice, learning from them. Just because someone is smiling and having fun doesn’t mean that they aren’t serious.

Lucy

God will give me the answer

It's been a battle, surprisingly, in paradise. There have been many obstacles and a lot of ups and downs. I'm not sure what to do next: should I stay or should I go. The World Championships are 55 days away, can and should I stay and work around these challenge? Is this the right and smart thing to do?? The reasons and questions have circled and circled through my head. Circular reasoning. Therefore, I'm surrendering to not knowing for now and giving it to God. God will give me the answer, God will show me what to do.

Flourish.

Nothing is going to stop me.

I am stubborn in a good way. Nothing is going to stop me. Rock on. Flourish.

Three Great Messages from God

Three great messages/lessons I've learnt from God:

Flourish where ever you are, what ever your doing. Meaning use what you have and make the most of it whether the conditions are ideal or rough.

Choose your attitude each day and make it a positive one. This alone shifts the day's potential for the better!

God has aligned the stars, now I must see this journey through. I will work at this trip and journey in Hawaii and see it through to it's fullest potential, by way of God's will and my hard working actions.

Flourish

Going to Maui and onward

With this trip signals a bit of a change in my perspective:  I will not give up -ever- on my dream to become a pro athlete.  I'm going to make it happen.  This is my decision:  it's going to happen.  Flourish for God's glory.  I will not rest until I am pro (and who am I kidding, that's when the real work will begin).  It's just going to happen, I won't give up or let anything get in the way. I will be pro.  If you want something to happen, just make it happen.  I will be a pro triathlete.

Flourish

Flourish for God's glory; God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.

good quote:

"Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use."

With out question, the more and more I train, the more it's reaffirmed to me that this is my destiny to be in sport my entire life.  With out question sport will always be in my life.

A Flourishing Life for God's Glory

"Those who try to hold on to their lives will give up true life.  Those who give up their lives for me will hold on to true life."  Mathew 10:39

This verse I'm sure holds many meanings, for me, or how this verse speaks to me is this:  I must pursue my God given talents in order to live a bright Flourishing Life so that I can give God Glory.

I believe God gives us dreams, talents and passions which we are all uniquely gifted in for God's Glory.  Essentially, pursuing one's gifting is true living- it may not always be the easiest path or widest route, but true living is taking risks and pursuing our unique true gifting and talents.  It's like a ripple effect, when I'm actively working at my gifting in sport I'm happier, joy full, filled with LOVE....it's like a ripple effect that opens opportunities to give God the Glory and introduce others to Him by illustrating a Flourishing life.

It's not always easy to follow your heart in a society that pushes "box living", materialism, the dependence on money for comfort and 9-5 jobs.  My security is in God.  My security is in Jesus living strong in my heart.  As a result of this, I have a burning desire to live effectively, passionately pursuing God's path for my life, which vitally means pursuing my talents even if the path is not always clear or visible, in faith I move forward......all I know is I must pursue my God given gift in sport for God's Glory.

God is truth. God, Jesus and Holy Spirit is Love.

Flourish

Live in Truth - Flourish

Be truthful to yourself and your calling.  Flourish in your life through God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.

Brush the dust off and GO.

1:20 comfortable, cruisey run

God is the ultimate coach.  Listened to what my mind, body and spirit needed today (contrary to "training peaks" and both coaches): steady, cruisey running....feel better already.