THIS is THEEEE Book Folks

#nofilter #purerunshine

I am working hard ya'll.

I am thinking about the foods I put in my body before every, single bite. Sometimes I eat hummus and red peppers. Sometimes I eat a mini snickers. Sometimes I drink coffee. Sometimes I drink wine. But you know what? I ALWAYS think about each and every bite or sip right now. I am deciding to eat what I eat, I am not just eating it.

I am setting all kinds of goals too. Big financial goals. Scary home sale and purchase goals. Small daily self betterment goals. Goals to be a better mom. Goals to be a better wife. Goals to be a better teacher. Goals to blog more often. But I am setting goals and not just letting my life slip by like I have for the last year or so.

I am also running again and really enjoying it, but have to admit that I am really hard on myself too. Since I have run marathons in the recent past, like, real marathons that are 26.2 excruciating miles long, getting back into running just 3 or 4 miles and feeling tired after those seems really defeating sometimes. But, a quick reminder from my AMAZING brother last night helped me reframe my expectations:

But, I AM NOT giving up this time. I have a monthly goal of increasing my furthest distance by 3 miles each month until October. In October, I am running my third full marathon. In fact, later this week I will be posting about my giving away THREE race entries again this year to the IMT Des Moines Marathon so you can run with me. You are six months out so you have plenty of time to start training for a 5k, 10k, half or even a full marathon. Be on the lookout for more information soon!

To help my goals along I have also added reading and listening to a new type of book to my agenda. I need some inspirational guidance as I revamp my life. Usually I read or listen to fictional novels; historical fiction and apocalypse survival are my favorites. This time, I am trying a few new genres. Memoirs and self help books are on my new reading list, with 4 books already bought and ready to go.

And here is where my blog posts really starts.

Guys. GUYS. The first book on my list is BLOWING me away. Like, I'm falling over, blown strands of hair are whipping me in the eyeballs, and the wind is blasting me in the face with tiny but relentless grains of sand sort of BLOWING me away.

How am I just now learning of Girl, Wash Your Face, by Rachel Hollis?

For real. Rarely would I ever suggest you read a book before I have even a chance to read the entire thing, but I am breaking all my own rules here. You have got to read or listen to this book. I am six chapters in and I have cried and laughed Every. Single. Chapter. No joke, I have.

I am afraid to even tell you what is in it because I don't want to spoil it for you. But if you are mama like me, feeling a little lost, trying to remember who are you, trying to figure out what you want to be... This is the book for you.

Today while running the thought crossed my mind to listen to this book AGAIN, right away after I am done with it next week. Wait, what? I have never listened to the same audiobook twice... am I crazy?

The only negative thing I can even say about my listening to this book is that I have told myself I can only listen to it when I run... What was I thinking?! So, yes, I have run more miles this week than I have in months- a good problem to have I suppose ;)

I have never bought the hard copy book of any book that I've listened to on audible- until now. I can't wait to get the hard copy in the mail this week and mark this thing up like crazy.

So here is my plan to make my life better... What is yours? Comment below. Let's share our goals. Let's share our plans. Let's put them down in writing so we have to be accountable to each other.

As always, Happy Running!

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