Getting To Know You....

I figured I would do a post with some random facts about me, since I’m sure I have a million followers who are just dying to know all about my life ;) So here’s 15 things. Yes, 15. You can do it.

1.     I have decided this year that I am without a doubt, definitely a morning person. I can’t even explain how much I LOVE mornings, in fact. My favorite thing is getting up and reading my Bible/journaling while sipping on coffee at my writing desk that faces the window. 

There is something so optimistic about mornings!!

2.     I am a collegiate cross country and track runner, and I want to do a marathon one day. 

BUT I don’t like running more than any other sport, necessarily. 

I just have a habit of throwing myself into things head first.

This is some of my track team at NWAACCS. It was freezing!

3.     I can get a little stressed out (okay, a lot) about things. 

But I have a huge part of me that is super go with the flow too.

4.     I am going to be president of my school next year… and I have no idea how it happened!!!

5.     I am head over heels in love with Jesus. I am a Christian, first and foremost. In fact, I should have put this as number one, but I’m way too lazy to go back and change it.

6.     I am a much better person when its warm outside. I actually get really anxious and in a bad mood when I’m cold. I even drink plain hot water all the time to warm myself up! 

Give me sunshine and heat and I am totally content.

7.     I’m a total dreamer.

8.     I absolutely love people of all kinds. I love meeting new people and talking to strangers. 

But I also need me time sometimes.

9.     I love eating healthy. I actually enjoy healthy foods. But I am equally obsessed with dark chocolate (or regular), frozen yogurt, ice cream, and cookie dough.

10. Speaking of cookie dough... I love cookie dough way more than actual cookies. Its true!!!

11. I speak French. Its almost a year to this day that I moved back to America after nine months living in Paris, France. It seems like a century ago. My friend Steph reminded me that it was a year ago, today, that we said goodbye to each other... I miss my Australian/French friend. Luckily we are skyping soon!

12. I am learning to play the guitar, and I secretly just want to be a really trendy guitar player who wears tom shoes and drinks tea all the time.

13. I drink tea. ALL THE TIME. Must be the british influence.

14. My sisters are my best friends, and I am SUPER close with my family. 

This picture is missing my brother, who lives way too far away for me!!!!

15. I am just now finishing up my freshman year of school, and I have barely any idea what I want to be. But I’m thinking about majoring in Broadcast Journalism, because then I can be a politician, work for a magazine, be on a talk show, be a news anchor, or even act! 

But honestly, I’ll probably end up in the ministry. 

The end :) I'm proud of whoever stuck this post out! 

I really want to get to know everyone who reads this blog, too! Post comments if you do :)

The End of a Season

And so my freshman year of collegiate running has officially come to an end.

We just finished up NWAACCS. In fact, I’m on the bus home now.

 Everyone is sleeping! It’s been an exhausting couple of days!

The 10k yesterday went super well! I love that race. And it was only my second time running it, so I still have no idea what I’m doing. But I walked away with third place, an all American title, and a trophy, so I’m content!

Today’s 5k was a little bit of a different story, and I wish I could have finished off the season with a better race. I didn’t do nearly as well as I hoped, but I still managed to get a point for my team.

As I was cooling down with my teammate (after the tears had passed), we started talking about all we learned this season.

This track season has been a somewhat rocky experience… Injury took me out for half of it, and the rest of the time I was trying to figure out where I fit into this sport.

But in perspective, I have done so well. I have given everything to this sport.

I’ve learned how to push myself to the limit everyday in practice.

I’ve learned how to take care of my body: getting enough sleep, food, and mental rest to 

stay healthy and sane.

I’ve learned how to deal gracefully with both wins and losses.

I’ve learned how to face injury and uncertainty bravely.

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. And that I still have so much more I can give. I haven’t nearly reached my limit.

So I’m excited to see what next year will bring. To come back stronger, more confident, and more experienced.

But I’m also excited to do nothing for the next three weeks but eat ice cream. And have fun. And let my body (which has been steadily falling apart for the last two months) heal.

I’m taking this whole season, this whole year, in perspective. And it has been a successful year. And I’m so thankful that I have been able to run at this level. God has blessed me so much!!!

Balance

I just got home from Portland for the second weekend in a row! Track is going full speed right now, but I feel like I’m having a hard time keeping up with it after battling an injury for a few weeks. My coach is pretty positive that I’ll come back full swing for NWAACCs in two weeks though, so I’m going to claim that!!! The 5k and 10k are going to get dominated. And then, time for a much needed rest from running.

But running is not what this blog is meant to talk about. Well, not only running. You see, I have been learning a lot of life lessons lately, and the most current lesson I have learned has been about Balance.

For the past year and a half, I have been pushing myself to the point of exhaustion to become a better runner. I trained harder, drank more water, ate healthier, lifted more… than just about anyone I bet. 

And it paid off in cross country. And its still paying off…. But I’m realizing it can also be a downfall. 

Too much work with not enough rest is the reason I was injured. It’s the reason I’m so tired right now.

That’s right. Too much of ANYTHING is a bad thing!!! Except Jesus. But even so, you can’t spend all your time in His presence and getting filled up without going out and pouring it out on the world. That would be unhealthy.

I struggle with balance in many areas of my life. School, for example. I work so hard to get good grades. I study and do homework and stress myself out.

I just got elected president of my school next year, and I give everything I want to give everything I have to my job as well.

So next year, I’m going to have to BALANCE school, running, president, church, family, relationships.

But this is my newly adopted motto. Work hard. Play hard. Rest hard.

If there isn’t balance, everything will come tumbling down. 

It almost came tumbling down on me. And it scared me.

So.

If you want to get better in your sport, push yourself hard. Put in the miles. Lift. Focus. But rest too. Sleep enough. Play. Don’t take it… or yourself… too seriously.

If you want to get As in school, study. Do homework. But make time to not think about school AT ALL. Go out with friends. Watch that movie. And if the A is just not going to happen despite everything, make peace with it. Don’t stress or worry.

If you want to succeed at work, be responsible. But life is not about succeeding, remember. Being kind and a friendly comes first. And if you are too tired to be a friend and good example to people, the success is not worth it.

If you want to eat healthy, do it. Have oatmeal for breakfast. Have salad for lunch. But don’t be scared to splurge on some ice cream every once in awhile.

Balance.

If life were about rules, or about accomplishing something, or about striving for perfection all the time, life wouldn’t be the amazing gift that it is: the opportunity to live for God’s glory, with God, in a beautiful world he created.

Enjoy it.