In four days I will be completing my second ultra distance marathon. 31 miles and 4,100 feet elevation gain to be exact….

Blogging about this before it happens is very unlike me. I prefer to keep my hopes and dreams shut away in a closet protected from judgement and best of all, guarded against others knowing what I have yet to complete or what I am taking on. But after talking with a friend of mine about this I realized, doing that encourages others to do it. Let’s face it, in the end, how we treat ourselves is reflected in how we treat others. And I want my clients, friends, family, acquaintances, everyone, to dream big and to see the power in connecting with others about those dreams.

The shedding of our perceived limitations strengthens us individually and as a community. And that is what this race is about for me. Sometimes with my runner friends I start to get fixated on times or the training I have completed (or haven’t completed). But as I ran today I was reminded that these races fuel my spirit in a unique way. It is about challenging the limitations I have placed on myself in the past, the mental fortitude to continue when my body asks me to quit, and most of all, these races remind me not to make excuses or wait for permission from others. I noticed it after my first ultra marathon in September. I would start running and think “ugh, I feel tired, maybe I’ll just do a couple miles.” Immediately I would respond to myself, “a feeling is not a legitimate excuse. I ran 30 miles. I can do this.” Or when I started back up my business and started looking for ways to bring more continuing education to therapists and counselors in the area I thought, ” who could teach that?” then I to my surprise responded, “why not me?”

The more I have done this the more joy and acceptance I have felt. It has made me realize just how much of our world is internal. It really is as simple as the thoughts you think and choose to believe. There is no special organization or gate keeper keeping you away from your full potential. In fact, after these past few months of openly sharing about my practice and how I want to expand it, I believe the Universe openly wants us to reach for our potential and is there to support us when we do.

There is just something special about turning thirty and running thirty miles. Life has become more about going after what I want and a whole lot less about reasons why I shouldn’t.