More Than Meets the Eye- Fitbloggin

He asked me: How was it? Tell me about Fitbloggin.

So I did. 

I told him of the things I did, like running a 5K in a tutu (I look H-A-W-T, I know),

(photo credit: Carrie Dallhoff)

they made me do it

(photo credit: Carrie Dallhoff)

shaking my moneymaker and sweating up a storm making a fool of myself with an hour of Zumba,

(photo credit: Carrie Dallhoff)

learning about kettlebells and resistance training and trampoline jumping. 

I told him some about the humor in blogging and blogger responsibilities and creating an online social community.  I spewed facts and phrases and what I had learned.

He called bullshit on me.

He said: You are a blogger.  You tell stories.  Tell ME a story.

I knew exactly what he was talking about but I didn't know if I was ready to tell him a story.  We were driving home from the airport, we had three very excited kids jabbering in the seats behind us, we were all hungry and I was so freakin' tired.  Emotionally and physically.

Did I have it in me to tell him a story?

He wouldn't let go of it and dragged the story out of me and once I started telling it, I couldn't stop.

The most important part of Fitbloggin for me was THE story.  Not necessarily MY story, but meeting other people and learning THEIR story.  Trying to hold back tears as I learned one story, wanting to wrap my arms in a giant bear hug around another story, inspired by this story, and laughing my ass off at creating new stories with new friends and old friends alike (too many of you to link back to but you know who you are!).

I have seriously been lacking in motivation the last three months because life has been so hard.  Yeah, I smile and laugh and chatter A LOT, but my heart has been so heavy and stressed out and I seem perpetually behind the eight ball. 

I have been letting the LIFE SHIT get in the way and consume my otherwise positive "I can do anything" attitude- run a half marathon, train for a triathlon, consider a marathon, work my ass off in the gym, eat right, sleep enough etc etc etc.  I have been making excuses left and right as to why I can't make time to do the things that fuel my soul (like dancing and swimming but this is an entire post of it's own), that make me feel so good about myself (training for races), that challenge me to learn new things (run farther, join a masters swim class, get out of my comfort zone and ride a real bike ON THE ROAD this seriously freaks me out).

I've been in a rut and trying to hide it from myself and from all of my fitness bloggy friends.

No more.

This weekend, all the stories I heard and listened, all the words of encouragement and motivation and inspiration, whether directed TO me or overheard said to someone else, moved me beyond words.  Do YOU know how powerful YOUR stories were to little old me?

I am telling myself to STOP IT RIGHT NOW.

No more excuses.  I know what needs to be done and now I just need to do it.  This weekend reminded me that I can do so much and that there is an entire world of support, love, encouragement and motivation out there.

I just need to embrace that world.

This weekend gave me the kick in the ass that I needed to re-focus, re-energize, and re-commit.

I think know I'm ready.

There is more to me than meets the eye and the same holds true for Fitbloggin.