Hmmmm

A friend recently said to me..."running has changed your life...But don't let it define you." I have been completely perplexed by this statement for days now. At first I was thinking "screw you what in the world do you know!" and then I thought hmmm do I appear to be letting running define me? I am not sure I have a clear cut answer for my own question. I can say that yes running has changed my life in so many amazing ways. It has given me a feeling of freedom, shown me that I am so much stronger than I ever imagined, given me some of the best friends a girl could ask for, given me the most amazing experiences, and allowed me to push myself father than I ever thought possible. I am able to use running and its many parallels to this journey I am on in my own life as I become healthy...but does it define me?

As I ponder this question I think to myself what defines me?...what defines a person?

I believe that what defines me is:

 My beliefs and what I stand for. You may not agree with me and that is ok but I am free to my beliefs and you yours.

My dedication to things: whether it's running, school, biking, being healthy...when I start something I finish it.

Teaching: I am living my dream every time I walk into my classroom...this is one of the places I am happiest.

My Character: Who I am when no one is watching and what you see on a daily basis on the good days and the bad.

I think that life goes in seasons and those seasons change with time, experiences, age, and events. At this point in my life running is a huge part of that and I hope that running will always be important. I think that running is a part of what defines me but I also believe I am defined by so much more. I would hope that I do not appear to be defined by a sport. I hope that I show others that you can define yourself by choices you make. I am making choices everyday that change my definition of me and show that hard work pays off. Two years ago my definition of myself would have been simply teaching, I did not have confidence in much more, now I am confident, loving life, and attempting to live in the moments presented to me! What defines me is my love and passion to constantly push myself to its limits and be better than I was the day before. This is done daily through working out, my friends pushing me to question myself, teaching and adapting to the unplanned moments, and attempting to live in the moments as the truest person I can.


Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. 
Barack Obama