“Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life..."

First things first. I went with the black tights and black boot. I really, REALLY (shockingly) loved the look of the red shoe with the black tights, but I couldn't walk in it. My foot kept sliding. I'm too dumb to dress up, folks, is really the message here.

Anyway, winner. Thanks!

************************************

Something a little different on the blog..... helpful tips. I know, who knew, right!?

Between working, parenting, wife-ing, cooking, awesome-ing, sometime running, fro-yoing, and shopping, it's important to me to keep a balance in all aspects of my life. Some ways I do this...

1. Don't sweat the small stuff. Learn to prioritize, to be flexible, and when to let things go. If you miss a run, move on. It's not the end of the world. Just make your next work out EXTRA sweaty.

2. Make conscious choices, so you can indulge later. This is key for me, and I apply it across the board, not just to eating. I know I'm asking The H for a lot for Christmas - so I'm keeping my list of demands otherwise very short.

3. Learn to say no. And not feel guilty about it. We are just people. As much as we want to be super heroes... we're human, and can't do ALL THE THINGS. Sometimes, you've just got to let something go, and move on. You do what you can.

4. ....and to contradict that, I also advocate DOING a LOT of things. Life is about moments, experiences - if you get so mired down in the day to day, you lose sight of the fun things you could be doing. Don't forget to fit in fun things. I guess this ties back to prioritizing. Is it the end of the world if laundry isn't done for a few more days, if it means you go to an awesome cookie exchange? Probably not. I bet those cookies will be delicious.

5. Finally, and in my opinion, MOST importantly. Stop. Focus. Enjoy what you have and who you have around you. I don't care how rough things are for you, I promise, there are things to be grateful for. Most of you know how rough this year has been - leukemia, job loss, pay cuts, etc etc. It has also been one of the BEST years of my life. I've found great friends. I've found a purpose to my running. I've found a strength in myself, my family, my marriage that wasn't there before. I've found great blessings. It could have so, so easily gone the other way... but only if I let it. And I didn't. Find something to be grateful for. It's there.