This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill
Fifteen percent concentrated power of will
Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain
And a hundred percent reason to remember the name!

Fort Minor – Remember the Name Lyrics

One of my favorite running jams, check it here

More on Well Being and Happiness

Here are the rest of the notes from the workshop I went to on Well- Being this week that was offered through the Center for Consciousness and Transformation at my University (employer) 

Happiness is a choice

  • 50% is genetic
  • 40% is something you can control
  • 10% is circumstances 

Happiness strategies 

  1. express gratitude
  2. look on the bright side/cultivate optimum 
  3. don’t care yourself to others
  4. practice acts of kindness 
  5. nurture social relationships 
  6. write out pain/upset
  7. learn to forgive or let go 
  8. increase flow experience /lose track of time 
  9. savor joys of life, put time aside for it
  10. commit to goals 
  11. practice religion/spirituality 
  12. exercise, meditate, act happy (fake it til you make it)

Other thoughts and notes: 

  • Flow: focus and habits
  • Correlation between age and satisfaction – comfortable in own skin, dealing with set back
  • Overall we are too focused on negativity/weaknesses – keep a gratitude journal
  • Gratitude matters – feel happier, more determined, more energetic, more optimistic, and more likely to offer support to others. you sleep better, exercise more, and experience fewer symptoms of physical illness 
  • 9 out of 10 people say they are more productive when they are around positive people 

Miles 16-19 were again under 10 min/miles! I couldn’t believe how great I was still feeling. We saw Jenn around mile 19.5 and I became an emotional wreck. I teared up and began to think about my entire journey to this point. I remembered sitting in her office and chatting with her about her first marathon and thinking, “Wow! If only I could be as strong as her.” And after 16 rough weeks of training I had made it and was running in my very first marathon.

Part of one of my former students/running minions Marine Corps Marathon recap! ::Tears::

Gratitude

I went to a well-being workshop at work today.

We were asked to list 5 things we are grateful for today, mine are:

  • my physical ability/health
  • my friendships
  • my drive
  • my dog Freddie
  • my morning radio show (Elvis Duran)

We were also asked to reflect on a time when “I was at my best” and why

My best was LA marathon training.

  • I had a routine
  • great health – I was exercising regularly
  • I was in a job for 4 years and friendships for 4 years where I was living
  • I had motivation thanks to David Cook and ABC2
  • I was facing a cross country move so I had lots of goodbyes which caused me to savor moments
  • I was also looking ahead to new beginnings
  • I was excited about my upcoming marathon and LA trip
  • I was FOCUSED
  • I had a great support network both near and far
  • I was blogging regularly
  • I had clear goals

I want to get back being at my best. Focusing on my fitness makes me the best version of myself.

More notes from that session coming soon…