I’ve always believed that going out of your comfort zone will help you grow. 2018 was a year of firsts for me. I went out of my comfort zone countless times, and it was my year of YES! It set my mindset for daily living, and I’ve grown as a person by leaps and bounds.
GOAL 1: START A BLOG
As you are well aware, I started this blog in March. I set a goal to post at least once a week, which I’ve mostly upheld. This blog has allowed me to learn about so many new things, like why celery juice as blown up, and try new things like Intermittent Fasting Experiments. It has allowed me to connect with and help so many cool people. I’ve always loved to write, but now my writing and endless research has a true purpose that fuels me each week!
GOAL 2: BECOME A YOGA TEACHER
After 200 hours of hard work and eliminating some social weekends, I became a certified yoga teacher! Through this process, I fueled my love for the practice of yoga and expanded my appreciation and acceptance for the world. I learned that teaching others isn’t SO scary, but that I love being a student of yoga more than a teacher.
GOAL 3: COMPLETE AN OBSTACLE RACE
Fast forward to November, and somehow with my disdain for running, I was convinced to do my first obstacle race. We had a great team signed up — everyone had a different fitness level, but each person had a positive attitude and a smile on his/her face. That’s all I needed to know I could do it too. The fear of the unknown is real! I didn’t know what obstacles I’d meet, what fears I’d have to overcome, if I’d be trampled by an Adonis. Can you tell I tend to overthink things?
Savage Race is a down and dirty, muddy obstacle race. The one I did was about 6 miles long just outside of Tampa, Fla. Obstacle races come longer and shorter, and there are now a ton of brands out there. If you are thinking about trying out an obstacle race, I would recommend Savage Race as your first. The mileage was doable, and the obstacles were tough but manageable. My goals were to have fun and try every obstacle. There was no formal penalty for a failed obstacle. I knew I wouldn’t be able to complete everything, but I had to at least give it my all. After a bunch of squealing, I even did the ice challenge!
For me, the biggest challenge was mental: heights and the unknown. I gave up on fear of the unknown as soon as the race started, but my fear of heights is a real thing. I proudly persevered. The third obstacle in was TALL! Getting up was fine, but getting down was scary; I needed a little coaxing from friends on where to place my feet, and I made it through. Phew. What a relief. The high obstacles were never easy, but after each one, it seemed to get easier. Even after a badly twisted knee, I was exhilarated at the end! I did it! I couldn’t wait to do another. I was enlightened by the camaraderie and high from the achievement.
GOAL 4: FIRST 5K
Zooming into a new year, I completed by first 5k for charity. It seems like a small feat, but I’ve also hated running. The most of run was training for Savage Race, and that was on average, two miles at a time once a week — so not very much training. The last time I ran 3+ miles was in November! But I knew I could do it. It’s only 3 miles, right? Well of course it ended up being 50 degrees Fahrenheit (which is nearly freezing for a Floridian LOL!), and rainy — the worst possible weather conditions. In just over 31 minutes I completed my first 5k! It gave me hope that in good conditions, my time would easily be under 30 minutes! Yes! For a non-runner, what a victory!
So thanks to 2018 and welcome 2019! I cannot wait to see what the new year holds and how much growth I can make in another year. At the end of this month, I’ll tell you about the next challenge I have on my radar.
