Health & Wellness by Lexa's Journal

My mission in life is to not merely survive, but to thrive: and do so with passion, compassion, humor, and style. – Maya Angelou

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An eternal optimist, always wearing a smile. Must haves: sunshine, fitness (jogging, weight training, & CrossFit), reading, good food, writing, music, and fun with family and friends.

  • What happens to the energy we put out into the universe?

    I live at the Jersey Shore, outside of Atlantic City. Today we are experiencing the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.  On Monday Sandy started her taunt of the shore with high winds and heavy rain.  Last night was the peak of the storm and the sound effects were frightening and unnerving!  I should have gone in the basement to work out, shower, and meditate.  Instead I drank margaritas by the fireplace; they helped. Lol!

    Atlantic City, surrounding communities, and neighboring states like New York, experienced historical levels of flooding and destruction. Sandy was damaging!

    Many residents’ homes flooded. Even worse, residents still cannot return home until officials give the okay.  My home and my family are in tack.  For this I am thankful; however I am deeply saddened because of the loss that others are experiencing.

    This morning, my daughter announces, “Mom, Sean is fixing our tree out front.”  Sean is my neighbor who lives next door. He is an educator, not a landscaper.

    I don’t know what is up with this darn tree.  This is the same tree that fell over during two previous storms.  I think we need to move it.  No, I know we need to move it.

    I realize that we are just so doggone blessed!!  This is the second time that a neighbor has helped with this tree.

    Hubby and I raced to the front door.  We see our neighbor, accompanied by his adorable and active 14 month old son working diligently to erect the uprooted tree.  AMAZING! It’s cold! The wind is gusty!  Yet he left the comfort of his warm home to help us.

    My husband works in fire suppression, so last night he weathered the storm in the city.  Sean thought hubby was still in Atlantic City working and didn’t want hubby to have to make the repairs after working all night.  I appreciate his kindness.

    The energy that we put out into the universe, positive or negative, always return to us.

    Divine intervention never fails! I can recall a few unpleasant occasions when the situation appeared bleak, when suddenly the situation changed for the better.  Divinity and karma, not luck, is our savior.

    Case in point.  I think I was around 21 years old.  I’d financed this hot, cool, and sporty car. The problem?  I could not afford the payments, but was determined to keep it.  After a year or so of struggling, I fell behind in my car payments.  The bank repossessed the car, but I got it back it back the next day.  Finally I got smart and put the car up for sale. Early one morning I got a call from a potential buyer, who was a sales rep from a car dealership. Supposedly my make, model, and color was in demand. The dealership was located an hour a way.  I went anyway with hubby (my boyfriend at the time).  We were confident that the dealership’s intent was to persuade me to trade in the vehicle and buy another car, but we went anyway.  The short of the story?  I walked out of the dealership with a check in my hand.  My car was paid off and I had a few dollars to spare.  I didn’t have a ride home, but didn’t care… my problem was solved.  You cannot tell me that was not divine intervention.  Dealerships rarely buy cars outright from owners, but they did that day.

    Anyway, back to today.  This incident with Sean today is also an excellent comeback to abhorrence.  In response to a comment my daughter recently made, a close family member says to her,

    “…as long as they stay on their side of the street, I’m fine with them!”

    “They,” are being non-blacks. Everything about this comment is wrong and irritates the heck out of me.

    Hubby and I never preached hatred or racism in our home. We treat everyone the way we want to be treated and expect our children to do the same.

    My neighbor’s random act of kindness today is a perfect example of why my family member’s conviction is wrong and why we should not prejudge.

    My family’s black skin did not have any bearing on Sean’s (white skin) motivation to help us.

    For those of us who are parents, we are obligated to teach our children to become decent adults.

    We must teach our children (by example) to love, to have compassion, to have empathy, to show tolerance, and to be morally good citizens.  If we don’t, then we (intentionally or not) continue to sanction the ignorance that continues to permeate our world.

    “Realize that everything connects to everything else.”
    -Leonardo DaVinci

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  • Fabulous! I had to share!

  • Anticipation!

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    Good morning! I am in the car (hubby is driving) on my way to Atlantic City to run the Half-Marathon.

    I am filled with anticipation. Lol! I know it was just last week that i ran a little further, but running it with fellow athletes makes the run more enjoyable.

    I am fueled up and rested and eager to get started. Wish me luck.!

     

  • Have you exposed yourself to your deepest fear?

    “Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes.  You are free.”        -Jim Morrrison

    Yesterday’s Stats (10/13/12)

    Distance:    8.35 miles
    Duration:    1:15;54
    Pace:          9:05 Min/Mil (Average) –  5:19 Min/Mil (Max)
    Calories:     1170

    Arg!!   Grr!!  Immediately after I stopped running, I checked my stats.  I was off 6 seconds from breaking the 9-minute mile pace!  Honestly, this irks the mess out of me!  I know exactly where I blew the 6 seconds.  When I realized my pace was off, I wanted to turn around, walk down my driveway, and start run the route again.  I stood on the front porch loudly grumbling.

    While running last weekend, I was frightened by a neighbor’s dog.  This dog is never allowed to roam the yard.   I always hear his bark from behind a wooden fence, but thankfully, until today, I have never seen the beast.

    I knew I was in trouble when I came around the corner and the dog was using his hind legs, to ferociously kick dirt on his waste.  He scared the crap out of me.  I made the quickest U-Turn possible… heart pumping double time and all.

    I’ve run twice since that day.  While I like my route that runs past this house, intense fear of being bitten by the dog has prevented me twice now from passing the house.

    During my run I asked myself what else is FEAR preventing me from accomplishing.  I realize that a little fear keeps me from getting my best time.  Sounds crazy?

    What’s my biggest fear? Dropping dead during or after an intense run from heart failure! Simply pushing myself too hard. Yeah, I’m fit.  I get a annual physical, but still.  We’ve all read or heard  stories of how top athletes have died after completing a marathon run or some other intense workout.

    So today, I asked myself.  “Okay… so what if I died during or after a run?”

    It would certainly be better than dyeing hooked up to tubes and breathing equipment squeezing out my last few breaths of life.   Heck, at least I would have checked out while doing something that I love and am extremely passionate about.  The fact is when our time is up, we can’t do a darn thing about it, and so as long as I’m taking care of myself and making smart decisions, my life is in God’s hands.

    I didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about this fear. The tought was random. I did think about it long enough to inspire me to run harder today.  I ran harder, and it showed in my time.   Heeeey, I’m siked!

  • I run because it’s so symbolic of life

    “I run because it’s so symbolic of life. You have to drive yourself to overcome the obstacles. You might feel that you can’t. But then you find your inner strength, and realize you’re capable of so much more than you thought.”
    –Arthur Blank

    Today’s run…

    7.51 Miles
    1:12:22
    9.37 Minute/Miles (Average)
    5:54 Minute/Miles (Max)
    780 Calories burned

    Somewhere around mile five (5) or so, the rain continues; it has not stopped.  My ear buds are wet and continue to fall out of my ears.  Jill (Scott) bellows, “I’m magnificent” and I agree.  I feel free.  I’m wet but it doesn’t matter.  I don’t care.  I don’t care that my natural hair is drenched, I don’t care that my new sneaks are wet, and I certainly don’t give a damn that it’s 50 some degrees outside.  My heart beats at a steady velocity.

    Closing my eyes, while moving forward I consume a huge batch of cool damp, yet refreshing air.  My lungs and my body approve.  Another favorite song blares in my ear.  Oh, this feels so good! I am so happy that I could literally shed tears of joy.  It is so hard to explain.  I am engrossed in an intoxicating moment.  Nothing matters.  Physically I feel boundless.  Spiritually I am blessed.  I cannot think of a single reason to complain.  The drama of an earlier week is miles behind me.

    The previous week had been one of extreme highs and lows —all relative to parenting.

    Committed and active parents recognize crucial and defining moments; times when the most painful and the most difficult decisions are made, all for the benefit of our children.

    It is easier to “talk-the-talk” than it is to “walk-the-walk.  A critical juncture presented itself.  Hubby and I discussed the issue and made an extremely difficult but necessary parental decision.   Carrying out the decision took me to an ultimate low place where I never envisioned for myself.  Afterwards, I meditated. I prayed.

    As parents, we would like to believe that 18+ years of sacrifice, good teaching, and committed parenting will result in young adults who make smart choices.  Not true. Our children stumble and make bad choices, as we once (and sometimes still do) did. Nevertheless, we are there for them and continue to guide and to support them.

    However, there are moments when tough love is the best and only medicine to administer.  Tough love is painful for both parents and our children–We both learn from this experience.  This I know.

    That same week, I experienced a supreme high.  My nine-year –old, who is the fastest player on his Pee Wee football team, scored his first official touchdown.  The touchdown came as a result of his intercepting an offensive pass.

    Once I realized that he had possession of the ball, I was content.  I knew that no one could catch him.  He sprinted 30-40 yards hugging the football as if the ball was his Sony DSI game and a playmate was trying to steal it.  Although he is outrageously fast, the coaches rarely give him the ball to carry (that’s another story), but he was ready for the opportunity and convincingly delivered.

    I don’t know which was best… the joy on my son’s face as he bumped chests of a teammate in the end one or my hubby’s elation as he literally jumped, screamed, and punched the air in excitement.   His team won the game, which made the touchdown all the better.

    Runners experience similar highs and lows.  Highs—when we are healthy, strong, and meet or exceed our personal goals; Lows—when we’re injured, wounded, experience setbacks, or simply have bad days,

    “…but then you find your inner strength, and realize you’re capable of so much more than you thought.”

    The sentiment is true.  Regardless if you’re running, trying to make it through a tough day with the family, dealing with a challenging week at work or experiencing a problem in another area of your life, seek out your inner strength because you are capable of getting through the difficult time. This you must believe.

  • Believe that you can…

     

    Believe that you can run farther and faster.  Believe that you’re young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do.  Don’t let worn-out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself.”
    – John Bingham, running speaker and writer

    Today’s workout of the day

    Distance:  10.23 miles

    Pace:  9:42 min/miles (average)
    4:48 min/miles (max) sweet!

    Duration:  1:39:17

    Calories burned:  1070

    The goal for today was to complete ten (10) miles under 1:40. Mission accomplished! This is a great way to start my week.  Y’all have a great day and an even better week.