Monday, May 5, 2014

Can We Have it All?


Now that the weather has been a bit kinder and the sun’s incandescence seems to be boasting gracefully along the soothing southern winds, I’ve been spending a lot more time running outside.  I realize for some people, running just isn’t their thing… whereas for others like myself, it is medicine to the soul… truly. 
I prefer running outdoors but the trails and pavement can be a bit hard on my knees.  Whenever I am down by the shore, I'm always running on the boards or along the sea.  But for the most part, my feet can be found pounding against the track of the treadmill since I can control the incline and this machine always gives back to the bounce in my knees.  The thumping is less harsh on these 33 year-old bones.  But no matter where I am running, I feel free.  It's a naturally epic high for me.   

 
I throw on the latest trance and epic vocal Ibiza tracks over my ears and zone out for anywhere from seven to ten miles.  It’s like I am one with my run.  We are blended as we gracefully collide against the sounds of the melodic tunes streaming from my iPod to my head.  My mind gets lost and tangled among the vastness of waves I imagine myself sitting or running next to. 

Sometimes, I’m on the beach or maybe dwelling on a yacht or cruise ship coasting along a forbidden island or some far away mountainous shoreline.  There are cabanas, king-size white and satin day beds, and tables set up around open pits for seafood paella on the ashen nude sands.  The waves are calm as colors of turquoise, clear aqua blue and lush emerald rush quietly up against the inviting water's edge. 

 
Sometimes, I'm relaxing in my bungalow which is nestled against the small huts that lay hidden behind the warm, welcoming arms of palm trees rocking against the sounds of native birds.  It’s absolutely mind-blowing.  Before I know it, my miles are up and the run has come to an end.  I’m lighter, tighter and hungrier as the desire to be satisfied not only mentally, but physically, erodes over my fierce and resilient body.

This past winter was a rough one:  rough in the sense where we had more unbearably frigid days than simply cold ones.   I don’t mesh well with the ice and snow; often finding myself a bit down with the seasonal winter blues.  My heart resides in the essence and smells of the summer so you can imagine what this season has done to my longing for spring and summer to begin.

I think once it started snowing in November, Jack Frost took it upon himself to roll over the blizzard-like weather well into March.  In fact, I think the last of the snow has just recently melted!

 
Because the winter was too strenuous and unkind toward people like me, who love to spend days endlessly folding into the universe while walking hand in hand with nature, I decided to embrace the warmth and quiet inside.  Luckily, I have a view of the mountains our home is nestled in right outside of my window.  I was writing and eating more while exercising and running less.  I went from a size 4 to an 8 in just three measly months.  I took advantage of Jacks Frost’s harsh and cruel shits and giggles by rejuvenating inside through my novel writing and binge-eating homemade muffins, chocolates and cheese.  (Not in that particular order=)

While I was working on the last chapters of my novel this past April, I decided to get back to the trails and treadmill; full throttle.  Twenty pounds heavier had definitely weighed me down and my once blissful workouts became much harder and less of a meditational release of thoughts, endorphins and amiable remembrances of past ghosts.  I couldn’t concentrate on anything inspiring or relive through the fondness of my old memories while running.  Dare I say that I had resorted to the elliptical?  Yes, I did.  And there is nothing wrong with the elliptical.  But for me, being a runner… well, the elliptical just isn’t my go-to for cardio.

Once I hopped on the treadmill and could not even complete a mile, I knew I was doomed.  My passion for my novel and submission to social media for my author work had forged a wrecking ball over my new body.  “If you wish to write, then you will have to sacrifice working out in the morning and your appearance will be overthrown.  And you simply cannot work out after you write because you have a fulltime job in the afternoon until evening.  You really didn’t think you could have it all… did you?”

Yep; this is what my mind was telling my body.  Now, most of the time, I love my own mind.  She is my right-hand muse and one of the main reasons I am still staying on the straight and narrow these days.  My mind has grown quite astoundingly over these last three years.  She’s more in tune with my heart and knows what she wants.  She never lies to me and I can always trust her now.  This is something I couldn’t vouch for during my darker days.  My mind was the last thing I could trust because it was always filled with the promises of better days and irreverent freedoms which a clouded and infected brain could only conceive. 

So when my mind began to be brutally honest with me and tell me I would have to sacrifice even more of my time if I wanted to get back into shape and still be able to write and network, I almost fainted.  I didn’t want to believe her.  I continued to write in the mornings, began eating a little less, but when it came time to try on my summer clothes again… it just wasn’t happening.  I had failed.  It was time for my mind and my heart to get back up again… once and for all, together… in it to win it.  I’d have to wake up even earlier and not skip any days during the week for exercise.  Seven day workouts, more juicing, less muffins, and sadly, less writing. 

Did I just say that?  Unfortunately, yes, I did.  Your mind always knows right from wrong.  It’s just a matter of time and conditioning which gets you closer to this realization.  Could I sit here and lie to myself by shaking off the twenty pounds as no big deal and settle with being two times my normal size?  After all, what matters is who we are on the inside and not out, right? 

Wrong!  For some, this is true.  But for me, I like being in shape.  I love eating whatever I want.  I love being strong and toned and loving the person I see when I look in the mirror.  That is not to say I am conceited or a narcissist.  But what I mean is there are some people in this world who are content with the way they look physically while I am addicted to the adrenaline which runs through my veins while building a lean, mean, running machine.

 
We owe it to ourselves to strive to achieve the best in this life because we all deserve to have all of our desires and dreams come true.  I don’t ever want to step on the treadmill, or outside on one of the magnificent trails behind our home, and not be able to get past the first mile.  I don’t have the best knees in the world but they are mine and I love them.  My family has a long history of diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis.  I don’t ever want to jeopardize my serenity or longevity because I simply can’t find the time to work out.  I won’t be a product of my past and I will stay focused.  This isn’t to say I won’t ever enjoy a long winter’s nap or a month or two of a writing spree.  This winter has been a good friend to me.  And I’m hoping that good friend has helped me create something so special that the extra twenty pounds I gained was well worth it!  (The novel, hooray!)


So getting back to my question… Can we have it all?  I mean, everything, all at once?  Or do we have to settle for increments and small steps which lead us closer to the grandeur goal? 

Once I felt comfortable enough with the outcome of my manuscript and children’s work, I took a step back away from my writing.  I had to.  For me, it was a no brainer.  If I wanted to get back into my infectious runs and weight training, I had to lose weight; and fast.  Healthy but quickly.  I took the past three weeks to reboot my system and I’m happy to say I am down 15 pounds.  Not by starving or sacrificing too much of my time… but by devoting myself to longer, more strenuous workouts and a healthy diet.  I went from writing for hours and binging on muffins, chocolate and cheese to writing an hour or so a day and stepping up my game at the gym.  As far as social media goes, well, this has been suffering a bit.  But I’m okay with this.  Sometimes, we need to unplug and get away from the things which take up most of our time and energy to satisfy our other cravings.  To just simply BE. 

It’s strange but in some way, I think we can have it all.  This doesn’t mean our dreams will come true all at once and we will have all the time in the world to pursue them.  But when we are truly happy with ourselves and connected with the world around us, no matter how we see ourselves, then I think we do have it all.  I guess it just depends on your definition of “having it all” and really “seeing ourselves.”

What about you?  How do you balance your time with writing, exercising, keeping up with the household, family life, social media, working the day job, etc.?  Have you ever had to make sacrifices in order to find more time for something you are passionate about?  What is your definition of “having it all?”
 

21 comments:

  1. I have set writing time and set workout time. I think it's important to balance the two. Also, having set times for each ensures I don't feel guilty for choosing one over the other.

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    1. I admire those who can find the time to balance everything out. I imagine one day, when I'm not working fulltime at my day job, I would be able to write and work out as much as I please. But for now.. it's simply not that easy. On my days off, it's much easier for me to have longer periods of writing and have enough time for a workout. But on days where I have to work, I often find myself having to choose one or the other.
      I'm looking forward to my summer schedule when I have more free time to juggle everything=)
      Thanks for sharing, Kelly!

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  2. Gina, you are not alone! I used to struggle with a lot of the same things. When I was a student and had all the free time in the world I would write in the mornings and then workout, but once I started working full time I had to make a decision. I think it's just about prioritizing what's important at the time. If you want to lose weight, then obviously it's the workout, but if you have a writing deadline then you might need to sacrifice the workout for the writing. It just depends. Anyway, glad to hear you're back into the swing of things! And I hate the elliptical too. But I love the Precor Crosstrainer!

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    1. You are absolutely right, Quanie. I think we must choose what is most important to us at certain times in our lives enabling us to focus on those things for the most part. Knowing that I wanted to query agents in the summer time left me with no choice but to sacrifice my workouts if I wanted to finish my novel in time for beta readers and edits. But now that I am more comfortable with where I am currently at with most of my work, I can focus on getting my body back, lol.
      The Precor Crosstrainer kicks ass! Thanks for sharing=)

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  3. Gina, You are the best trapeze artist ever at balancing your time. I think that your secret is that you treat every single second of life as a precious gift that deserves to be used to the fullest. And that you do. Those 20 pounds will always come off, because you wouldn't have it any other way!!!

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    1. Yes, mom! You know your daughter so well=) It's not hard for me to lose the weight as long as I discipline myself.
      I'm happy you admire my balancing act! Although you may think so, I hardly see myself as being able to juggle everything all at once. My mind is CONSTANTLY going which is probably why my dreams are boundless and I'm able to zone out for 80 minute runs. One day, I will be able to relax and take it easy... after all of the hard work and dedication finally reaches it's destination. Or at least, one of them!

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  4. 15 pounds...that's amazing. Running has to be a priority for you. It sets your spirit free.

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    1. Yes, it certainly does, Sandra. Running is freeing for me. I'm completely in a zone as the miles pass under my feet=)

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  5. Ah...balance! It's a challenge in a busy, busy world. I invested in a top-of-the-line treadmill and put it right smack in the middle of my office! But I discovered that rest is the answer. Rest for the mind and soul. Busy-ness cranks our minds full speed ahead. When I take time to watch birds, sip morning coffee or walk the pastures on a sunny afternoon, I feel refreshed to tackle the writing, the social media, the treadmill. Great, thoughtful post!

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    1. Yes, Charli! Rest and the freedom of nature... this too can be medicine for the mind. Like yourself, I love to sip on my morning coffee and listen to the sounds surrounding the rising sun. Now that the weather is warmer, we leave all of our windows open. Our birds begin to talk to us around 530am and lucky for them, we are usually up by this time. The picturesque benefits and sounds of nature are truly soothing for the mind and soul. Thank you so much for sharing=)

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  6. Balance is something I struggle to find daily. Although I usually do not get all I want done, I have a lot of lists. This helps me get most of my work done.

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  7. I started using a list recently. Your right, Lady Lilith.. lists do help. My mind has been scattered all over the place and the list has brought my sanity back down to Earth!

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  8. Balance? What's that? lol I am trying to find a balance. I used to exercise four times a week, in the mornings, but life has tossed things up a bit. And the Challenge I just finished knocked everything out of whack, so I'm working on getting a schedule again. I have found more time to write though, and I'm happy about that. I definitely agree with unplugging from social media. I set some posts to go up on my FB page, which helps to not worry about staying current. I'm not sure if we can have it all. I have things coming up and they go right, I will have it all. In about a month I'll let know if that happens for me. lol

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  9. I have yet to set up my Facebook or Twitter for scheduled posts. I think that has been on my "to do" list for months now!
    Chrys, your A-Z challenge was incredible. You put so much effort and thought into all of your amazing posts. I really hope more people are reading your blog now because it is truly meant to be on everyone's favorite tab!
    I'm happy you have more time to write. I'm hoping once I'm down to my goal weight, I will begin my new project and wrap up some of my old ones. But there will always be a LONG list of things to do. Ahh, the life of a writer! Thanks for sharing my friend=)

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  10. Good for you for returning to exercising and keeping yourself healthy, Gina! I don't enjoy running but I love brisk-walking. Takes the mind off things. And like you, I like feeling toned. This lifetime, we probably can't have it all, but we can make the most of all that we want. Right now, my time is used up on helping out with household chores, tutoring, promoting (which also translates to spending more time on social media), blogging and reading other writers' manuscripts for them. I have to put writing aside for the time being. This is a huge no-no for many writers, but I do know I need the time away from writing until I dial down on promotion. I'll definitely cut down on social media mingling in another month. And I'll definitely go back to writing then. (I trust myself enough to know this, which is why I'm not in a fluster for not-writing-these-days.) Love what this post is stirring in me!

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  11. I'm happy to hear things are stirring inside you due to my meandering thoughts, Claudine=) I completely understand where you are coming from. I know when I have a lot of promoting and networking to do, my writing suffers a bit. And that is OKAY. As long as we are continuing to take steps toward the grandeur goal, we are headed in the right direction. And as Quanie mentioned above, it's about our priorities and which of them are most important to us at different times in our lives. It's all good when it's all positive=) Whether that is writing, networking, spending time with our loved ones, taking care of the household, working the day job and yes.. exercising! Thanks for sharing your wonderful thoughts!

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    1. Gina, I must let you know that I've been swimming in gratitude and joy ever since reading your review on LITTLE ORCHID, especially the part about how you spent time reading with your nephew. I was initially concerned that the story might be a tad complicated for his age but it slipped away because you had been so patient in reading and explaining this foreign cultural setting to him. Reading with kids is a rewarding challenge. Very well done, Aunt Gina! And thank you again, my glowing friend.

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  12. I have a schedule, which of course goes awry all the time. I don't know if I can have everything all at once, but that doesn't stop me from dreaming about it, sending wishes to the heavens, and trying to catch Tinker Bell for a shake of her fairy dust. In terms of keeping harmony... well, every night I make a mental list of the five things I want to do the next day. I might be: write 1500 words, walk 3 miles, email my aunt, read ten pages ( I really have to say this...) and so on.. The list is in addition to my life things, like go to work, feed my kids (why they need food is beyond me). It seems to work for me, the list of things I want to accomplish. I don;t always write 1500 words, but I may get in 982. I go easy on myself when I fall short of my list and remember to reward myself for not abandoning it all together. Good post, Gina.

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    1. I've learned using a list definitely helps. Especially since I've been such a "bird brain" lately... my list brings me back down to Earth and reminds me of the important things I should consider to achieve throughout the day. I always feel bad when I'm catering toward one task instead of focusing on the other... like when it comes to social media and writing. This has been my biggest struggle lately because social media can be overwhelming. If I don't respond to each and every one of my tweets, I feel like I'm letting people down in some way. I don't know... Sometimes, I wish I could just unplug for a week and disappear off to some remote island and just stare at the beach and write. Maybe I will turn this dream into a reality this summer=)
      Yes, those kids! Must they eat?=) I've been caring for children for almost a decade now and my oh my, they are fickle when it comes to their food choices these days.
      Thanks for sharing, Brenda. I hope someday, all of your dreams come true... keep pushing=)

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  13. Have a pleasant evening, Gina.

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    1. Thank you, Sandra=) Have a wonderful weekend!

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