ONE: workouts. i did back-to-back last night and this morning, so i’m in a pretty fantabulous mood about that. i fully admit i definitely have an exercise obsession, but i consider it a healthy one: i crave this form of “me” time as a way to decompress, focus on bettering myself in the healthiest of ways, and just tune out from all the crazychaoticeverythingness of my life.
oh, and it feels pretty darn good to see yourself getting stronger and your body changing, too. i like that.
*last night (Monday, 3/2): 5 miles on the treadmill (4.25 mile run, .75 mile incline walk); 30 minutes of kettlebells and abs
*this morning (Tuesday, 3/3): 4 miles on the treadmill (3.5 mile run, .5 mile incline walk)
this morning’s was short-n-sweet, but considering i haven’t been running outside the last few weeks and i’m not feeling prepared for my half in a few weeks, i just had to get a few miles in before work. bam.
TWO: gratitude & love. last night, i was working on a reflection paper for my Parenting class (yes, i’m taking a class called “Parenting” this semester, with an amazing professor), in which i had to write about my own childhood experiences being parented. to although i’ve always been aware of it, this Master’s program has instilled within me time and time again a renewed sense of just how ridiculously, unbelievably blessed and “ahead of the game” (with “life” being “the game”) i am, just by the sheer fact of being born into the family i was given. to be fortunate enough to have the parents i have, and the childhood i had, grounded on a foundation of unconditional love, support, encouragement and security, is more than any girl could dream of…and it was, and still is, my very present reality, every day of my life.
not every child gets this. there are so many, many broken families; so much heartbreak and dysfunction and world-shattering life experiences all around us, and the reason i went into this Marriage & Family Therapy program is to humbly try to do my part to help people “get better” at doing relationships and learn how to navigate through their situations as best as they can. i’m so grateful, today and always, for the life i was given, and hope i never take it for granted. i’m so grateful for assignments that force me to that place of introspection where i remember what is most true and real and important and beautiful about life, and where the essence of the human heart and emotion really lie: embedded in the relationships we have with those we love.
may we never forget that, in the midst of the chaos that sweeps us away. may we always love fiercely, despite the storms, no matter the cost.
xo.
runthisapple.wordpress.com 
Yay! Great job on your workouts!! Awesome miles in, too!! Working out is the best, right? It just makes the body and mind feel fabulous! 🙂 Also, showing gratitude and love is so important! You are one lovely, special lady!! I love the parenting paper you’re working on…sounds like a fun project. XOXO
you are too sweet, always. 🙂 thx, girl. and yes, it’s a great project!
Great reminder – we all must give thanks for our blessings! It’s so easy to forget some days.
And great job with the treadmill runs! I can’t wait until it’s warm out and not snowy/icy and we can all be running outdoors again!
thank you — and i hear that!!
Love this post. I completely understand your attitude towards working out…sometimes I feel like I’m going over board but that only happens when everything else in my life gets crazy! (or crazier then it already is..) At least its a healthy outlet!
thank you! cheers to healthy outlets. 🙂
Great, thoughtful and inspiring post. Thanks!
thanks for stopping by!
That’s some amazing Tuesday-ness Shawna!! And a big thank you for your W.O.W. in #2. Truly a good reminder and thoughts to meditate/chew on for the day
What an interesting course to be taking. I actually taught the child of a woman who was a psychologist who worked with families and children. She was a super sweet and interesting woman. What a great field to go into. And I totally hear you about the workouts. I just don’t feel like myself without them. Perhaps I am a tad obsessed but I am much nicer with them.
it has been such a fascinating program and the amount of personal growth and introspection i’ve received has been invaluable, above all else. haha and i’m the same way! the more workouts, the nicer the girl. 🙂
That course must be fascinating. I have taken sociology and psych classes before but to take a class really focusing on the subject must be so amazingly raw and heartbreaking.
and the fact that the professor is so incredible (she taught my Sexuality class last semester, which was my fave class of the program) makes it even better.
I would feel pretty fabulous after two workouts in a row too. And that half coming up…yeah, I’m a bit unprepared too. I haven’t run outside in over a month and I haven’t done anything over 7 miles. I have no idea how that’s gonna go! But we should def meet up before or after!
I also love your view on life. It’s so refreshing! I have no doubt you will be able to help a lot of people gain some new perspective on love and life 🙂
aww, thank you for those encouraging words, girl. i really appreciate that! i sure hope so, as i am truly passionate about this.
and yes, let’s try to meet up!
YES to everything you said about gratitude and love. More and more I’m finding myself feeling so much love towards my family. Like limitless, infinite, I-hope-I-can-love-someone-else-this-deeply love. I’m sure it’s a combination of living in a different city + growing up, but I’m feel so lucky to have the family that I do. So I totally can relate to the feeling! I volunteer at an emergency department and we often see people from very broken homes. It’s so tragic yet eye-opening – a reminder that we must all count our blessings because life can be so cruel and so tough and so unfair.
absolutely love everything you just wrote. we have the same journey with loving our families so much it almost hurts, the more so as we mature. your volunteering sounds like such a life-changing experience. i’ve been thinking a lot lately about how i want to live more purposefully and focus on the people and things that matter most, and i can only imagine that some of your volunteer experiences really bring that to light for you.
Nice job on the workouts! Good lesson on the love too! I find that yoga helps me remember to remember what’s important in life sometimes.
thank you! i need to do yoga!!
Growing up I rebelled against my parents at times (didn’t we all) but as I got older and appreciated the things they did I definitely made sure to tell them! Awesome job on the runs!
This is such a beautiful post and something that I needed to read after a couple of particularly difficult days with my daughter. I am very thankful for all I have, but sometimes stress gets in the way. Thank you for making me take a moment to stop and think about all this. ❤
Awww it touches my heart to hear this! I’m so thankful to know something I write could touch someone else and affect their day. Xo thanks for sharing that with me.