Run Like The Wind.....

My parents are by far my biggest cheerleaders. Throughout my life, I can't think of a single time they haven't supported me in something (other then maybe playing hot lava in the house). There is one phrase that has stuck with me for a long time. "Run like the wind bulls-eye". Now, I am not entirely sure the phrase actually contained the bulls-eye part when Dad use to say it to me or not but nonetheless, it has stuck with me. You see, approximately 11 years ago, I set out on this adventure called middle school where I decided I wanted to run track. I specifically remember Mom and Dad ALWAYS, yes ALWAYS coming to my track meets. In 6th grade, a track meet is a big deal you know. Mom was always there supporting me, bringing me cold water, Gatorade, and snacks while cheering me on. Dad also would cheer me on but before every single event or race, he would always tell me to "run like the wind". I may or may not have added the "bulls-eye" part myself. To this day, I am not sure if they know but during every single race I ran from 6th grade through senior year cross country, I repeated this saying in my head over and over again. I wasn't the fastest, I didn't really do all that well running distance but I kept at it.

You may be asking yourself, what does this have to do with anything? Well, life isn't going to be easy. You aren't going to be the best at everything. You are going to have obstacles to overcome. For me, college was a big obstacle. I called home time and time again in tears wondering if it was actually possible for me to do it. Mom and Dad would talk me down from the ledge, more times then not, they would drive an hour and a half to have dinner with me and calm my nerves. The phrase often repeated through my college career wasn't "run like the wind bulls-eye" but rather "if it were easy, everyone would do it". Like I said, my parents are my BIGGEST cheerleaders.

Starting a career has really been no different then starting a new sport, starting high school, starting college, etc. It is a new experience, it comes with new challenges, new hurdles to jump, but it also comes with new rewards. The key is to have support, I realize that not everyone has cheerleader parents like I am blessed with, but that doesn't mean you don't have people supporting you. Find them. The second biggest thing is to have determination. There are going to be times you will want to crawl under your desk and hide (like maybe when you realize you have toilet paper stuck to your pants), there are going to be times you are frustrated, but I can assure you that if you stick with it, you will be glad you did.

In everything you do, you MUST be proactive. If there is one thing that my parents taught my sister and I growing up was that if you want something, you have to go after it. No, I am not just talking about material things. If you want to be happy, then do it. If you want to change the way you eat, then get moving. If you want to be a marathon runner, then start jogging around the block. There has to be a defining moment where YOU make a decision for yourself (or your family). No one said it would be easy, but I am telling you it will be worth it. If you are looking for a sign, THIS IS IT!!!!