LIFE INSPIRED FITNESS: Dog Gone Good Exercise
I like to walk, which is good, because I have a dog and he needs to go on walks. Walking your dog is a great way to get some exercise and keep your body fit. I walk at a pretty good clip, but just getting out there and moving your body does the trick to burn some calories, not to mention getting you some fresh air.
For me it’s also a good time to think. Whether I’m deciding what groceries to buy or coming up with a new blog idea, walking clears my mind. And just think of how good it is for Fido. So get out there and take your dog for a walk, it’s a win-win.
What do you like best about walking with your dog? Or maybe you walk a different pet. I’d love to hear about it.
Follow me for more ideas on living a happy and healthy life @lifeinspiredfitness.
PEN TO PAPER: Discover Your Story
This last weekend I drew inspiration from my daughter. Not only did she graduate with a degree in Creative Writing, she used what she’s learned in her major to inspire her classmates in her valedictorian commencement speech.
She related the life of a college graduate, one who is stepping into a new and unknown world, to that of a writer staring at a blank page.
“The sprawling expanse of possibility lies before us, both tantalizing and terrifying all at once. Yet, I’ve found that the cure to writer’s block is to just start writing. The time has come to start crafting our own stories.”
So true. Life can be scary, whether you’re a writer plugging away at a difficult piece, a new graduate starting a career, a new mother discovering what it’s like to care for an infant or an old mother figuring out what life has in store for her, life can be a challenge.
“The important part is that you start, and start with a vengeance. Chase dreams, chase jobs, chase experiences, chase what makes you happy. Because right now, inside each and everyone one of us, a story is waiting to be told.”
What story is waiting inside of you?
Read Charli Elliott’s full commencement speech on her blog eloquentlyelliott.com
LIFE INSPIRED FITNESS: Have a Hankerin’ for a Hike?
I love to hike. I don’t always like the drive to get to the hike but once I’m there, I’m in heaven. My daughter loves to hike too, and I feel grateful that I am still able to go on hikes with her. Last year we scrambled up Mailbox Peak. We were both in heaven.
Recently an old high school friend, and basketball teammate, touched base about doing some of the Pacific Crest Trail. I was ALL in (but not the whole trail at once). It’s been so exciting to start planning to hike sections of the PCT. In the past I have lived vicariously through other hikers who have done the trail, and I’m looking forward to at least getting a glimpse into the experience.
And though I am no hardcore hiker (I’m more of a hike hard and then come back for a shower and a glass of wine kind-a-gal), I have hiked and camped out for several days at a time, many times over my lifetime so I’m game for the challenge. And even better, I’m super excited to spend time on the mountain reconnecting with a friend.
Do you hike? What are your favorite trails? Have you done the PCT? What fitness activities do you enjoy with your friends?
Follow me for more ideas on living a happy and healthy life @lifeinspiredfitness.
PEN TO PAPER: Get on a roll
I’ve been on a roll. A slow roll, but a roll all the same. I’ve been writing, not as much as I’d like, but the key is I have been doing it. I’m a little bit like the tortoise in The Tortoise and the Hare. I’m just plugging away, setting aside time to write, even if it’s just thirty minutes.
Whether it’s the book you’re writing, or your goal to stay in shape, or even perhaps your goal to start a business, just start rolling. Even a slow and steady pace will gain momentum and lead you where you want to go.
What helps you to get, and keep, on a roll?
Meet Sonya
Meet Sonya
Sonya Elliott’s memoir, Back on the Court: A Young Woman’s Triumphant Return to Life, Love & Basketball, is her story of finding hope in the wake of tragedy after she and her fiancé were hit by a train. She blogs about writing, basketball, and life and is currently working on a Young Adult Novel and a Non-Fiction Coaching book. Stories of her career as a fashion model are woven through her memoir, as both the Soloflex and Easy Spirit Shoes commercials were filmed during that time period, and this unique and intriguing business continues to be a part of her life.
Sonya played basketball at Eastern Washington University and was a starter for the Big Sky Champion team that went to the 1987 NCAA tournament. She coached for almost 25 years and was voted Seattle Times Coach of the Year, Seattle Officials Women’s Basketball Association Coach of the Year, and twice voted Metro League Coach of the Year. She loves the game of basketball and is thankful, not only for her husband and kids but for her ability to continue to get back on the court.
Blog
PEN TO PAPER: Audio Inspiration
I’ve been re-reading, or should I say listening to, my favorite books on writing. When I take my pup on his daily walk I put in my new AirPods (No more fighting with my tangled ear buds as I head out the door), load my audio book and go. While I stroll the sidewalks, the red and orange leaves that scatter my path help transport the words and their inspiration into my mind. Thoughts on how to establish a more consistant writing schedule, how I might make adjustments to a character, and even thoughts on a new twist for my ending, drift around in my head. I always walk away with new tidbits to chew on.
I’ve got three books going at the same time right now (probably not a great idea, but they’re all quite different), so I just continue on with whichever I’m in the mood for that day. […]
PEN TO PAPER: Deep Kindness
I recently read the book Deep Kindness by Houston Kraft. It made me think about my life and how I can be more kind. It made me look at what real kindness means and how it can effect others and the world. What a great concept to write about…
WRITING PROMPT #1: What was the last kind thing that you did? Write about it. How did it make you feel?
WRITING PROMPT #2: Put the word KINDNESS at the top of a blank page. Start writing.
WRITING PROMPT #3: The second Daniel sat down at his desk something was wrong. Every morning for five years now, a note from Ellie had greeted him. The swirly heart dotting the “i” in her signature always made him smile, but this morning there was nothing. Daniel looked around the room and…
LIFE INSPIRED FITNESS: Keep It Handy
I bought some dumbbells a few years ago. For a majority of the time they’ve been in a basket, on the landing at the top of the stairs. I envisioned doing yoga and exercises there in the cozy space, but for some reason that space, and the weights, rarely got used. During the summer I put the dumbbells, along with my yoga matt and a few other exercise gadgets, outside on the back patio and a used them a lot. But when the fall weather hit, up they went to the landing, where they sat.
Last week, I decided that I need to lift weights again. Although I would like to lift heavier weights, I don’t feel comfortable going to a gym right now with the pandemic, so I stationed my tiny bit of workout gear on our kitchen floor. It’s not the perfect place, but they are visable, and accessible, […]
Follow Sonya