Today was a Fairytale...

I don't know if it was my time to experience the fairytale I always gushed about while watching Disney movies- I don't know if what happened will last- I don't know a lot of things- but what I do know is that fairytales DO exist and even if they are just for a moment, day, week, or year....they are worth experiencing and worth waiting for.

I was late, SUPER late to work because it had just dumped a bunch of snow on the ground. As I hustled up to the light rail, I noticed that the line was longer than usual. "What is going on?" I asked. Apparently, some runner had run out in front of the last train and the train hit the person so the trains were not picking anyone up. The person was fine thank goodness but we were ALL LATE! I was panicking because I had my end of the year review with my boss and I knew I was going to miss it.

Suddenly, prince charming stepped out from the crowd and said, " I am driving, I can't be late and have 3 seats- who wants to come?" Now normally I would never take a ride with strangers but for some reason my hand shot up in the air like an idiot and without my mind's permission. So me, and this other guy followed Prince Charming to his car.

On the way to his car, Prince Charming and I just hit it OFF! Talking to him was so easy and fun. I felt free and uninhibited talking and laughing with this complete stranger.  The other person in the back seat did not even have a chance to join the conversation because we were just talking talking talking. By the time we got to my work, I had forgotten about every worry and stress that I was carrying and was smiling like a huge dope haha. As he dropped me off I reached into my wallet to pay him for gas but he didn't take it and instead replied with, "I would hate for you to have to wait in the cold again...do you want me to pick you up from work?"

Of course my initial reaction was to jump up and down and squeal like a little girl but I kept my cool for once and replied yes. So, he did pick me up from work that day and we ended up in horrible traffic but its okay because it gave us time to talk and find out that we have similar values, morals, and dreams but are different enough to make a good conversation.

As we neared my car at the light rail station I decided to be brave, "Since you would not let me pay for gas can I at least buy you dinner?" He smiled and said with his big brown eyes, "I will take you up on dinner but I am paying." So we went to dinner and talked for another two hours...

As the night drew to an end, I was about to get in my car and he said one last thing I won't forget, "Hey, I don't know about you but I don't connect with people like this...Ever. I really want to see you again. Can I call you?"

So there is the fairytale- he did call me and we went on a date two nights later and are contemplating on possibly going ice skating in a mountain town this weekend....Like I said, I have no idea where this is going or how long it will last but I got to experience a piece of a fairy tale. Every girl will get her fairy tale- even if it is for a brief second.

Enjoy them as they come and don't expect too much out of them- and don't expect them to come on your time because they won't. Fairy tales have a mind of their own...Let them come.

Let Yourself Be Loved

Have you ever thought that you were not good enough? It could be in any aspect of your life: that you weren't good enough to make the A team, that your work is not good enough for your boss and your co-worker that stays later than you is better than you, that no one will ever fall in love with you, that no matter how hard you try it seems like no one notices your efforts?

I know that I have caught myself thinking that I was not good enough in several of these areas. But I realized that it was a horrible place to trap myself in- yes that's right, its a hidden, subtle, trap that every human being is capable of entrapping THEMSELVES in. Although it may feel like others are making us feel this way, it is really OURSELVES that allow it.

To be honest, I think that, in these moments, where we allow ourselves to feel unworthy, is a time of weakness- and I hate weakness. I think its a cop out- I think that it disenigrates the soul and allows for the death of giving and receiving love. So, I have been working on catching myself when these feelings occur and using them as opportunities to find confidence and build self awareness. In other words, I try to see why I DO deserve to be loved someday, why I WILL get results someday, and why sometimes things DON'T work out but it is OKAY because it was not meant to be. Changing the mindset frees me of turning my back on the world and instead, opening my arms up to it.

Like I said, I hate being weak. What will your choice be today? Will you be weak and let yourself feel unworthy? Or will you fight to see why you are worthy- to love and to be loved?

Its all in the back and hips!

Hello All! You ever get those nagging lower leg pains? Hip pains? lower back pains? I know that I do. After rubbing out my calves and rolling them out for what seemed like hours I finally realized that it was not working...So I went searching as to why. After some research and talking with a professional sports massage therapist, I found that most of all athlete's pain derives from weak and tight hips and lower back!

So, what I thought was calf pain was really tightness and weakness in both my hips and back. I have been extensively rolling out my back and hips while adding in some important exercises and have seen a significant difference. It is important to stretch as well- many people do not believe in stretching but from my own experience I believe that stretching is crucial if it is done in the right way. Before activity it should always be dynamic: high knees, butt kicks, etc but afterwards you should do static stretching (holding a stretch for 45-60 seconds). This keeps your muscles elastic rather than tight.

Here are some exercises to look up and do if you cannot shake a certain injury:

Foam roll all body parts

clam shells

donkey whips

theraband monster walks

Heel and Toe Walking- forwards and backwards

Thoratic Back Twist

Bird Dogs and Bird Dog holds

Superman Holds

Reverse Pull Ups

Body weight squats on BOSU balls

Tennis ball pin point pressure on piriformis, hips, and lower back

A Place to Always Win

Triathlon in season training is just around the corner for me- I am so excited and am so ready to compete. I have been really working hard on developing my weaknesses which are swimming and biking. Due to these two sports being my weaknesses, I have been experiencing pain and injuries that I have never experienced before in running...its a whole new beast.

Derailments such as pain and injuries can be super frustrating- they can make you want to give up, they can turn you into a negative person, or they can brain wash you to keep pushing through even though your body is saying no. Right now I am experiencing really tight calves and lower back pain from biking and shin pain from swimming! I would have never thought swimming could cause something like that. As you can imagine these injuries do not sit well with running either so I have really had to cut back as to avoid aggravating it more.

I was really mad about this because I want to make the A team for my Triathlon club- but I can't do that when I can't train. I started to ask God, "Why did you make me good at something just to take it away? Why do I always get injured?" My answer came in church yesterday....

My pastor told me that God makes us good at things so we can represent Him in an area that He needs us. To be there for other people and to serve them in times of need and praise them in times of success. He said that in sports, its not always about going hard and winning but rather the journey and how you react to each and every situation. How you react whether its a win, a failure, or an injury impacts those around you.

I thought this was interesting because it made me realize that if I think in this way, it takes out the selfishness and self pity and replaces it with a team and God oriented mindset. Check out this website for similar views.

http://tasteheavennow.net/Heart_Training_tools_for_change/h-t_in_sports.htm

True Happiness

Ever wish you had a different situation? Ever think that your life is unfair? Ever wish that you had what someone else had? Have you ever said, "I would be so much happier if..." I know I have said and asked these questions multiple times throughout life. However, I recent article made me realize a really important lesson and I would like to share it with you:

"Contentment is choosing to be happy with life as it is. The mistake most people make is deciding they'll be happy if some things change. What they don't realize is that some things can't be changed and others, when they do change, don't bring the expected happiness. That is because real happiness isn't imposed on a person, it is what a person decides to be -- regardless of what happens around him.

And really, you aren't happy with yourself, and you need to be. You've got a lot going for you. But you blind yourself to them because you constantly compare yourself and your life to other people. You don't really see other people's lives -- you only see the surface. Because of that things look better to you than they really are. Thus, you compare your life to something that isn't real, and make yourself unhappy.

No one's life is perfect. Perfect lives don't come until heaven. But it doesn't mean you can't learn to enjoy life anyway. "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11-13)."

Love who you are and where you are at...And also where others are at

Okay, we can all admit that at one point in time, we have wished to have what others around have. Being competitively natured it is only natural for us to feel this initial feeling. It is hard when we work really hard, are very disciplined, or dress up cute and we do not get attention for it. Sometimes it feels like everyone else around us is constantly getting the attention.

This can place a human being in a very dangerous place- It can cause jealousy and unthankfulness for one's current situation... Being jealous will only cause passive aggressive behavior and unthankfulness for our current situation causes us to become insecure. These are two realms that can be hard to overcome; however, with the right amount of mind and heart pressure, we can overcome this natural tendency if we train it to.

One thing that I have learned is realize that there is NO SUCH THING as perfect timings or formulas. I HAD to get over that because every person has a different formula and time that works for them. For example, it may be some girls' time to have a serious boyfriend or even be engaged. It may be some other girls' time to be the best at her sport. It may also be another girls' formula to act, eat, and dress a certain way.

It is important for us not to try and jump on another person's timeline. We have our own and we need to appreciate where we are at and where we are going... Otherwise we will never be happy and we will be MEAN GRUMPY GIRLS! We also need to appreciate where others are at. We should be happy for them that their time has come and that a formula works for them.

Keep your head up and keep on your own timeline and concoct your own formula. Be confident in that and you will be more happy.

Clip Ins

I just bought my new clip in pedals for my road bike! I LOVE my road bike and I cannot wait to ride it...except there is one problem. I am deathly afraid of using clip ins.

The reason? Because when you wear clips ins, you have to think differently in order to get out. You must be instinctive to point your toe down, twist your ankle outward, and yank it out. You would think that this would be easy and maybe it is for some people....NOT FOR ME!

AH! You guys should have seen the hott mess I was with my dad trying to learn how to utilize these clips ins. My dad took me to a grass field saying, "Now, I want you to learn here, because you will fall." And for 1/2 an hour  fell over, and over, and over, and over. It was pretty embarrassing considering the fact that I am 23 years old and people driving by were probably thinking it was hilarious that a grow girl was falling like a 5 year old.

I wanted to give up so many times but my dad would not let me. Which I am so glad about. He pointed out that this is something new and with anything new it is not easy. It will not be perfect, and sometimes it hurts. But you GET BACK UP and command what you want.

I think this is a good parallel to life- you fall again and again but you GET BACK UP because the ride of life is so much greater and so worth all those falls.

Embrace: Hold (someone) closely in one's arms, esp. as a sign of affection

Yesterday at an event that I went to, I ran into a couple of people that I knew. It was great to see them but there was something that was missing when I interacted with a couple of them...I found out what it was when I hugged my grandma. When my grandma hugged me, she REALLY hugged me. Those other people were only half heartedly hugging me and that is what was missing from the interaction.

Once I realized that, I started to observe the crowd. I noticed that SO many people half heartedly hug or half heartedly listen to one another. I don't know what has happened to our generation but half hearted actions have become the norm. It is almost like we are just going the motions rather than sincerely taking the time to absorb and be with one another in that moment.

Its like that with life too- sometimes we just go through the motions we are not "closely" holding onto every present moment. Rather, we are thinking forwards or backwards- racing to the next milestone. But I have found that this only leads to a voided life. You can race to the next milestone but won't find anything because you have missed so much along the way.

My point is this- start really EMBRACING your life. EMBRACE. Meaning, closely hold onto and cherish every hug, every kiss, every phone conversation, every run, every project... if you don't you will miss so much.

Go genuinely hug three people today and you will notice a huge difference.

Setting myself free...

"What’s going on inside of you, Jay? What are you afraid of? You’ve got a chance to change everything. Take it. This is about more than just surfing. This is about choices you make in life. This is about finding that one thing that sets you free. You need to believe in yourself or none of this matter"- Chasing Mavericks

No one ever tells you how hard it will be to leave something that you love...whether it be a person, job, or sport no one tells you the truth or they do not know the truth. When I left my comfort zone of a team and a sport that I loved and entered the real world, I made the mistake of thinking that everything could stay the same.

By this I mean that I thought I would have the same comfort of a team and that I could still train as hard as I did in college. Well, the real world taught me really fast, that those days are over and that if I try to do real world things AND all the things I used to do, I will run myself into the ground. It was no one's fault but my own that I drove myself into a saddened state where I could not find happiness anywhere.

I was chaining myself to the past and what was or maybe chaining myself to a false future on what I thought "should be." But after reconnecting with some valuable friends of mine I soon realized that I need to unchain myself and be free. In order to do this, I needed to find what would set me free- which is a challenge in itself. I was too stubborn for a long time to admit that I was not happy and too stubborn to try and discover something else that might make me happy.

I am still searching...but I think that I am very close. I have realized that the memories of my past and the moments of competing are still here with me- they have not gone anywhere. I have realized that I have a very bright future and it can go anywhere- Initially, I only saw a narrow road but when I opened my eyes I saw that there were multiple wide roads to travel. Not everything has to be planned, not everything has to have an answer, not everything has to go right...

The other day I rushed out of work to get in a quick run before the sun went down. I was in such a rush that I forgot my watch. My initial reaction was to race back to my apartment and grab my watch so that I could time myself. But then, I looked at the sunset and it was just so pretty and calling me towards it that I just said, "Screw the watch." And you know what? It was the best run I ever had. I don't know how long or how far that I went and I don't care.

The best part about my life right now is that I have a great past as a foundation for an awesome future that I have NO CLUE about...I would LIKE to compete in a triathlon next year, I would LIKE to find a boyfriend soon, I would LIKE to continue to find success in my job but none of this is for sure. Things always change in life. But one thing is for sure and that is LIVING- the act of LIVING is just being alive and not chaining myself to wants, needs, wishes, or desires. These are all idols and are dead things.

Like I said the first day I started this, once I fall I ALWAYS get back up. So here I am today, picking myself back up. Watch out world, Alexa is on both feet again. Will you join me in standing up and unchaining yourself from whatever is holding you back?

Sorry about the length...but I needed to say it. I love you guys.

You better know your own strength....

 

Strong – of great moral power, firmness, or courage
Courageous – not deterred by danger or pain; brave

If you're anything like 95% of the people on this Earth, it is very easy to justify all the reasons why you do not deserve to be where you are- whether it be because so many other people are "better than you" or "you're just not up to par" or because you "are not prepared."

This is the easy way out- you deserve better than that. Sure, you may not be able to be #1 all the time but you sure are not going to get anywhere close to success with a self- doubting attitude. So many people give up on themselves but it is not fair- to them or to others around them. Examine your motives behind your rationale...What are you really afraid of? Are you settling just to avoid feeling something different?

Are you being a good leader, friend, athlete, student, sister, girlfriend etc or are you just being good enough? You should not be content with being just "good enough" You and those who are around you and look up to you deserve a strong and courageous leader. A leader who is brave enough to try and see beyond all doubt and will keep their actions and thoughts honorable and positive...Unafraid of the possibility of failure and blazing forward. This leader can and will be you. Will you be a Strong and Courageous leader for those around you?

Your Path is Determined....

God asks us to give everything to him, not just bits and pieces, but the whole thing – our whole life – and leave it up to Him.  He knows exactly what we need because He made us and knows what is in our path til the end. Matthew 6 :33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you”.

Even if you don't believe in God, I feel like this passage is still a good one to take into consideration.  Sometimes in life we think that we know exactly what is right for us. We think that we deserve a certain spot or recognition, we think that we should be with someone, or we think that we should have what someone else has.

Sometimes though, we are wrong. Life's path may  be calling us to different pathways than what we pre-determine for ourselves. When we resist what God has planned for us we end up experiencing heartache and pain. But when we surrender our plans for His- it usually ends up working out way better than what we had planned for ourselves.

God knows exactly what we need in life- we don't always know so it is best to not waste time worrying and trying to figure out where we are supposed to go and let Him take over. We may not always get what we want but we will always get what we need....

Humility

                        "Humility is not thinking less of yourself... it is thinking of yourself less"

Pride and selfishness blocks our ability to grow, change, heal, and help others. When life keeps exalting you, it is easy to lose track of other people. Isn't funny how much more we reach out to our friends and family members when we are down compared to when we are up in life? It saddens me that this happens....

I realized the other day as I was walking out of work how I haven't called a few people in a while- I hadn't even thought of them because I had been so wrapped up in work, trying to figure my stuff out and enjoying getting the hang of it. I compared this to a month ago when I was scrambling to call these particular people to make me feel better when I wasn't feeling as confident at work.

Life is busy- thats just a fact of life... however, there is ALWAYS time for another human in your life...Always. Even if it is just five minutes. Realize that you need to take care of  yourself but not to the extent of forgetting or lessening your outreach to others. No matter what life is throwing at you, we all need a friend...we all need a familiar voice.

Who will you call today?

Who doesn't love the old childhood sloppy joe! I sure do, but now that I am older I like the healthier version- try this recipe out, its so good!

Recipe of the Week: HEALTHY SLOPPY JOES!

Ingredients:

·         Ground Turkey- the leanest is Jennie O’s

·         3-4 diced raw tomatoes

·         2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour

·         ½ C Water

·         ¼ tsp Chili powder- if you like spicy add more!

·         ¼ C Low Sugar Ketchup

·         1 tsp cinnamon

·         Whole Grain/Wheat Pitas

·         2-3 Diced bell peppers

Directions:

·         Cook the ground turkey on medium

·         In a separate skillet, add: tomatoes, flour, water, chili powder, ketchup, cinnamon, and bell peppers (I put some mustard in mine but that’s just me!) cook on medium as well

·         When Turkey is done and the sauce is hot- toast whole grain pitas

·         Add meat into pitas and scoop on desired amount of sloppy joe mix

·         You can add lettuce or black beans for an extra crunch and kick!

·         Enjoy!

Integrity and Running

Integrity: "What an athlete must have to establish inner success- It is the constant and consistent refusal to compromise your talents, abilities, and sense of self."

I know that we all find ourselves in this position- a state where we turn away from ourselves, don't try as hard, or give up because we are intimidated, fearful, or don't believe in ourselves. This is a bad habit to get into because it makes us feel inferior and less than what we actually are. However, it is important to understand that you are on the team for a reason- I was put on a team at work with people that are way smarter and better than me but they are helping me get better and I am great too. Just like you deserve to run with a certain running group/pack. You are great too.

Never compromise what you possess- you possess something great but you have to have the integrity to know that. When you are placed in a situation where you may feel intimidated or fearful, fight the urge to back away and instead take the situation head on. Do what you can do- remember you are good enough. Fight as hard as you can and show yourself and your teammates or opponents your value. Don't focus on the outcome but rather your willingness to get out there and give it all you've got- whether your winning, the underdog, ahead, behind or whatever you have something to contribute.

The best thing you could ever do for yourself and the team is to get out there and contribute what you can- shying away from your talents or being negative is not helping you or your team. So get over your fear of not being good enough and just get out there and DO IT.

"All it takes to be great...Is all you've got."

Sometimes its easy to forget the power you have when you start comparing yourself to those around you. By comparing yourself to those around you, you soon forget the qualities that you yourself have that make you great.

In life there is always going to be someone prettier, smarter, faster, funnier, etc than you but you have to remember that although they might have a quality that is stronger in one area, you were made to be stronger in another area. You just have to know yourself and know what that quality is and utilize it to your advantage.

There have been several people who have contacted me, saying that they are scared for their season because everyone else (meaning other teams), looks really good. I have heard that there have been teams that have gotten really good recruits, transfers, and athletes that have really stepped up their game. To me, those factors don't mean a thing- anyone can look good on paper, anyone can look good at the beginning of the season, but on any given day, it is anyone's game. Just because someone has a high reputation does not mean that they will always come out on top.

It is always good to respect your competition but it is NEVER okay to sell yourself or your teammates short. Like I said, if you and your teammates are close, are running for each other, have a goal, and are working hard toward that goal....it is just as much your game as anyone else's. Please do not allow yourself to be intimidated by other teams...if you do, you have already lost. The girls I know and love are fearless- they welcome a challenge and earnestly believe.

You know who you are....Know that you can do it.

Will this win him over?

So things are getting a LOT better at work- I am starting to feel more comfortable with what I am doing and I am getting to do some cool projects and interact with some really cool and intelligent people. What I learned is that everything new is hard for a while.... not a short while... a long while. I just think we all forget or expect change to give quick results when really we need to give it time.

As for the men situation...No luck for me right now....However, I am learning that in this day and age, if you want something you have to go after it- things don't come to you anymore. Of course this has to be done tactfully but you still gotta go get it.

I went and talked to this cute guy at work- and yes, no stumbling or farting! Yaya! Could the curse be over? Haha but I am working on getting an outcome...but like I said earlier things take time- do you think this face will win him over next time I bump into him at work?!

Why, Oh, Why, Me?

You know those days when just every single thing goes wrong? I had one of those days- My alarm clock didn't go off, I had forgotten to iron out my shirts so they were all wrinkled for work, there was no more milk for my cereal in the morning, I had bad gas, I couldn't get a handle on any of my duties at work, AND on my way home I missed the light rail and had to wait for the next one (which was only 20 minutes but still...it was annoying.)

We hear it all the time from ourselves or from other people, "WHY ME?!" but the fact that things going awry in life is often an ignored part of life even though we have all experienced it many times. KEY WORDS: we ALL have experienced life gone wrong at some point...we as individuals are not alone in the fact that life just sucks sometimes and its hard. However, we seem to forget that other people have or are going through things too and we come to narcssistically believe that we are the ONLY ones going through a hard time.

Much of the time, we complain not realizing it is the result of our OWN actions. But we would never admit that would we? No, we tend to blame things or people around us for what is going on in our lives. We hear things like, "Its my bosses fault I didn't get this done, he didn't tell me what to do!" or "Its his fault that we are fighting- he's just such an idiot," or "It's her fault that we went too fast in the workout not mine," or "Its hear fault that I am struggling with eating- she only eats salads for dinner,"

If we want to change our circumstance it has to come from within- no one else is to blame. WE have a choice....Always... to figure out information we don't know, not to follow someone's lead if it is wrong, and fix something if it is not right. You are not the only one struggling with something, believe me. Also, other people and things are not to blame- its your life so you have to take charge and not expect anyone else to come and make it better for you. Ignorance to this fact will contribute to the formation of habitual self pity and this will only drag us down in life.

Let's stop pointing fingers and get through it.

Your Gift

Gift: a talent or ability that is willingly given to others without any expectation of returned payment

We all have been blessed with multiple gifts- if you are disagreeing with me right now than that just means that you have not taken the time to discover your own. EVERYONE has something special to give- its just a matter of finding it and learning how to best give it. Many people say that the discovery process is about knowing what you want to do with your life but its actually about experimenting in different opportunities and then you will discover your gift. Until you actually try something you're not going to know what you are good at.

You have tons of hidden abilities and gifts you don't know you've got because you have never tried them out. So TRY things and give yourself a chance in things you have never tried before- when it doesn't work don't view it as a failure but rather as an experiment. You can have several abilities and gifts in different areas in your life whether it be church, work, sport, or in a team atmosphere- these are all areas that you can experiment with. For example, you may volunteer at certain events at your church like mentoring, helping with parking, food packaging and then discover where you feel most alive, passionate, and needed.

And in sport and team areas- your team may need you to discover where you are the strongest in the race so that you can help pull the team through it. Or you may be needed more OFF the course than on it- maybe your purpose is to be the glue of the team- your ability to keep everyone together and happy may be just the key to a successful season.

If you are thinking that you cannot contribute or that you don't exist in areas in your life, its because you made it that way. Its most likely because you are comparing yourself to others. This is a bad place to put yourself in because there will ALWAYS be someone better than you- its just the way things go. If you are always looking at this person and comparing yourself to them, you will stay in the shadows and become discouraged. On the other hand, you may compare yourself to someone who does not seems as effective as you and you become full of pride which makes your harbor your gifts selfishly for yourself- Either way, comparison is an ugly place to reside so get out of it.

Don't settle for being "just a part of the group" stretch yourself and learn all that you can- experiment and find where you can contribute the most.

Testing, Testing, 1,2,3.... Athletes and Jobs

As we all know, the economy is not in the best shape right now. Which decreases our chances to find a job whether it be just for the summer or after college. For, me I began the job hunt process at the beginning of December 2011 and did not find a job until late July 2012. This is why I want to encourage those of you who are about to embark on a career search to start now! Don't let it stress you out- if you get a head start now you will be fine.

During my job searching process there were things that I wish I knew/took advantage of. 

Here is what I wish I knew:

• Research the organization before you go on an interview- figure out its mission, values, and what makes the organization good at what they do. Understand what they do, sell or buy and be able to ask questions about it or compliment them on it. (Example: "I see that your organization made Fortune 500,  that is a great accomplishment. What is it that got your organization there?"
• Understand the importance of STAR- http://www.jobinterviewtools.com/blog/job-interview/behavioral-interviewing/star-interview/
• HOW TO WORK EXCEL WELL! If you don't know it now learn it
• Have questions for the employer: 

1. What is a typical day in the life of this position? 
2. What would a successful first year in this position look like for you?
3. Thinking back to the person who you've seen do this job best, what made their performance so outstanding?
4. What is your time line for getting back to candidates about the next steps?

Here is what I wish I did:

• Go to college career fairs- it is here where networking can help you and you can also find organizations that you never knew of
• Go to interview preparation sessions- employers are not messing around in this economy. They do not have much time to interview people so when they do they want concise, well spoken answers to their questions. I fumbled many times in interviews and if I had practiced it would have went a lot smoother
• Go professional clothes shopping when you actually have the time to do so- I was too lazy to shop for a suit and professional clothes early on- mainly because I only like comfy clothes. So as a result, I was running around like a mad woman at the mall and grabbing anything that I could find (not smart)

Here are interview questions I had asked that you might be asked in the future: If you have any questions to add please do!

1. Describe your major: not only describe your major but how it helped you grow as a person and how it will make you more productive on the job and help the organization gain a competitive edge
2. What are your weaknesses? this is a trick! You need to pick a weakness that can be seen as a strength or turned into a strength. For example: "One of my weaknesses is being a perfectionist- I want things to be perfect and right to produce the best results. This can sometimes act as a road block but I am working on balancing my perfectionism so as not to impede on deadlines."
3. What is your biggest failure in life?  I have been asked this question three times- be sure to admit to a failure but recover by saying what you learned from it and how you can carry this lesson into the workforce
4. What accomplishment are you most proud of? You can say what you are most proud of but try to pick an accomplishment that can be seen as a transferable accomplishment to the workforce. For example, you can say, "I was on a collegiate track and cross country team and we achieved ________. This was a great accomplishment for me because I was able to learn what it is like to work with a team through both good and challenging times to achieve something great."
5. What do you know about our organization and where do you think you might fit in best? Uhh Huhh, You can imagine how this one got me into trouble- DO YOUR RESEARCH
6. Do you think that being a student athlete took away from learning how to act in the real world? Why or why not? This is where you shine! Tell them in no way did it take away from learning about the real world- in fact, it probably taught you more about the real world because you had to learn time management, balance, teamwork, and how to effectively leverage a competitive drive to best bring the TEAM success (make it always about the team)
7. Do you have experience in this field? Simple question but if you do not have experience say that athletics has taught you to be a very quick learner and that your competitive drive for team results will push you to work harder to understand it
8. Why would you want to work in this organization/position? Flatter the organization but NOT TOO MUCH and then explain your strengths and how you can make them better and also how they can make you better
9. Tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult person? What was the outcome? Choose a situation where the end resulted in collaboration or negotiation. 

Knowing vs. Believing

Believe: to accept something as true
Know: be aware of something

Each one of us knows that we can be good at something. Each one of us knows that we will get through rough times. Each one of us knows that we can be better than we currently are...but do we really believe it?

To believe, means to accept something is true. When we know that something is true- there is nothing to fear because there is no ambiguity or complexity- it is just FACT. My first couple of weeks at my real job were hard and still are! My learning curve is really steep and I am trying to balance church, family, exercise, and fun. This is a tough balance and I have had to sacrifice quiet a bit. At first this really bothered me- I kept thinking to myself, " Oh shoot, now I am going to get out of shape," or " I don't have time for church anymore."

My parents kept reassuring me that it was okay and that things will balance out. They repeatedly told me that I can do anything I put my mind to and if accomplishing all these things were something I wanted, that I would get it. I simply shrugged it off with, "I know, I know." But I didn't believe it. Until today.

I have not run in over 2 weeks because I just have not had the time- and sometimes I did have the time but my body was just too tired. However, when I got on the trail I ran the best I ever have and I think it was because I didn't force my body to do something when it couldn't. Also, after my run, I had time to go to my church group even though I thought I wouldn't have time. It felt amazing and so refreshing. After this feeling I thought to myself- "You know what, you CAN do anything you put your mind to. It's must a matter of keeping your mind on that goal and doing what you can when you can."

Do you keep telling people around you that you "know" you can reach your goal someday, or that you "know" you will recover from your injury or that you "know" things will get better? Well, don't just know it, BELIEVE IT. Knowing things keeps you complacent- you are just aware of the fact that you could be great...but BELIEVING that you can be great is the first force of momentum that will get you to that goal.

DONT...STOP...BELIEVIN

And shout out to Vandy this Weekend!!! Kick Butt girls! BELIEVE!!

Devil Dash!!!! First Race Back

The Devil Dash- a race that required a waiver to be signed because of the many possibilities of getting hurt. It is a 5k race but its not just running- there are several obstacles in your way of the finish line such as; tires, swimming across Colorado rivers, climbing across roped nets, scaling vertical walls, army climbing through yards of mud and running up a mountain.

I got banged up quite a bit- but it was the most fun I have had in a really long time. My whole family and I entered this race and had a blast doing it. I was scared because I haven't raced in such a long time due to my injuries but it was amazing to feel my competitive juices come back and pull me through the race.

I realized through this race that I could still race! Sometimes I make the mistake of thinking that I have to get a certain amount of training in to accomplish something but most times what it really comes down to is- who wants it more? The prize does not necessarily go to the person who worked in the most miles in her training schedule or to the girl that was the most strict about her lifestyle but rather to the girl who gets on the starting line and tenaciously fights her way to the front.

My vision is to keep racing and competing my whole life- and one of these days I plan to win the whole thing but I know that this plan will not happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely the time will approach when my vision will be fulfilled but I will have to go through a lot more hardship first. By this I mean I will probably get derailed in training because of work- but thats okay because work is essential and it needs to get done. I will probably get injured along the way- but thats okay because I will take care of it. Sometimes life is slow in bringing us to our goals but these little derailments WILL PASS.

Don't give up on your vision just because a little derailment has come up- If you are not up where you want to be, please be patient. Great things take time. Remember how far you have come rather than how far you have to go. You are not where you want to be but neither are you where you used to be. Life isn't finished with you yet- so keep pressing forward. Don't try to get of of this phase prematurely, let life do its woks so that you become mature and well developed to accomplish your vision when the time comes.

We Rise...

The Phoniex resembles re-birth- to put in a better way, it is defined as an animal that rises from its own ashes, meaning that it can always pick itself up after falling down. We fall down because that is just what happens in life but good things always come out of downfalls...especially when we rise from them. When we rise, we gain wisdom.

Wisdom is valuable because it is gained through life's experiences- it is something that can only be learned if we go through something. Wisdom is timeless so once you gain it you can never lose it and are better able to navigate through life's obstacles. If you are anything like me, you learn once you have fallen a couple of times, that patience and time are the two most pertinent elements to gaining wisdom. Nothing good has ever come quickly or easily in my life and I am guessing if you look back on the best things/experiences in your life that they weren't quick or easy either.

Shortcuts are dangerous because they are an imposter to the genuine experience you gain from waiting and being patient. By this I mean, if you cheat, do something unhealthy, or step in front of someone else- your experience in whatever you are trying to achieve will be satisfying... but only for a short while. You WILL pay the consequences for doing the wrong thing but you will always reap benefits if you are patient.

Giving up on yourself is just as bad as taking a shortcut- usually people give up on themselves because it is taking so long for them to get what they want. The sad thing about this? Most people give up RIGHT before the light; thus, they royally screw themselves because what they want was right around the corner. You and I both know that we have the capability to withstand waiting- whether it be in agony or not, we all have the capability to rise above like the phoniex...Its just a matter of toughening up and committing yourself to WAIT. Your time will come....it will come.

Oh Mother Where Art Thou?

 -      

Once a month we females all know whats coming...Mother Nature seems to throw a little curve ball our way at her own time and convenience...yes, you guessed it- our period. The menstrual cycle is vital not only for reproduction but also for proper hormonal balance and bone health. But sometimes being an athlete, we lose our cycles. This is a topic that I have been asked to address several times so here it goes....

According to research done by Mount Sinai School of Medicine, loss of cycle is the body's way of telling an individual that the body's intake of  nutrition is inadequate. The term is also known as,

Amenorrhea, which is defined as an energy imbalance when caloric expenditure of activity exceeds how much an athlete is consuming.

People need to understand that usually, this energy imbalance is unintentional and not always a case of a disorder. Sometimes, individuals get so caught up in trying to balance all that they have to do in life like: train, work, school, family, etc. and just use more energy than they put in their bodies. Or, it is especially common when an athlete increases the intensity of her training and is not educated or does not know that she needs to consume more calories to meet her new training demands.

It may feel like you are eating enough or that your weight is fine but if you are missing your cycles for more than 3 consecutive months or if your cycles are sporatic, this is your body telling you that somewhere in your diet there is an imbalance and there needs to be a correction. It is simple to change and only you can determine what you can do to help yourself. No one has to tell you that you are underweight or that you are not consuming enough- your body is its best doctor and it knows when to alert you when something is TRULY off.

Many girls are forewarned about the "health consequences" of missing their periods but rarely are these warnings explained, and as a result, a girl focuses on the present (which is running) and is not motivated to change. Well, let me quickly show you some present and future health consequences:

1. Your estrogen levels decrease which means that your bone density will decrease which increases your chances for stress fractures/reactions and premature osteoporosis. (This is because bone resorption exceeds bone production)
2.  Hormones in your body become disrupted- one in particular is cortisol, This is a  stress hormone which rises when you are malnourished- you do not want this because it takes protein away from the muscles for energy which can cause higher blood pressure and weaken the immune system.
3.  You increase your profile for maternal risk. If you plan to be a mother in the future, it is CRUCIAL that you strike a nutritional balance that maintains normal cycles and body weight. Women who have an caloric imbalance, have trouble with cycles, and who are underweight are at risk for delivering a low birth weight baby. This is because her own body is in competition with the fetus for available nutrients in the body and both will suffer. Or worse, women may become infertile because there were not enough calories (especially fat calories) to support the reproductive system.

Some girls are on birth control and thus their bodies are forced to have periods- This is where it gets confusing because the body's alarm system of ceasing the cycle is silenced. So, girls might think that they are fine because they are getting their periods. However, if you are on birth control, know what is a HEALTHY weight for you and if you significantly drop below that, than again, your body is trying to tell you something.

This is something that is so important- do not ignore what your body is trying to tell you. I understand that if you are running well and not getting your period that it is hard to make yourself believe that you need to change what you are doing- however, if you make slight adjustments to your diet whether that be adding more healthy fats, consuming more snacks, etc than I think you will be really surprised at how it will IMPROVE your running even more.
 
Please read this article for further information- its good: http://www.canyons.edu/offices/health/nutritioncoach/concerns/reseat.asp

Since this is a hard topic and can be talked about forever, contact me if you have any further questions or if you need help.

alexadanielle7@gmail.com

Also refer to the GIRL TALK link on the right for more information!

Tri to a Bi

Today I found out that I will have to change my aspirations...Even though being a triathlete was something I really wanted to accomplish I have to step down from that goal for right now. Swimming- as much as I have grown to love it, has caused me some lower back problems... sometimes the pain is so great that I can barely sit without experiencing a headache.

I spoke with a doctor and he said that this can happen- swimming pulling on the back to cause a bulging disc which causes nerve problems. This was kind of dis-heartening because I am so tired of getting injured but I realized that at a high level of training injuries/pain is inevitable. The best thing to do is take active measures to prevent them as much as possible and or take extremely good care of myself to heal to get back out there. And yes that means either taking time off or stopping the activity all together. I have learned to choose health over exercise.

Sometimes it is hard to take a break from things that you love- its easy to be prideful or ignorant and continue to push through the pain just because we don't want to stop doing what we love but if we do this, the pain can become unbearable... sometimes to the point where you cannot do the activity that you love anymore because you pushed it to the extreme. 

I had a plan and it was to train for a March Triathlon- For those of you who know me, you know that I am a strict planner and always have every step mapped out. However, I have realized in the real world that plans CONSTANTLY change. Daily, I get derailed from my plan for the day. My back pain has derailed me from accomplishing this plan. It sucks because I have put a lot of effort into this plan but at least I can still do other things- I am blessed to still be able to run and bike. So... Tentative Plan B? I will become a duelathlete.But this time I will not be so planned- I will have a "map" drawn in pencil and I will carry an eraser for this map because many things can and will change.

Warriors are always prepared to handle derailments- they have the ability to bounce back even when it hurts to change the course of action. Weak people wallow in self pity and refuse to take the new course set before them. They never accomplish anything great because they are holding onto a plan that no longer is in action.

So what are you today? A warrior? Or a weak individual? Take your pick and run with it.

MISTAKES

Yup...This poster was made for Alexa Rogers! I literally screw up every single day. It can be something silly like tripping over nothing, running into a twirling door with a cute guy when I was supposed to wait my turn, farting in public, hugging the wrong person, etc. The list can and will go on forever. I am cursed.

Today at my job I made a pretty bad mistake- one of my bosses asked me to coordinate a meeting for her and one of the big Vice Presidents of our company. For some reason, I thought she meant that she wanted me to meet with him...Ya I know, i'm an idiot. So I set this meeting up with him- just him and I. Then, she found out about it and was like, "Why would you do that? Are you a recruiter?" I replied "No" she replied "And what exactly would you have talked to him about in that meeting?" My face turned red and I shook my head- not knowing what to say. She replied, "Ya, let's save each other from looking stupid." Gosh! I almost died! I made a bone head move- she did save me though because seriously I don't even know the guy and would have walked into his office and been like, "so what's going on here?"  Anyway- I learned to ask for verification when I don't understand.

Then, if things couldn't get any worse- I was in a conference call with some of my other team members in another state and we were waiting for a person named Jeri to attend our team meeting. And I, on the other end of the line, asked, so what does Jeri do? does she work in hr? Then a man's voice on the other end said, "Ya this is Jeri, I'm a guy and I don't work HR but I work for the union!"

Ha- its funny though. I have actually come to enjoy making little blurps because sometimes they provide for a good story and because I learn something from them. Some bigger mistakes I have made are not so funny- they are things that hurt me and hurt others in the past but I am still glad that I made them because I learned from them and am a better person today and hope that others can learn from me and avoid the mistakes that I have made. One thing that I have learned is to make a change after your mistake- bounce back and show the world that you will get back up. AND forgive yourself- you can't be perfect, can't win them all, can't exceed every test, workout, race, or job duty but you can always overcome.