GOALS

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
– Walt Disney

I’ll be turning 30 in 1 month and I figure it’s about time to do some of the things I’ve been talking about for ages!  Since I’ve decided to start actually pursuing some of my goals I figure I should write them down.  I’ve chosen two to focus on this year:

1) To train for and run the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon

2) To learn Italian for a trip to Italy next summer

I’ve downloaded an app which helps non-runners train for a 5K (not quite a 1/2 marathon, but it’s a start).  My plan is to follow the training program and on the off days from running I’ll either do yoga or the elliptical.  My goal to start is to work out an average of half an hour each day.  So far I’m not doing too bad!

For my 2nd goal I’m going to start learning Italian.  Most of my relatives speak it and I’ve always wanted to learn, but years of struggling through elementary and high school French classes turned me off from ever trying to learn another foreign language.  I’ve gotten the Italian Rosetta Stone and I’m going to give it my best shot!  I’m going to start tonight so we’ll see how that goes!

I am confident I can accomplish these goals if I just get started!

The Running Princesses

“I only hope that we don’t lose sight of one thing…that it was all started by a mouse.” – Walt Disney

At my previous job I did a lot of work with non-profits.  I loved it.   I was able to help several different organizations raise money and awareness and every year I put together a team for a fundraising walk.

The combination of feeling unfulfilled at my new job (I don’t have any involvement with charitable organizations any more) and meeting a girl about my age battling leukemia made me want to do something.  Since I’m not typically a “do-er” and more often than not my well intended plans quickly go from over the top enthusiasm and planning to a faded distance memory I knew I needed to find something that I’d be excited enough about to actually DO.

I didn’t want to do just a fundraising walk…anyone can do a walk.  I wanted to do something that would challenge me, something I had to commit to and actually get off my ass to accomplish.  I looked at swim events (but really, who wants to swim across the Hudson River!), I looked at runs but never found anything motivating enough to make me actually want to take up running and I looked at everything in between…and then I found it.

The Running Princesses.  The Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon.  It’s a run through the Disney parks (possibly my favorite place in the world!) and everyone dresses up as Disney princesses!  It’s perfect, it’s me!  I’m going to do it!

That afternoon I started to plan.  I can not run, so I needed to start there.  I found an app that coaches you along and starts with 1 minute walk/run intervals and coaches you up to running a 5k.  I figured that was a good start.  And the next morning I got up and ran!

Now mind you it WAS NOT easy and all I could think about was if I’m struggling with 1 minute intervals how the hell am I going to eventually run 13 miles!  That was 2 weeks ago and the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon is in almost 9 months.  All I know is that in 9 months I am somehow going to run 13.1 miles!

For me, it all started with the discovery of the running princesses!  I want to be one of them.  I AM going to be one of them.  This is a goal I am going to accomplish and hopefully I’ll be able to raise money for a great cause while I’m doing it!  Now to figure out which princess I am going to be!

Getting Started

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”   – Walt Disney

When it comes to work, I am a do-er.  When it comes to my personal life, I am a talker.  I talk a lot about things I want to do, but they never get done…NEVER.  When I come up with a new wild plan or project that I say I am going to do my husband just chuckles and says, “sure you are honey”.

So I have decided, I am going to “quit talking and begin doing”.

I quote Walt Disney.  Walt Disney was a “doer”.  He did incredible things and oddly enough my inspiration to start actually doing something is tied to Disney.

Running a marathon is right at the top of my bucket list.  I have no idea why, because when I actually think about it who in their right mind would want to run 26.2 miles for no reason other than to say you did!  It’s just crazy.  Did I mention I hate running and probably haven’t run more than a mile since I was in 8th grade and it was required for PE class.

I have talked about running a marathon for years, but never once have I actually put on my sneakers and gone out for a run.  There was nothing that could convince me that going out running and training for a marathon was really worth the effort not matter how much I talked about doing it.

Then I found it.  Now, it’s only a half marathon (because I still think running 26 miles is just crazy), but I really think this is it!  This is what is going to inspire me to quit talking and start doing – it’s THE DISNEY PRINCESS HALF MARATHON and I LOVE it and I AM GOING TO DO IT!

I am starting this blog a few weeks after the start of my “doing” because I realized I needed to put this in writing.  Writing it down keeps me accountable.

Tomorrow I will back up to the past few weeks and account what I’ve done so far, but the good news is I’m getting started.  I found a goal and I am going to quit talking and start doing!