Personal Inventory

January 4, 2011 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

Inspired Living HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2011 arrived with a gorgeous sunny day, an amazing hike through a rain forest and then a leisurely stroll along the ocean with great conversation and lots of laughs in between. Later that day, the sunset was truly on fire. It had such an intense, vibrant color…I’ve seen many sunsets but this was magical…this was pure energy, and I felt a deep sense of being truly alive.

It was a blessed way to start a new year.

I did an inventory of my previous year. Have you ever done that? It’s an excellent exercise to help you recognize what you’ve ACCOMPLISHED in a year, as well as where you are now and what you’d like to change. Remember from last week’s blog, we are a work in progress. It’s ok to recognize and accept those things in your life you’d like to change, but don’t use it as an opportunity to beat yourself up.

When I think of where I was a year ago versus where I am now, it’s shocking. Today I am smiling from the inside out whereas last year at this time I was on a chaotic and dysfunctional roller coaster. I had allowed some things back into my life and as a result I was bitterly unhappy, stuck in dysfunction and suffocating in turmoil due to that decision.

These are actual journal entries from last year:

January 1, 2010 4:30 p.m.

I’m sitting in Chapters and it’s the first time I’ve had to myself where I didn’t feel completely exhausted and depleted. It has been an extremely difficult, painful and emotional time.

January 3, 2010 8:40 a.m.

The patterns continue, the frustration, the low self esteem and the anger that for some reason is pointed towards me. I am tired of other people’s baggage…I’m tired of being called a burden, a liability, a source of pain…I’m tired of the twisting of truths and guilt trips…here it is January 3rd and all I’ve written about is DRAMA. I HAVE TO TURN THIS AROUND.

And I did. One year later I’m writing about blessings, joy, laughter, fresh air, jogging, friendships and support.

Time is such a gift and we take it for granted. A year is not a long time and yet, it’s amazing how much you can accomplish and change.

Here is a look at my personal inventory over the last year:

  • I faced enormous fears that came at me from different angles. I walked out the other side a stronger, happier more informed person who has a better understanding of myself.
  • I created a goal, researched that goal and then reached that goal.
  • I began truly following my PASSION and LOVING it.
  • I helped people, something that is of immense importance to me.
  • I ran a ½ marathon with women I didn’t know who I now can call my friends.
  • I actively got rid of negative forces in my life and replaced them with positive, loving and loyal sources.
  • I am more PRESENT in my life because I am thinking about what is right for me and no longer worrying to such an enormous, unhealthy degree of what is right for others. This is not called selfishness but rather SELF CARE.
  • I challenged people who were abusing me.
  • I listened to my INSTINCT and didn’t second guess it or ignore it all together
  • I created an environment that INSPIRES me on a daily basis.
  • I LAUGHED more…
  • I DANCED more…
  • I began my next goal of running 42k on my 42nd birthday
  • I discovered my STRENGTH physically, mentally and emotionally and I put it to use
  • Authenticity became a priority in my life

Yes, I had money problems, relationship issues, anxiety, stress and bouts of depression BUT through the clarity I get from JOGGING, I was able to turn those things around and create many happy, blessed and loving days.

2009 started the metamorphosis, 2010 strengthened the foundation and 2011 will confirm the hard work I’ve been doing.

Do an inventory of your last year and once you’re done you can look at this coming year and recommit to some of your previous goals as well as make new ones.

You have the power to change your life. Never forget that.

CHANGE REQUIRES ACTION!

Do it for yourself and make it a priority.

Start today. Start NOW because YOU ARE WORTH IT!

With a smile

Tina

I Am A Work In Progress

December 30, 2010 By Tina Moore 1 Comment

I Am A Work In Progress In the past, I have written about JOGGING opening me up so I am sustaining JOY and HAPPINESS. I’ve mentioned that I’m laughing more and creating strong friendships. I’ve spoken of toxic relationships and how my life has improved by ending or limiting those relationships. I have mentioned feeling GRATITUDE, witnessing many BLESSINGS, feeling LOVE, as well as stress, anxiety, and money problems. And I always speak of the physical exertion of JOGGING consistently making me feel better no matter what has happened before.

Those statements are all true. I am happier than ever before, laughing more and surrounding myself with positive, supportive people. JOGGING has been a integral part of that….but I’m a work in progress.

I make decisions that sometimes are reminders of what doesn’t work for me or I get challenges from new people that help me exercise my instinct. I don’t always rise to the occasion with grace and wisdom. No, I trip, I falter, I hesitate, I question, I doubt and I worry.

Sometimes I lose sight of what’s important and what are the priorities. Sometimes I get complacent, lazy and procrastinate. And sometimes, if it’s a particularly bad day, I will sit in front of the TV, watch movies, eat junk food, drink a glass of wine and accept that it’s a wasted day.

But is it?

If I have a series of days like that, then yes, it’s a questionable period of time that I need to pay attention to… but one or two days is a gentle reminder of what doesn’t work for me. I don’t feel better when I spend days like that. I feel low in energy, and tired but more importantly I don’t feel good about myself because I haven’t accomplished anything.

JOGGING helps me identify why I make the choices I do, some good, some not so good. I pay attention to my patterns or old coping mechanisms. You can’t fix something if you don’t identify it. And for some things, I have to continually identify it, expose it and then make a different choice. Not always easy, but as I’ve said, I’m a work in progress….

So keeping that in mind, I have not made any New Year’s Resolutions; instead I am recommitting to myself and the life I want to live. I believe I am setting myself up for SUCCESS not failure by doing this. New Year’s Resolutions have never worked for me; therefore, by revisiting my goals and recommitting to myself I am entering the New Year on a positive and hopeful note. Isn’t that what it’s suppose to be about?

If you make a New Year’s resolution, remember: be gentle with yourself and others. You are a work in progress…it’s a life journey we all take…and by embracing ourselves, and each other, we can make that journey a little less isolating and a little more gratifying.

I am with you, one step at a time…and you are with me…one step at a time. Together, we’ll move forward, both, a work in progress.

Wishing you strength when you feel weak, love when you feel alone and faith when you feel lost, in 2011…

With a smile

Tina

PS. Don’t forget to sign up so you get the blogs sent to you directly. THE Jog Blog will return next week, however, rest assured I have kept up my training for the marathon in 2011!

PPS. Don’t forget that you can also find me on Twitter and Facebook or you can HIRE ME to inspire you in person!

Storm Warning

December 28, 2010 By Tina Moore 1 Comment

Storm Warning

Have you ever watched a storm approach? In the distance you can see the dark black clouds, heavy in the sky. They look scary but they are far enough away so you don’t worry about it because you are still in the warmth of the sun.

Or have you ever seen an eclipse? So bright one minute and completely dark the next?

Christmas was my eclipse, my storm. I could feel it coming but despite the warnings it still hit with full force. It wrapped its hands around my throat and it plunged me into the cold, heavy darkness and no amount of tears could get me out. I didn’t have the strength to travel five hours to visit family…the stress and anxiety weighed me down so I was unable to breathe…the pressure to pretend became too overwhelming…hating the feeling of not being able to give yet being forced to receive…

The enormous guilt and shame of wanting the days to be over when I know of families who due to illness, are counting the days, moments and memories with their loved ones. My logical self seemingly having no control over my emotions. My light being shadowed by darkness.

Through that darkness came blessings…

Weeping in my kitchen, unable to keep the tears from escaping my eyes, the sobs from my throat…with my head resting on my Mother’s chest, like I did when I was a little girl…the nurturing of a Mother to a daughter…

Being welcomed into my sister’s home with open arms and concern. There were no judgments, just COMPASSION, KINDNESS, GENEROSITY and CARE.

Numerous texts, emails and messages of love, kindness, support and ultimately, unbeknownst to the senders, STRENGTH.

Making the decision to JOG 14k on Christmas instead of Boxing Day.

Lacing up my runners, filling up my water bottle and stepping out into the fresh air…the first real, deep breaths in a few days…

Immediately feeling the shift as I JOGGED, one step after the other, feet on pavement…my sister riding her bike beside me…a simple conversation begins…

“I’m so glad you made the decision to come for Christmas. If you didn’t I would have drove over and got you.”

The amount of love, care and concern in that statement resonating with each step pounding into the pavement, and into my heart…the LOVE of a sister…

The storm lifted with each kilometer I JOGGED, bringing me back to myself and back to my family…the eclipse passed…hope was renewed, my perspective came into focus and I felt normal again. It’s the best way I can describe it…

JOGGING opened me up to receive the love and care I was being given.

If you suffer during this time, try jogging, hiking, cycling, rowing, dancing or boxing to increase your heart rate and release those endorphins. Find something that resonates with you and DO IT. It’s the only thing that I’ve found that snaps me out of the darkness within a few days. My mistake was perhaps not JOGGING far enough when I first saw the storm approaching…

If you are suffering, I know what it feels like, but I also know there can be a way through it too…

With a smile, compassion and love,

Tina

How The Grinch Stole Jogging – A Twist On The Classic…

December 23, 2010 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

Every Who down in Whoville liked JOGGING a lot…
But the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville, did NOT!
The Grinch hated JOGGING! The whole JOGGING season!
Now, please don’t ask why, no one quite knows the reason.

It could be his head wasn’t screwed on just right.
It could be, perhaps, that his SHOES were too TIGHT.
But I think that the most likely reason of all,
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.

Whatever the reason, his heart or his shoes,
He stood there on Christmas Eve, hating the Whos,
Staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown,
At the Who’s who were warm, below in their town.

He knew every Who down in Whoville was fed,
Having eaten their CARBS and getting ready for bed.
“And they’re happy and healthy!” he snarled with a sneer,
“Tomorrow they’re JOGGING! While I’m drinking BEER!”

Then he growled, with his Grinch fingers nervously drumming,
“I MUST find some way to stop them from RUNNING!”
For tomorrow, he knew, all the men and the women,
Would wake bright and early and put on LULULEMON!

And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the noise!
Noise! Noise! Noise!
That’s one thing he hated!

The NOISE!
NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!

Then the Whos, young and old, would sit down to a feast.
And they’d feast! And they’d feast! And they’d FEAST!
FEAST! FEAST! FEAST!

They would feast on WHO-OATMEAL, and rare ORGANIC Who-Whey.
Which was something the Grinch couldn’t stand for a day!
And THEN they’d do something he liked least of all!
Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small,

Would stand in a circle, with Christmas bells ringing.
They’d stand side-by-side, and the Whos would start STRETCHING!
They’d stretch! And they’d stretch! And they’d STRETCH!
STRETCH! STRETCH! STRETCH!

And the more the Grinch thought of this Who stretching bit,
The more the Grinch thought, “I must STOP, STOP, STOP it!”

“Why, for fifty-three years I’ve put up with it now!”
“I MUST stop this JOGGING from happening! But HOW?”
Then he got an idea! An awful idea!
THE GRINCH GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!

“I know just what to do!” The Grinch laughed in his throat.
And he made a quick Santy Claus hat and a coat.
And he chuckled, and clucked, “What a great Grinchy trick!”
“With this coat and this hat, I look just like Saint Nick!”

“All I need is a reindeer…”

The Grinch looked around.
But, since reindeer are scarce, there was none to be found.

Did that stop the old Grinch? No!

The Grinch simply said,
“If I can’t find a reindeer, I’ll make one instead!”

So he called his dog, Max. Then he took some red thread,
And he tied a big horn on the top of his head.

THEN he loaded some bags and some old empty sacks,
On a ramshackle sleigh and he hitched up old Max.

Then the Grinch said,

“Giddyap!”

and the sleigh started down,
Toward the homes where the Whos lay a-snooze in their town.

All their windows were dark. Quiet snow filled the air.
All the Whos were all dreaming about JOGGING in pairs.
When he came to the first little house on the square.

“This is stop number one,” the old Grinchy Claus hissed,
And he climbed to the roof, empty bags in his fist.
Then he slid down the chimney, a rather tight pinch.
But, if Santa could do it, then so could the Grinch.

He got stuck only once, for a moment or two.
Then he stuck his head out of the fireplace flue.
Where the little Who RUNNERS were all set in a row.
“These RUNNERS,” he grinned, “are the first things to go!”

Then he slithered and slunk, with a smile that mocked,
As he went ‘round the room, and he took every SOCK!
Leggings! Raincoats! Windbreakers! Bras!
Water bottles! Protein bars! Heart monitors! And exercise balls!

And he stuffed them in bags.

Then the Grinch, very nimbly,
Stuffed all the bags, one by one, up the chimney!

Then he slunk to the icebox. He took the Whos’ cheese!
He took the WHO-OATMEAL! He took the smoothies!
He cleaned out that icebox as quick as can be.
Why, that Grinch even took their last can of Who-beans!

Then he stuffed all the food up the chimney with glee.
“And NOW!” grinned the Grinch, “I will stuff up the FLEECE!”

And the Grinch grabbed the fleece, and he started to shove,
When he heard a small sound like the coo of a dove.
He turned around fast, and he saw a small Who!
Little Cindy-Lou Who, who was not more than two.

The Grinch had been caught by this tiny Who daughter,
Who’d got out of bed for a cup of cold water.
She stared at the Grinch and said, “Santy Claus, why,”
“Why are you taking our JOGGING fleece? WHY?”

But, you know, that old Grinch was so smart and so slick,
He thought up a lie, and he thought it up quick!
“Why, my sweet little tot,” the fake Santy Claus lied,
“There’s a tear on this FLEECE that you can see on one side.”
“So I’m taking it home to my workshop, my dear.”
“I’ll fix it up there. Then I’ll bring it back here.”

And his fib fooled the child. Then he patted her head,
And he got her a drink and he sent her to bed.
And when Cindy-Lou Who went to bed with her cup,
He went to the chimney and stuffed the FLEECE up!

Then the last thing he took was the log for their fire!
Then he went up the chimney, himself, the old liar.
On their walls he left nothing but hooks and some wire.

And the one speck of food that he left in the house,
Was a crumb that was even too small for a mouse.
Then He did the same thing to the other Whos’ houses
Leaving crumbs much too small for the other Whos’ mouses!

www.the40by40.com

It was quarter past dawn… All the Whos, still a-bed,
All the Whos, still a-snooze when he packed up his sled,
Packed it up with their RUNNERS! The leggings! The hats!
The bras! And the hoodies! The watches! The GPS stats!

Three thousand feet up! Up the side of Mt. Crumpit,
He rode with his load to the tiptop to dump it!
“Pooh-Pooh to the Whos!” he was grinchishly humming.
“They’re finding out now that no JOGGING is coming!”

“They’re just waking up! I know just what they’ll do!”
“Their mouths will hang open a minute or two,
Then the Whos down in Whoville will all cry Boo Hoo!”

“That’s a noise,” grinned the Grinch, “That I simply MUST hear!”
So he paused, and the Grinch put his hand to his ear.
And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.
It started in low. Then it started to grow.
But the sound wasn’t sad! Why, this sound sounded merry!
It couldn’t be so! But it WAS merry! VERY!

He stared down at Whoville! The Grinch popped his eyes!
Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise!
Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small,
Was RUNNING! Without RUNNERS at all!

They ran in their bare feet and it looked like a game,

They had no problem RUNNING, they ran just the same!
He HADN’T stopped JOGGING from coming! IT CAME!

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: “How could it be so?”
“It came with out RUNNERS! It came without socks!”
“It came without smoothies, or a heart monitor clock!”

And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!

“Maybe JOGGING,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.”
“Maybe JOGGING…perhaps…means a little bit more!”

And what happened then?

Well…in Whoville they say,
That the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day!
And the minute his heart didn’t feel quite so tight,
He whizzed with his load through the bright morning light,

And he brought back the RUNNERS! And the food for that day!
And HE HIMSELF! The Grinch drank their ORGANIC Whey!

Happy Holidays from THE40by40 Jog Blog!

My Christmas Past – When In Doubt, LAUGH…

December 21, 2010 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

I have a funny story to tell. I don’t know if my Mother will laugh as hard as the rest of us but hopefully time will have softened the stress and she can recognize the humor in what now proves to be a very funny Christmas memory.

It was a difficult Christmas and our family was going through a major change. Mom was working terribly hard and was completely exhausted. She was working an afternoon shift so she wasn’t going to be home until midnight on Christmas Eve.

She loves Christmas so it was important for her to have the tree up and decorated however life was stressful, and the Christmas tree was still in a box downstairs on the 24th of December. She had probably asked us a thousand times to put it up, because she didn’t have time to do it herself. She had no choice but to leave that responsibility to us. Before she left for work she asked us to please put up the tree and told us to go downstairs to look for it.

At the time, my brother and I were teenagers and my sister was home from University. We were more interested in watching movies and eating junk food than we were about putting up the tree. We realized that Mom was pretty stressed about it and she’d be angry if it wasn’t done so we eventually made our way into the basement to find all the stuff.

My memory is fuzzy on how hard we actually looked but all we found was the tree and some lights. We couldn’t find any ornaments, garland, tinsel or the traditional angel for the top. We put up the sad, naked tree, which clearly needed some decorations.

What could we use?

We were not the “string-popcorn-together-and-get-creative-with-tin-foil” type of people. No, we decided to choose another way to decorate our tree.

We went into our Mother’s room and grabbed all her pantyhose. We careful stretched each leg of pantyhose around the tree, as if it were garland. Next we found her bras. We hung the bras with loving care as our Christmas tree ornaments. Now we needed something on the top of the tree.

I found the perfect accessory. We used her one, lone, black leather glove. It fit on the top of the tree and bent at the wrist, almost like her hand was in it. It was perfect.

We sat and admired our tree, so proud of ourselves. I remember LAUGHING so hard with my siblings because it looked hilarious with all Mom’s underwear hanging off the branches. We were very excited to see her reaction.

After we decorated it, we went to the local gas station and rented a movie: “The Exorcist”. Apparently all the happy movies were already rented this Christmas Eve. Yes, you could say we weren’t the typical family on Christmas. We watched horror movies instead of singing Christmas carols. If you aren’t familiar with the movie, a very famous scene is when the main character’s head spins completely around as she is possessed by evil…

Well, when Mom got home, that’s what she looked like…

Oh she was mad! As an overworked, tired and stressed woman, coming home to a tree decorated with her ‘delicates’ was just pushing her a little too far. We were told to take it down NOW and I think she found the correct decorations to put up.

I will always remember that Christmas because it was funny not because it was a tough time in our family. It was at our poor Mom’s expense, but gosh it created a bond with my siblings that was based on laughter, not pain. We needed some laughter in our life at that time.

Christmas can be difficult for people. It can be stressful and filled with sadness or loneliness. I tell this story to show you that even in times of difficulty, you can turn the situation into something FUN and WORTH REMEMBERING…and all it took was a couple pairs of pantyhose, some bras and a glove!

Love you Momma!

With a smile

Tina

PS. I received an unexpected card and gift in the mail this week from my dear friend and colleague Alexander Forbes. (With much gratitude Alex, I thank you) He is an accomplished poet, author and speaker who I had the privilege of working with on a couple CD’s of his wonderful poems.

The current CD is titled, “the beauty of the city in the last hour of the night” and it is available on Itunes and CD Baby. I mention the CD because it’s a lovely, unique project bringing together his POETRY, with my NARRATION, as well as MUSIC and ART. It would make a lovely gift for someone who is difficult to buy for.

PPS. I have a wonderful surprise for you on Thursday, so don’t forget to come back!

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