Started From The Bottom, Now We're Here

Today was a day full of memories. I put on my American Flag shirt in honor of Memorial Day, laced my tennis shoes and headed to the Manitou Incline, to do something I should've finished a couple of years ago. If you ask anyone that is close to me they will tell you I am a completely different person than I was two years ago, and I would whole heartedly agree. At 22 I was in and out of a toxic relationship with a guy I thought had hung the moon. Being too naive to see that he was bringing me down instead of up, I held on to what I thought was something good for me. Everyone around me saw that I was slowly losing myself in the thought of someone else, so my dad packed my bags and him and I came to Colorado Springs to visit Diana for a week in November. That week I was glued to my phone waiting for a phone call I never ended up getting. My dad and sister tried everything to get the 'young, wild and free' Bonnie back so they decided to take me to the Manitou Incline. I was so consumed with everything that I had left back in Kentucky I didn't care about putting any energy into anything, after all every bit of my energy was invested in him. As they hiked the incline, I sat at the bottom defeated in more ways than one.

Two years later I wouldn't have recognized that girl. Today as I got to the top of the incline I smiled because I knew at that moment that I am a stronger person now than I have ever been.

   

Loving and believing in yourself is one of the most important things that you can do. We have all been there. At one point in our lives we have let someone else dictate the way that we feel about ourselves and those around us. We have let someone tell us that we aren't good enough, that we aren't pretty enough, that we aren't strong enough, and we believed them. Then one day, you wake up and realize that you are everything that you thought you weren't.

                                 

Finishing the Incline with Diana and the two girls was something I will always remember. Sarah practically ran the entire thing, and Carolyn had to take a few more breaks but for a four year old she made it to the top so well that everyone was talking about how resilient the girls were. It makes me so happy that Diana is raising her girls to believe that they are awesome, that they are strong, and beautiful and inspiring. Nothing is impossible to them, and it makes me smile to see them turning into such amazing young ladies.

“I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then." <3

Living Life One Check Mark To The Next

Two Saturdays from now I will be on my way home to Kentucky! This morning after a Team WOD at Crossfit with Diana I thought to myself, "Who is going to do this crazy stuff with me once I get back home?"

It's weird to think that I lived my life any other way than I have been for the past few weeks. Just by living a healthy lifestyle I am happier, I feel better, and I no longer worry about things that I can not control. One thing, however, that I can control is the way that I look and feel about myself. 

It has been a battle. There have been days that I have wanted to give up right in the middle of dead lifts or what feels like a thousand burpees, but I haven't and I don't plan on it.

Diana, Tomi Jean, Dexter and I have signed up for our first race together once we get back! It is all for fun, but it is the first thing that us kids have done together in a long time. The Tap N Run in Louisville is June 14th and we will be dressing up as 'Walking Holidays.' I am really excited that not only am I doing it with my favorite people, but we are going to look awesome AND there is beer at every mile marker...plus you get a cool medal at the end of the race that is also a beer opener. Talk about a double whammy!

For Memorial Day Diana, the girls and I are hiking the Manitou Incline...if you aren't sure what that is, check it out.

It climbs 2,000 vertical feet over Manitou Springs, and is one of the most challenging hiking trails in Colorado. My parents have successfully made it to the top when they have come out to visit, so now it is my turn! I am really excited to mark this one off my bucket list!

My Colorado bucket list is getting smaller and once the last thing is marked off I will be bringing out the next one to start back in Kentucky....living life one check mark to the next. :)

Woe Is Me?

I guess you could say I have the case of the Mondays. Half way through my time in the Springs and I am starting to freak out a little bit about what path I should take when I return to Kentucky. Since January I have told myself that God has a plan for me. I pray that he will guide me in the right direction and open doors in my life. I'm not losing faith in his plan, because I know that if I trust in him then doors will open, but if you know me...I lack patience.

Have you ever played Mario World and end up in the room with 7 doors surrounding you? Depending on which one you open there is either a surprise or a tragedy behind the closed doors. Not knowing which one is which, you go with your gut and pick.

In a perfect world, not in Mario World, all of those doors would open and have exactly what you were looking for behind it. In 'Bonnie's World' I'm standing in a room surrounded by doors, throwing my hands up in the air because I just want them all to open and everything fall perfectly into place.

Have I lost you yet? If so, bare with me.

They say that doors open and close in your life for different reasons. I actually think I have said this on multiple occasions. However, I also believe that if you work hard, then you should be rewarded. I'm in the summer of my 24th year. A year out of college, spending every night sending out resumes, making phone calls, and networking so that I can begin and keep on pursuing what I want to do, which is write.  The closest thing I have to a relationship is my date with the gym after a work day...a year out of college and into the 'real world' and nothing really makes sense.

Woe is me?

There will be days like this. There will be days that I'll be discouraged and ready to give up. There will be days that I think that I need to change my career. There will be days that I ask myself why am I not dating anyone. The good thing is...these days are few.

The first night that I went to the church here in Colorado Springs the preacher started a new series called 'Writing A New Story.' Which was pretty ironic, don't you think? In the last sermon he told the story of David and Goliath. David is successful not because he is the better warrior, because he clearly was the underdog, David doesn't win for any reason other than the fact that he knows whose story it really is.

"Gods story through me is better than any story mine will ever be."

I have been trying to write my own story, trying to live life the way that I think it should be. God has another plan...and no matter how long it might take for that plan to become clear, I have faith that it is far better than the one that I would write for myself.

All of your problems may seem as big as Goliath, but live for God and you can overcome anything. Always have faith.

You Can Take The Girl Out Of The Country, But You Can't Take The Country Out Of The Girl

Last night instead of slipping into our yoga pants and going for a run, we decided to paint the town red.  When Diana asked me where I wanted to go, I asked if there was a 'honky tonk' in Colorado Springs. The next thing I know, David, Diana and I were walking into a place called Cowboys.

Being from Kentucky, I thought I knew what a 'honky tonk' was, turns out I had no clue. Every song had its own line dance...every line dance had cowboys. These cowboys wore the tight jeans, flannel shirts, boots, authentic cowboy hats and had the moves to prove that they knew exactly how to giddy up.

The gentleman above took time out of his night to teach me how to line dance. Hours of 'right, left, right' and twirling later I felt like I needed to have my boots on too. No matter where you are from or where you go, there will always be a place that reminds you of home. 

We didn't know a single person in that place last night yet we had the best time with each other. We laughed, sang, danced, and acted like there wasn't a care in the world. It's important to do that sometimes. It's important to get dressed up, to feel pretty, to drink fireball like you're 21. It's important to learn how to dance from strangers and act 100% like yourself because who cares what anyone else thinks. It's important to make memories, spend time with family and laugh so hard you wish you would've worn waterproof mascara. 

"Life's a dance you learn as you go, sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow."

Good, Better, Best, Never Let It Rest...

Whenever I am in the middle of a workout and I think I am too tired to finish, or begin to write and suffer from a block, I think back to what my brother used to tell me every time I would complain about something being too hard.

"Good, better, best, never let it rest, until your good is your better and your better is your best."

No matter what my family has always motivated one another to go that extra mile. Dexter doesn't believe in quitting, Diana doesn't believe in the word can't, Tomi Jean believes that if you dream it you can achieve it, my mom has always been right beside all of us as the head cheerleader when we feel like giving up, and my dad makes sure to give us a little tough love which results in us working harder. 

Without them, my own personal cheering section, I probably wouldn't be writing. I wouldn't be a 'finisher' of a Spartan Race. I wouldn't have believed that I could pack my bags and take off to Colorado. I wouldn't have went to college. I wouldn't believe in myself.

One of the biggest lessons that I have learned is that surrounding yourself with people who believe in you makes the world of difference. I once was someone who thought that having 'X' amount of friends was important. Now I know that having a handful of good people who support my crazy ideas and sometimes even take part in them are the ones who I need to have by my side, in my cheering section. 

You are only as strong, smart, happy, or beautiful as you believe that you are. Once you begin to realize that you can accomplish whatever you put your mind to. Then and only then will your good become your better and your better...your best.

Namaste

Today I was sad I wasn't able to give my mom a hug and tell her how much I appreciate her. She is the reason for my successes and I wouldn't be half the woman I am today without her being my biggest fan and best friend. A big shout out to you Mom, Happy Mother's Day.

Spending Mother's Day with the second best mom I know though was exciting, as everyday here has been. We went to our hot yoga session, then brunch at Coquettes, and finished the day indoor rock climbing! Surprisingly enough, it's a blizzard here in the Springs today, but we didn't let that ruin the day.

This morning our yoga instructor reminded us that the past is a memory, the future is a fantasy, and that the only thing that we can do is live in the moment that we are in. Since unplugging and actually living in the moment since I have been in Colorado, I have started to appreciate a lot of things that I think I forgot about when social media was consuming my life.

If you know me well enough, you know that my two biggest fears are failure and heights. Today I was challenged to climb the rock wall and not fail when trying to get to the top. This was a battle between my fear and pride, but after a couple of times, I set everything aside and made it to the top.

If there is anything that I have learned since being in the Springs it's that fear is just a state of mind. You don't have to be scared to take that extra lap, climb a little higher or fail a few times. In order to get where you want to be, and be the best that you can be, being scared is perfectly normal and failing a couple of times only makes you work a little harder.

To everyone who is working towards something to better themselves, I say Namaste to you.

"I honor the place in you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place in you which is of love, of truth, of light and of peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are one."

If You Wish To Go Anywhere You Must Run Twice As Fast

Closing the door behind me, I take a look in all of its glory at the 2013 300E Mercedes interior that I was sitting in. Black leather with wood trim, fully loaded...beautiful. As I turned the key, the Benz woke up and reminded me to fasten my seatbelt. The car had just been sold and my boss chose me to take it to its final destination. I didn't turn on the radio, but instead listened to it switch gears.

When put in the presence of something beautiful, something that you know that you are lucky to be around, we act differently. I am going to be the first to admit that I am guilty of this. Would I have treated a beat up '95 Chevy truck the same way I treated the Benz? Probably not, and neither would you.

The world would be a far better place if we would take a step back and instead of judging something on its worth, embrace it for all that it has to offer. Maybe the '95 Chevy doesn't remind you to fasten your seatbelt, but the 'hug' that the seatbelt gives when fastened lets you know that you're going to be safe. Maybe the Chevy doesn't switch gears as easily, and sometimes it actually gets stuck in second, which is a little awkward, but it reminds you that not everything is perfect and no matter what, it will still get you to where you need to be.

Today will conclude my first full week in the Springs and marks my first pay day! The people I work for are the coolest people I have ever met. My boss has offered to fix Diana's car for her and lend me a car to drive back and forth to work, which is beyond awesome of him. I have been beyond blessed so far while being here and everything has fallen right into place, just as I had hoped for.

Today in the books after work Diana and I are going to hot yoga then painting with a twist! As sore as I am from Crossfit this week, Yoga will be a nice change up. Speaking of Crossfit, Diana introduced me to a babe the other day, we are grabbing drinks on Monday. My first question to Diana, do they sale Makers Mark here? Oh my Old Kentucky home.


“My dear, here we must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if you wish to go anywhere you must run twice as fast as that.” -Alice in Wonderland

Who In The World Am I? Ah, That's A Great Puzzle.

I walked into my first Crossfit class last night and felt like I was in a room with people who spoke a different language. I learned that there is a different name for everything I thought had another name, which was interesting. After the workout I didn't feel defeated, as I thought I would, I just wanted to learn more on how to better myself and become stronger. Coach Dakota smiled and said, "We will get there." Good enough answer for me.

Isn't it crazy how as humans we become like the people we surround ourselves with? Not even a month ago I was slingin' drinks, keeping the Lexington restaurants in business and not working towards any specific goals. A week being in Colorado with my sister, I have hung up my party girl pants (for now) and am working my way to being successful in all areas of my life.

After reading just the first few chapters of Dave Ramsey's Money Makeover book, I can't wait to make up a budget for myself and follow it. The key to being happy, in your 20s, 30s, 40s etc. is to become healthy in every area of your life. 

What I have learned is that so many people are so far in debt with money, their weight and with other people that they have given up on focusing on themselves. If you want something bad enough you have to be willing to make changes and stick to them. 

Some people thought I was crazy when I told them that my reason for coming to Colorado was to figure out exactly who I am...I'm not 100 percent sure, but I think I'm on the right track. 

Get out there and find yourself, you will be pleased with the path that will take you there. 

This Is SPARTA.

This morning Diana and I woke up at 7 a.m. and geared up for one of the most mentally and physically challenging races that I have ever experienced in my entire life...but it was and probably will be the greatest thing I will ever experience. The Colorado Springs 2014 Spartan Military Sprint.

 

It was 85 degrees in Colorado today, and Diana and I were set out to do a few things; kick some ass, get a little dirty, and survive. 15 plus obstacles stood between us and the finish line, all of which included ice cold water and A LOT of mud. These obstacles included, but are not limited to, crawling under barb wire in muddy trenches, carrying sand bags and 20 pound back packs up multiple hills, pulling a cement block up and down a muddy path and getting over multiple 7 feet walls...I think we can officially call ourselves pretty bad ass...or as some people would call it, an official Spartan.

 

Today I learned a lot about myself. Not only did Diana and I push and help each other if needed throughout the race, we finished something that many people are too scared to even try.
Lesson number two: Go into every challenge with a positive outlook. No matter how hard the obstacles you come across get, don't give up. In the end, after going through the sweat and pain you come out a better and stronger person.

Also, who doesn't like free beer and gold medals?

Tonight after washing the layers of mud away, I started to notice my battle wounds the Spartan race left behind. All I could do was smile. I never thought that I could do something like I did today, but now that I know that I can, I am anxious to see what else I am capable of doing.

Push yourself and you'll be surprised to see how far you can go.

Spartan out. :)

Give A Girl 24 Hours And See What All She Can Do

They say that good things happen when you least expect it. Last night when I boarded my flight in Dallas to fly into Colorado Springs I would've said you were crazy if you told me that the next 24 hours were going to be the way that they have been.

Row 16 was where the adventure started. To my right was a girl who looked pretty normal so I initiated a conversation with her. After the first hello, conversation over airplane Dr. Pepper, and successfully making everyone around us feel awkward, I met one pretty awesome person. The guy to our left had 'beats' on for half of the flight but after asking him what he was listening to he took them off and joined in on our conversation about the latest Cosmo that I had picked up in the gift shop. Needless to say, even in the most terrifying situations (since it was the first time I was flying alone) fun was going to be had. My two new friends heard all about my trip and the blog that I was going to be keeping and they wrote these sweet messages in my notebook. Lesson number one: talk to strangers, because everyone really does have an interesting story to be told.

This morning I woke up to two little cuties jumping on my bed. I can't even believe how much Sarah and Carolyn have grown! I went to Sarah's assembly at her school this morning where she had her very own part, I was one very proud Aunt :)

I took off this afternoon and went exploring the area and did a little job searching. After walking into a Mercedes Benz dealership, an hour later I landed myself a job as a receptionist. Like, can someone pinch me? This has to be a dream! 

Tonight I went to my first hot yoga class with Diana, and even though I almost died because of the temperature and lack of oxygen from the elevation, I told them to sign me up for 6 more weeks of Crossfit and Yoga! 

24 hours exactly has gone by since I landed in Colorado Springs and already great things are beginning to unfold. 

Stepping outside of your comfort zone really does lead to so many opportunities and so far, a hell of an adventure. Can't wait to see what's next.