today i'm grateful for...

It’s a question I began asking myself every day, as a way to reflect. I wasn’t surprised after a few days of this practice to find myself noticing things in a whole new way and appreciating them like never before. What I didn’t realize was that by doing this every day, I was becoming, well, happier.

I began this daily habit when a friend of mine introduced me to an app she and her business partner were developing: 1THINGapp.com. It acts as a gratitude journal where you can either keep the things you are grateful for private or share them anonymously with the world. Every day, one of the ‘gratitudes’ that have been shared are illustrated by an artist.

"Sun Saluations" illustrated by Mike Ellis

I was so moved by this project with 1THINGapp.com that I wanted to pose the question with the Wanderlust community in Whistler. After all, yoga is the ultimate celebration of gratitude. I had created a “Before I Die” wall in Vancouver earlier this year and was astounded by the way people engaged with the wall.

Photo Credit: Dana Ramler

Inspired, I created a spinoff for Wanderlust. A giant blackboard with the words “Today I’m grateful for…” was set up in Whistler village. Buckets of chalk were left out and people were invited to share what they were grateful for that day. Each morning of the four-day festival, the wall was cleaned and put out and every day by lunch it was full. The responses were incredible. Grateful for everything from loved ones, sunshine, fresh clean air and new adventures to health, dreams coming true, mountains and freedom. People shared and the wall was bursting with gratitude.

Photo Credit: Dana Ramler

What I find most incredible about these projects is the impact of seeing the gratitude of others and its effect on me. I am continually touched, moved and inspired by what people are appreciative of and further inspired in my own life of things to be grateful for. It’s like gratitude is contagious!

Thanksgiving (a day dedicated to sharing gratitude) is coming up but we can’t help but wonder about the other 364 days of the year. Take a moment, pause and reflect. What are you grateful for today? And maybe try sharing it with the rest of the world, you never know who you’ll inspire!

I ran the San Jose Rock n Roll Half Marathon recently. I'll discuss my performance later in the post, but I had to get some thoughts out of my head and onto the screen (pen and paper in the past, right?).

Every time I go to an event, or race...if you prefer to call it that, I am touched, moved and inspired. This starts the day before the race: race packet pick up day!

the day before

You can feel the energy of anticipation from tens, hundreds or thousands of people, whether it is their first race or their 100th.

As I stroll up to the packet pickup table, I can't help but move with a sense of confidence. I can't help but smile as the volunteer hands this seasoned volunteer his race number. This is it: all of the work you put in to the days, weeks and months before, culminating in just a few hours. I thank the volunteers for their time (required!) because these people make the races we love so much fun.

I walk the expo floor, searching for the coolest new athletic gear, like most endurance geeks do. I rarely find anything I haven't seen before, but alas, I did get something and put another item on my wish list! I bought a Power Balance band, this little wristband that is supposed to help with your electrical field and balance. The expo conjures up memories and emotions of races past and as I leave I call my best friend, reminiscing about our first half marathon four years ago.

race day

Race day is here! This is it: graduation day. You put in the work and this is the easy part (most of the time). The energy reaches its climax when the starter's pistol sounds. Off we go! The fun is trying to harness your excitement in the first mile, to remember your pace!

For this race, I ran in a faster group and couldn't help but feel more alone despite the other 9,000+ runners. The silence of fast runners was draining! The best part about running in slower pace groups is the eavesdropping on neighboring conversations and engaging in your own friendly banter.

I run with a purpose. I'm out to do my best each and every time I tie my shoes. I also run for fun. I smile and thank all the volunteers, I high-five the kids and cheerleaders lining the street. Their energy and support carry me in every race. It is so cool that random people are cheering you on as if you were Michael Jordan on the court! As the miles add up, so do the thoughts running through my mind. I am no longer running on the initial anxiety, but more so on pure guts and personal pride. I have a goal and I will attain that goal or be damned trying. At mile 12, it is almost over, I'm almost there and my body is begging me to walk...but I won't. I feel the nervous energy of the racers around me, each running for the best finishing time of their life. I turn on the juice, and start to pick people off. "Go Jonny Go! Hold that pace! You are an animal!" I finish and feel accomplished, I've more than reached my goal, I kicked its ass.

Wait! I'm not done yet! I haven't told you why I just put my mind and body through the spin cycle.

1) I did it to inspire. I not only run for myself, but I run for those who can't as well as those who won't. I run with the hope that my athletic pursuits will inspire others to make the most of their wonderful bodies. The abilities we each have are amazing and a gift. Why not use them? I think I inspire others with the desire and will to push beyond what we THINK is possible. Why be mediocre when you can be great?! No one can tell you when you are great or not, that is something only you will know. It is easy to answer with one question...Did you do your best? If you said anything other than an ecstatic YES!, then you weren't great, and only you know it. Give it your all, and see what mental and physical rewards you will reap...I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised.

2) I race to be inspired. On the walk to my car, I look at the faces of the people still running, two hours after I had finished. I can't help but cheer and clap them on. Most of them don't look like "athletes" but they are and not because anyone said they were, but because they are doing it. At times I have to take a deep breath. Everyone has a story for why they are out there. Is it to raise awareness for a cause? For someone who couldn't be there that day? To challenge themselves? For the free stuff? My eyes fill with saline (just a little)...as I couldn't be more inspired by these people. I'm inspired that people are living...and choosing such a fun way to live.

So folks, keep moving, keep grooving and keep inspiring me to be great. I promise to do the same.

I guess you could say I race because it makes me smile, and we could all use a good smile. Why do you race?

Want great insight on listening to your body and resting between runs? Check out Janice's blog: http://www.lululemon.com/community/blog/run-hard-rest-harder