I recently met a couple who worked for years towards retirement and had been looking forward to enjoying all the things that they were 'going to do' during their Golden Years.  Well life happened in a big way to this couple - The husband did retire, he even retired early.  You see he had to because of an aggressive degenerative disease which will claim his life in the next couple of years.  There's no cure and like I said it's aggressive in it's progression so he will lose more and more of his mobility while the disease takes it's course.  As a result of his illness they will never get to all those things they dreamed of which is tragic.

This is a heart breaking story that repeats itself over and over and over.  I can list many similar stories of people I know personally that share many of the same characteristics.  They're working for 'someday' to live the life they dream of, my question is WHY WAIT?  Why not live the life of your dreams TODAY and everyday?  Life is just way too short to wait for someday.

Some of you have heard me explain the difference between simple and easy: simple means uncomplicated while easy means little or no effort.  Creating your dream life is simple however it may not be easy.  It does take effort, work and planning on your part to make your dream a reality.  My experience working with my coaching clients is that the most challenging aspect of creating their dream life is figuring out what it is they really, really want.  Once they determine what it is they really, really want the rest is planning and execution. 

Most people don't know what they want they just know they don't want what they have and they feel trapped and frustrated.  As an example of what I mean picture yourself getting in your car and start driving without a destination in mind.  How will you know when you 'arrive'?  Will it matter where you end up?  Will you be angry or frustrated with where you end up?  Living your life day to day without a destination in mind is a lot like the car example.  I am not advocating planning every detail of your life but having a vision of what you want your life to be and moving in that direction is critical but does take planning.

Most of us have a dental plan, a health plan, a retirement plan but how many of us have a life plan?  A life plan needs to include all aspects of our life - health, fitness, spiritual well being, financial, social, family, work, personal development, education, community, service.  I didn't list every aspect of a persons life but you get the idea of the different areas that we can focus on in our lives.

We are all unique individuals and what works for us may not work for someone else and vice versa.  I was involved with a wonderful woman and powerful teacher, Mikelann Valterra , who specializes in working with women to help them earn what they're worth.  One of the biggest lessons I learned from her was that earning 'enough' was different for each person depending on the individuals needs.  Some people may need to earn 200K a year while another may only need to earn 25K a year to meet their financial needs and goals.  When we apply the same logic to our own lives we realize that the same is true for each aspect of our own life.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you get started on your journey to creating the life of your dreams:

• What is my perfect vacation day?
• What aspects of my perfect vacation day can I incorporate into my daily life?
• What brings me joy?
• What is most important to me?
• What can I do today to start creating my dream life?

These questions will give you a good start and make sure to make time to answer them fully.  It may take a few days of thinking to come up with the answers and remember that there are no wrong answers.  Creating your dream life is the most important work you'll ever do and the most rewarding.  You really, truly deserve to live the life of your dreams - why wait another moment?  This is the only life you have so you may as well make it a best seller.

If you're ready to start making your dream life a reality and know that you would benefit from guidance and accountability check out the different coaching options available at Wuhoo Fitness  We will all end up somewhere but is it where YOU want to be? 

Here's to You in Health, Wellness and Fitness,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

jennifer@wuhoofitness.com

www.wuhoofitness.com

Listen to my weekly radio show Let's Talk every Thursday from 9-10 AM PST

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-malocha

First things first, in the sport of triathlon there is an unlimited number of gear and equipment to spend money on.  Unless you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will be completing triathlons for years to come there really are only a few items that you NEED to have.  Here's a list of the most important gear:

1. A REALLY good pair of running shoes.  This is one area I insist that my athletes adhere to.  Your feet are super important and are connected to the rest of your body.  A great pair of shoes that fit you really well are paramount to helping you stay injury free as you train.  Go to a local store that specializes in running shoes so that the experts there can fit you so that you walk (or run!) out of the store with a pair of shoes you love that fit you and support your feet and legs to help keep you up and running.  Expect to spend around $100 on a good pair of shoes.
2. A bike.  Kind of a no brainer I know however with that said it really doesn't matter what type of bike it is for your first triathlon just that it has two wheels, pedals and brakes.  Whatever bike you have or can get your hands on take to your local bike store and ask someone working there to help make sure it fits you.  Trust me you won't be 'bothering' them because above all they LOVE getting more people riding and this means you!  Once you know the bike fits you the next thing is to make sure it has street tires.  I see many, many mountain bikes doing triathlons which is fine - they work- but to make your life easier put street tires on them, it really makes a big difference and tires are usually around $20 a tire.  Those nice people at the bike store will even put them on for you usually at no charge and while you're there pick up a helmet because you will not be allowed to do the triathlon without one.
3. Goggles - my favorites are a type called 'seal' goggles.  They look similar to a diving mask without the nose piece.  They are a wide screen goggle the literally seals to your face.  They offer fantastic visibility and don't come off if you accidentally get kicked in the face.  They also come with clear and tinted lenses.  I've seen them on sale at Big 5 for only $20.

Pretty short list of HAVE to have items huh?  I'm serious about the shoes and that's why they're listed first.  As for a bike do your first triathlon to see if you even like doing triathlons before you commit to a road bike.  A great entry level road bike will cost around $800 and that's on the inexpensive side.  I bought my road bike back in 2002 for $1200 and it was considered entry level.  I love my bike and it was worth every penny but it was a HUGE investment for me, an investment I knew I needed (& wanted!) to make but I still suffered from sticker shock.  I tested a LOT of bikes before I settled on my bike because they each have a different feel along with having different components.   If you have bike purchasing questions email me directly at jennifer@wuhoofitness.com and I'll be happy to help you.

Okay now for clothing: 

1. For women a GREAT sports bra is an absolute MUST - I recommend the Le Mystere Energy Sports Bra because it offers the best support of any bra I've seen and it's extremely versatile and comfortable.  
2. You don't have to have them but a pair of tri shorts are fantastic.  You can get them from the friendly and helpful people at either the store where you picked up your shoes or from those nice people at the bike store.  They can run anywhere from $25 (on sale) to $50 but they're great because you can swim, bike and run in them.  For women all you need to do is where your sports bra and tri shorts for the swim and then throw a shirt on for the bike and run.  Guys you do the same thing only skip the sports bra part.
3. Moisture wicking socks are super important for keeping you comfortable and your feet blister free.
4. A hat not a cotton baseball hat but a moisture wicking hat that breathes which you can pick up from the nice shoe store people.
5. sunglasses or some type of eye wear for the ride.  Wrap around glasses are wonderful and you can pick them up from the nice bike store people.  There are many types to choose from and most models come with extra lenses of different shades for different types of weather and usually run around $30 bucks or so.

Other things that are nice to have are things like:

• Body Glide.  Body Glides helps prevent chaffing, easy is to put on, is inexpensive and lasts for years. 
• Bike gloves
• A hear rate monitor.  I put this in the nice to have category but I really feel it should go in the must haves.....  we'll talk more about this piece of equipment later.

As you can see there really aren't that many things you need to get started enjoy the sport of triathlon.  It's funny though how many super cool things that I've needed to have over the years.  Things I use season after season but these are things that you can pick up over the course of time.  Over the course of the next few weeks I'll be covering training tips as well as sport to sport transition tips.  For now putting together the things that I've listed here will keep you busy for at least a few days.  Oh and remember to train to your weakness, don't neglect your strength but your weakest sport will hurt your time much more than your time for the sport your strongest in.

Here's to You in Health, Wellness and Fitness,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

jennifer@wuhoofitness.com

www.wuhoofitness.com

Listen to my weekly radio show Let's Talk every Thursday from 9-10 AM PST

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-malocha

What didcome as a surprise was the information that she shared about them that she had no way of knowing because I hadn't told her.  For example Teddy shared with her that I ride heavier on my right side than my left.  Joan had no way of knowing that I sustained a serious soft tissue injury to my left ankle a little more than a year ago. Hmmmm.  There were other things she shared about both of them but today's post is about stories.

Joan gently pointed out that Clyde was at one time a rescue but since he had been a member of our family for going on 5 years that title or 'story' no longer fit.  In fact that 'story' was preventing him from becoming the dog he couldbecome.  Again hmmmmm.  After my visit with Joan I purchased her book Communication with All Life and began reading about all sorts of stories.  Well for those of you who know me personally and those of you who have been reading these posts you know I think a LOT! And my conversation with Joan along with her book got me thinking about stories especially the ones I tell myself as well as the stories that I see my friends, family members and clients tell themselves.

The stories we tell ourselves and others are 'real life' stories, the universe makes sure that our stories are true because we are the 'authors' so they MUST be true.  These stories are all powerful and very, very real.  Here are some examples of stories from my own life.

I was raised in a very abusive home, so abusive I have had to deal with and heal from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.  I discovered drugs and alcohol at a very early age to help me 'cope' which lead to a drug and alcohol addiction.  Happily I have been clean and sober since October 1985.  It would be easy for me to harbor feelings of resentment and even rage towards both of my parents but at the end of the day how would that benefit me?

I can choose to tell the story of how horrible, abusive and neglectful my parents were or I can see them for the flawed, scared, hurt individuals that they are and treat them with compassion and grace.  When I come into a situation with compassion and grace I allow others to as well which changes the dynamic dramatically. 

Another story example is one I am currently experiencing in regards to my horse Teddy.  The 'rescue' that facilitated the introduction through a series of events is making the lives of myself, his former owner and the women who cared for him until he came into my life difficult to put it mildly.  You see the 'rescue' never had any legal claim to Teddy so was not in a position to adopt him out.  I have a bill of sale from the former owner stating that he is mine which the 'owner' of the 'rescue' is fighting.  Lawyers are now involved which is an incredible waste of time, energy and resources all to what end?

During this whole ordeal which has been going on for a little over a month my emotional state has been all over the map.  When I got my first snot gram from her pro bono attorney my emotional state hit an all time low because of the story I was telling myself which based firmly in fear and uncertainty.  When I realized what an amazingly negative true story I was telling myself I decided right then and there to do something different.

I made the decision to edit this story and do a MAJOR rewrite about this situation.  I decided to trust that the universe and God had mine and Teddy's best interests at heart and that only good would come from this unpleasant situation.  I began reaching out to my community in a positive way and in doing so a dear friend put me in contact with an attorney who is 'The' specialist and 'Go To Guy' for other attorneys for matters involving animal law.  When I explained the situation to him he reassured me that I was in very good and capable hands.

I admit that it's WAY easier to rewrite sentences or paragraphs within our stories rather than chapters bu it IS possible.  Another smaller example of a rewrite involves Teddy and mud puddles.  Teddy does NOT like going through mud puddles, because I've experienced this with him I 'know it's coming' so I expect it which leads to a battle if I decide that he needs to go through it.  I decided to rewrite the puddle story and I pictured in my mind Teddy easily going through the middle of a puddle easily and without any fuss at all.  It's not perfect yet but it is WAY better than it used to be because of the true story I now tell myself about Teddy and mud puddles.

What True Story are you telling yourself about your life?  Is it one of peace, love, adundance and joy?  Or is it possibly one of scarcity, challenge and fighting for everything you get?  Or somewhere in between?  Each one of us has the power in every moment of every day to do a rewrite - large or small -or an edit with whatever story we're currently telling ourselves if it is not the story that we want.

Today I am choosing to tell my True Story of Love, Compassion, Abundance, Peace and Harmony in which all my dreams come true.  Mine's a real life true action, adventure, romantic comedy, love story.  What story will you be telling yourself today - What's YOUR story?  Make it a best seller because you deserve it!

PS Thanks Joan for getting me thinkin'!  Listen to my radio show interview with Joan

Here's to You in Health, Wellness and Fitness,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

jennifer@wuhoofitness.com

www.wuhoofitness.com

Listen to my weekly radio show Let's Talk every Thursday from 9-10 AM PST

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-malocha

I remember the day that I became an 'adult'.  I was already married and a mother of two which implies that I was an adult but mentally I don't think that I really believed that I was an adult.  We had a cat named Mango who went from being healthy and robust literally overnight.  For various reasons it was up to me to take Mango in to the vet to see what if anything could  be done.  I had to put Mango kitty down which was the moment I became 'The Adult' or 'The Mom' as opposed to a mom.

Since then I've had to make other hard decisions.  Some of the hard decisions include what I was and was not willing to put up with from others.  This can be very challenging especially when it comes to family members.  Another one I had to make was what did I want to do with my life?  What was important to me.  I had spent so much of my life taking care of others that I really had no idea what I wanted.  And heaven forbid that I actually stood my ground in an uncomfortable situation.

I've come a long, long way from those days and find it hard to watch those around me avoid making hard decisions because it's hard.  A senior citizen I know is in a situation where they are most likely going to lose their home.  They have no savings and limited options.  Instead of making the decision to take action they sit in their home wringing their hands waiting for someone to rush in and save them when all they need to do is take action to save themselves.

Another person I know has an injured animal.  This animal basically lives in a very confined area that strictly limits movement because of a serious injury.  My friend needs to decide to either get the required very expensive surgery or put the animal down.  The injury will not heal on it's own and will require close to a year of confinement during the recovery period but at least there's light at the end.  It's a hard choice but one that needs to be made sooner rather than later out of kindness to the animal.  She can't make up her mind which is unfair to the animal but easier on her.

Not all hard decisions are as big or dramatic as my two examples in fact many of our hard decisions are rather small and seemingly insignificant yet have far reaching ramifications.  Take for example skipping doing cardio for a few days which ends up turning into a few weeks then a few months and before you know it it's been years since you've done any real cardio.  Or say adding salt to everything you eat which over time can result in hypertension or high blood pressure.  Or not having time to play with our kids right now - we'll do it later, only to wake up one day to find them leaving for college.

When we're able to make those hard small decisions we are then able to more readily make those hard big decisions because we have a personal history of making hard decisions regardless of the size.  I challenge you to start honoring yourself by making small hard decisions daily so that when you are faced with a really big hard decision you'll be able to face it head on and make the right decision for the greatest good for all concerned.

Here's to You in Health, Wellness and Fitness,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

jennifer@wuhoofitness.com

www.wuhoofitness.com

Listen to my weekly radio show Let's Talk every Thursday from 9-10 AM PST

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-malocha

Okay back to what I decided to do to help inspire activism through fitness....

Well I decided that on the Fourth Thursday of the month my guest would be someone affiliated with a cause that is hosting some type of fitness event that I can help promote.  Since there are SO many great events during the summer I'm thinking that I may have to do the second and fourth Thursdays but I'll keep you posted.  I figure that this is a win-win right?  After all I want people to get outside and move more AND I want to be of service.  The event co-ordinators want more participants who in turn will help raise money for a great cause.  The people participating in the event get exercise AND help a great cause.  Okay so it's more like a win-win-win but you get the idea.

Upcoming Events:

Bridle Trails Park Foundation Party in the Park Saturday June 26th  This is a FANTASTIC and I do mean FANTASTIC event!  It's a 5K (3.2 Mile) or 10 K (6.4 mile) walk/run through spectacularly beautiful Bridle Trails State Park.  Did I mention it's a party?  There's also a fabulous pancake breakfast, pony rides for the kids, equestrian drill teams, equestrian vaulting, even performing pigs!  This is absolutely one of my favorite events of the year.  Oh and 100% of the proceeds goes to the operating expenses to keep the park open and OFF the closure list.

13th Annual Swim For Life Wednesday August 18th  This is a 2.5 mile swim across Lake Washington and all the proceeds goes toward Puget Sound Blood Center.  I plan on doing this event for the first time this year.  I haven't done it yet but I've heard GREAT things about the event.

Trek All Womens Triathlon Sunday September 19th  Tune into Let's Talk with Jennifer Malocha on June 24th for special guest Sally Edwards!  For those of you who are new to all things Wuhoo you may not know that Sally is one of MY personal hero's.  I love her!  She has done more to inspire women to fitness than only other individual I know.  She also created something called Team Survivor Northwest which offers FREE exercise classes to cancer patients and survivors.  Oh sorry I got a little off track... my bad!  This is an all women's event and I can assure you that YES you too can complete a triathlon.  I have personally helped coach over 150 women across the finish line of their first triathlon.  They've been ALL shapes, sizes and ages - from very fit to over a 100 pounds overweight, from 22 years old to 63 years old and everywhere in between!  This is one big party that celebrates women AND any cancer survivor or patient gets to do the event for FREE.  The proceeds goes toward Team Survivor Northwest which is what?  That's right!  A GREAT cause!

3rd Annual Cycle the WAVE all womens bike ride Sunday September 19th   Even though this event is on the same day as the Trek which I will be doing I believe in this event with ALL my heart.  This is an all women's event that has 3 different distances and 100% of the proceeds goes to Eastside Domestic Violence.  The WAVE stands for Women Against Violence EVERYWHERE!  Here's the link to hear the interview with Ride Director Sharon Anderson on Let's Talk with Jennifer Malocha

There are LOTS more fabulous events coming up over the next few months - there's a 5K walk/run, a swim, a triathlon, a bike ride or something any given weekend with YOUR name on it. 

In fact you can even get your fitness in by showing up for a cause like People For Puget Sound they have restoration projects all around the Puget Sound and need people to help 'garden' if you will...  To find out more about People For Puget Sound here's a link to the interview I did with Deputy Director Heather Ritts on Let's Talk with Jennifer Malocha.

I invite you to get out there today and become an activist through fitness - you never know what will happen.  You may discover a whole new you or rediscover a part of you that you didn't know was missing.

Here's to You in Health, Wellness and Fitness,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

jennifer@wuhoofitness.com

www.wuhoofitness.com

Listen to my weekly radio show Let's Talk every Thursday from 9-10 AM PST

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-malocha

Well I've owned my horse for a year now and what I've learned from him has been SUBSTANTIAL!  I did know that riding horses at an advanced level took a LOT of strength and definitely fell into the 'workout' category.  What I didn't realize was that learning how to ride correctly also fell into the 'workout' category.

I can honestly say that I have done many different things that have challenged me physically, many of them even challenged me mentally.  None of them have challenged me physically and mentally AND had me laughing out loud from sheer joy all at the same time.  This is not to say that I haven't enjoyed the things I've done or felt pride for my accomplishments because I have enjoyed them and been proud of myself.

I'm not sure if you've ever noticed but horses are kind of big.  They also have minds of their own and will do pretty much whatever they want whenever they want which makes it imperative to create a partnership in the truest sense of the word so that everyone can be successful.  People who know me know that I passionately believe in win-win scenarios and the power of team work.  If we work together then we ALL succeed - we really are powerful beyond measure and can change the world if we put our minds to it.

Okay back to horsing around.....

As you can imagine I'm pretty adept at most things fitness related.  Learning how to ride my horse has been one of the mot challenging things that I've ever done.  I am NOT used to not being good at anything that's fitness related which as you can imagine can be a little frustrating for a person like me who's just a skoash competitive.  (I'm also a tad bit demanding with my expectations for myself - I'm working on this though...)  The greatest challenge that I've had to overcome in learning how to ride my horse lives between my ears.  My own fear and doubt have been the greatest hurdles that I've had to overcome this past year.

It's funny but once I let go of my fear and doubt I instantly became a MUCH better rider.  I knew in my heart of hearts that if anything went wrong I had the tools to shut things down and keep myself safe.  The first time that I took my horse out trail riding alone - just the two of us - I was confident that I was leader enough to support both of us.  And guess what?  I was right.  Now when I go out riding with him I'm more relaxed and allow him to go at the pace he's comfortable with. 

With that said he IS a bit of a Princess.  He does NOT like puddles so varies his speed and enjoys making last second mud puddle evasive moves along the trail.  This means that I need to have my core engaged at ALL times and to be centered and balanced so that I can anticipate his movements  and move with him.  Teddy enjoys moving along at a brisk trot and being a 17 hand high Thoroughbred he can cover a lot of ground very quickly so I spend most of my time posting which directly equates to lots and lots and lots of squats. 

I was talking to my dear friend Katie  Swartz - Smith creator of Authentic You about my riding experiences.  She then related her experience of running with me.... The story that she's been telling herself for the past year is that she can't run 3 miles without stopping.  However this past weekend she did run 3.2 miles in and organized 5K run.  What she discovered was that she's more capable than she thought she was and that what was holding her back was between her ears. 

She agreed that the fear and doubt do keep us from realizing what we're capable of she then added that another aspect of the fear and doubt is the voice that let's us 'off the hook' - the voice tells us it's too hard and makes up reasons why we can't or worse shouldn't even try because we 'know' we can't do it.  The reality is that we all really ARE capable, we really CAN do it and DO posses the tools to keep us safe in our lives currently we just might not be able to see it sometimes.

After talking with Katie I realized that I've seen this play out over and over and over in my athletes over the years as well as with myself.  We are all so much more capable and strong than we think we are which keeps us from experiencing life to the fullest.  It is in letting go of those negative voices that whisper sweet nothings in our ears that it's: safer not to try, that we're incapable, that it's too hard that prevent us from discovering pure joy in our daily lives.

The one constant I see in all my athletes is that once they've discovered that they're physically capable the negative voices lose strength.  It is in moving forward physically that we allow ourselves to move forward mentally as well.  There is great power in movement, great joy in movement as well as great healing in movement.

I feel the most alive when I am challenging myself physically and mentally because I love movement in pretty much all forms.  Discovering the pure joy, the bliss in letting go of all the fear and doubt and just being in the moment of movement fills me with such joy I HAVE to laugh out loud because I just can't contain it. 

I know that what brings me joy is most likely different than what brings you joy but I invite you to let go of your fear and doubt long enough to challenge yourself in a way that you've always wanted to challenge yourself and just stay in the moment to see what happens.  You never know YOU might even need to laugh out loud because it's just too joyful to contain.

Here's to You in Health, Wellness and Fitness,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

jennifer@wuhoofitness.com

www.wuhoofitness.com

Listen to my weekly radio show Let's Talk every Thursday from 9-10 AM PST

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-malocha

Okay so add the fact that I learned how to be VERY afraid of heights at a young age when a rope swing I was on broke while I was swinging out over the forest floor about 20 feet below.  It was a miracle that I was not hurt - nothing was broken, I came away with only a few scratches and a VERY stiff and sore body.  I think I was about 10 years old.

Fast forward to the challenge course......   

You may be asking why on Earth I would choose to do a challenge that was so scary for me and the only answer I have is that I do not want to let my fear control me.  I want to be able to control my fear because when all is said and done my fear (or lack there of) is the story I tell myself about a situation.  This became abundantly clear to me towards the end of the challenge but I'm getting ahead of myself. 

Our challenge facilitator Conner asked each of us as we were about to head up what we wanted to focus on, let go of or what our intention was for the challenge.  Mine was to A) Trust - trust myself, trust God and most importantly trust the ropes and B) Let go of the false belief that I held at some level that I was incapable.

The whole time I was looking up (& up!) at the tightrope the story started to unroll and I felt all of my fear tell me how very scared I was and how high it was and how terrifying it seemed.  My breathing came faster, my heart began to pound a little harder and I started to doubt the wisdom of doing this challenge.  All this told me that I was doing exactly what I needed to do to break the bonds that held me fast.

In the picture to the left I am just starting my climb and in the picture to the right I am 35 feet up doing my best to let go and start my tightrope experience.  Did I mention that I'm 35 feet up in the air?  Letting go of that nice safe pole took a little doing.

I was able to let go and step out and begin my way across the tightrope to the other side.  I'm not sure if you will be able to identify with this next bit but here goes....

The positive 'you can do it!' voice literally was coaching me out loud.  I told myself that I was safe, to engage my abs, to relax and just breathe into it - all positive and accurate stuff.

Well all the while what I'll call the 'Siren Song' was telling me that there's no shame in NOT making it across - it's be SOOOO much easier to just let go sit back and get lowered to the safety of the ground.  After all my heart was about to pound out of my chest, my mouth was bone dry, I felt like I was going to throw up and all my muscles were beyond burning from how tightly I was hanging onto the support ropes.  At one point I almost lost my balance but was able to stay up there.  Did I mention that the wind was blowing so I had to time the grab for the next support rope?

A truly amazing thing happened when I knew that I was only one rope away from the finish.  Keep in mind the ENTIRE way across I'd been inching myself along sideways one hard fought inch at a time.  Well like I said when I knew that I was only one rope away from victory I literally turned my body towards the pole and WALKED forward foot over foot and slapped the pole like it was no big deal.

When the epiphany hit me I swear it physically hurt.  I could have strolled across that tightrope foot over foot the entire way.  Nothing had changed EXCEPT the reality that I had created in my head. 

The next epiphany that hit was that my whole entire life is just one big story that I myself create.  The experience of the tightrope was such a perfect reflection of my life.  How often do you do what I do and make things WAY harder than they need to be?  What stories do you tell yourself that are entirely true that the opposite could be equally true?  What if we are the one's who control how easy or difficult our life is?  What story would YOU tell if you knew that you could write a true story about Love, Joy, Happiness, Health and Abundance?

I don't know about you but I'm game to find out.  I challenge you to go out and write a true story for your life that is what dreams are made of.

Here's to You in Health, Wellness and Fitness,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

jennifer@wuhoofitness.com

www.wuhoofitness.com

Listen to my weekly radio show Let's Talk every Thursday from 9-10 AM PST

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-malocha

Okay this is supposed to be about letting go right?  Well let's get to it then...     

he first ropes challenge I did was called Swing and a Prayer.  The first step was donning my half harness then climbing up a ladder to get 'attached' to a cable.  While getting attached to the cable by our facilitator Neil he also attached a release rope that he had me hold on to then I got hoisted up 35 feet up into the air.  Just an FYI the ground is kind of far away when you're sitting 35 feet above it.  As I'm up in the air holding on to my 'release' rope all sorts of thoughts are going through my head- you see it is completely up to me to let go.  I get to decide when to let go, how to let go, IF to let go, how I'll feel when I let go, what I'll DO when I let go and if I'm ready to let go.

All this is going through my head like a speed train, well kind of.  I'm more focused on the if I'm ready to let go or not aspect of letting go.  Did I mention that I'm afraid of heights?  This was really quite a challenge which is exactly why I wanted to do it.  I'm all about facing my fear and walking through it.  I don't want to get to the end of my life and say I really wish I had ______ if only I'd been brave enough to try.

Okay back the the Swing.  The intention I set while still on the ground was to trust and just breathe into and out of whatever I was feeling.  I took a deep breath and let go.  It was SOOOOO COOL!!!!  I let out a little yelp when I first let go but then just enjoyed swinging.  I was totally safe and it was fun to feel the joy of swinging that I had when I was a girl on the playground.  Do you remember swinging as high as you could trying to touch the sky with your toes?  I sure do at least after the giant swing I do.   

 With the joys of swinging what I took away from the experience were some pretty profound 'aha's'.  When it comes to any situation in my life it is MY choice to let go.  It is MY choice when I let go, how I'll let go whether or not I let go, what I'll feelwhen I let go.  It's easy to say it's all so and so's fault I feel this way or if such and such hadn't happened or had happened I'd feel this way when in reality it's up to ME how I feel.  It really doesn't matter who did or didn't do what or if a did or didn't get something because in the end it's all up to me how I perceive any given situation and whether or not I'm ready to let go - the choice is mine.

Are you ready to let go and enjoy the Swing?  Go for it - it's totally worth the rush!

Here's to You in Health, Wellness and Fitness,      

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

jennifer@wuhoofitness.com

www.wuhoofitness.com

Listen to my weekly radio show Let's Talk every Thursday from 9-10 AM PST

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-malocha

MAY THE LIGHT OF LOVE © 1986 David Roth

As we come around to take our places at the table
A moment to remember and reflect upon our wealth
Here's to loving friends and family, here's to being able
To gather here together in good company and health

May we be released from all those feelings that would harm us
May we have the will to give them up and get them gone
For heavy are the satchels full of anger and false promise
May we have the strength to put them down

CHORUS
May the light of love be shining deep within your spirit
May the torch of mercy clear the path and show the way
May the horn of plenty sound so everyone can hear it
May the light of love be with you every day

May we wish the best for every one that we encounter
May we swallow pride and may we do away with fear
For it's only what we do not know that we have grown afraid of
And only what we do not choose to hear

CHORUS
May the light of love be shining deep within your spirit
May the torch of mercy clear the path and show the way
May the horn of plenty sound so everyone can hear it
May the light of love be with you every day

As we bless our daily bread and drink our day's libation
May we be reminded of the lost and wayward soul
The hungry and the homeless that we have in every nation
May we fill each empty cup and bowl

May nothing ever come between or threaten to divide us
May we never take for granted all the gifts that we receive
Being ever mindful of the unseen hands that guide us
And the miracles that cause us to believe

CHORUS
May the light of love be shining deep within your spirit
May the torch of mercy clear the path and show the way
May the horn of plenty sound so everyone can hear it
May the light of love be with you every day

May the horn of plenty sound so everyone can hear it
May the light of love be with you...may the light of love be with you
May the light of love be with you every day

Here's to You in Health, Wellness and Fitness,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

jennifer@wuhoofitness.com

www.wuhoofitness.com

Listen to my weekly radio show Let's Talk every Thursday from 9-10 AM PST

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-malocha

Quite honestly I believe that when we chose not to take care of ourselves that this is the epitome of selfishness.  How can we possibly give our best to those we care the most about if we are ‘burning the candle at both ends’?  As a wife, mother, pet owner, small business owner, sister, aunt, friend and daughter I understand firsthand the day to day demands on my time.  Yes exercise is my career but I don’t get paid to work out I get paid to help others workout.  This means that I get to find time to work out on my own, plan and eat healthy food choices and get plenty of rest as well as do everything else I need to get done in the course of a day.  No small feat!

I understand that there are days when it’s a struggle just to get the ‘priorities’ accomplished – I also understand that I get WAY more accomplished when I have energy.  A great way to rev your engine is to go for a walk to get your blood pumping which helps with mental clarity AND helps reduce stress.  Eating healthy foods gives us more energy as well as helps boost the immune system.  This in combination with getting enough rest and exercise helps us be germ resistant.  All of these things are important to help get through busy days. 

I don't know about you but having to stay in bed due to a cold or flu is aggravating for me.  If I want to ay around in bed I want it to be on MY terms not because I have a cold or flu bug.  Another reason for taking time out to take care of ourselves is health care costs.  When we take care of ourselves we stay healthy, when we're healthy we don't go to the doctor as often which saves us money.  And time.... 

I firmly believe that when we take the time to take care of ourselves we are acting selflessly because we are showing our loved ones that we love them SO much that we are giving them the best of ourselves as opposed to whatever is left over at the end of the day which often times isn't a whole lot.

The last point I want to leave you with is to ask you what type of role model are you for those you love the most?  When we take care of ourselves we tell thoe around us that we are a priority.  This sends the message to daughters that THEY are a priority. our kids watch what we do as well as listen to what we say.  When our kids watch us take care of ourselves we teach them to take care of themselves - that it's important to make their health a priority.  Every Mom and Dad I know want their kids to be happy and the best way to be happy is to be able to enjoy the things we love to do. 

If we lose our health we lose our ability to enjoy the things in life that bring us joy.  That's a pretty high price to pay for not taking the time to take care ourselves.  So I say that when we choose not to take care of ourselves we are being selfish - when we make the time to make ourselves and our health a priority we are being selfless.

Here's to You in Health, Wellness and Fitness,

Jennifer Malocha CEO of Fun at Wuhoo Fitness

jennifer@wuhoofitness.com

www.wuhoofitness.com

Listen to my weekly radio show Let's Talk every Thursday from 9-10 AM PST

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-malocha