Lunch today was delicious and extra special because Ryan caught part of it!
Two weeks ago, when I was at my friend Minda’s bachelorette party, Ryan went scalloping with friends. He brought back a bunch of scallops and though we ate some when they were fresh, we froze the rest to use another night.
Last night I cooked up a big batch of the scallops with corn, bacon, red pepper and onion and reheated the leftovers for lunch today.
Served with a sweet potato on the side.
So good! I am thoroughly convinced I could eat seafood for lunch and dinner every day and never get sick of it. It’s the best!
You Never Know Who You’re Motivating
This morning, during my favorite Wednesday boot camp class at my gym, the instructor had us run around the gym for two minutes in between each four-minute circuit. During this two-minute run, I’d run at my normal pace for the first minute, kick it up a notch once we hit the one-minute mark and sprint for the last 30 seconds.
I did this for the first round and felt the presence of someone right behind me. On the second round, I felt their presence again and saw a woman running behind me out of the corner of my eye. When I kicked it up a notch, she did, too. She started to motivate me to maintain my pace throughout the workout, even when I started to get tired.
After the fourth round of this, during a quick water break, the woman toweled off next to me and said, “You’re my running motivation.” I laughed and told her she was my running motivation. Knowing that a woman was running right behind me and counting on me to pick up my pace made me want to run faster. We agreed that we were encouraging each other to push a little harder. Oh the beauty of group exercise!
This random interaction made me realize something: You never know who you’re motivating. By just being you and doing things you do naturally, you may be motivating someone in some way.
Some people (outside of my close friends and family) who probably have absolutely no idea that they motivate me on a daily basis include:
- The 75+ year old couple in our neighborhood who go on a two hour walk together every morning. Whenever Ryan and I take Sadie on her morning walk, we always cross paths with the sweetest older couple. They set their alarm for 5:30 a.m. and walk together every morning from 6 to 8 a.m. Their morning walk makes me want to prioritize my health and my marriage as I grow older.
- Emily, a sweet young woman with a big heart who always has a genuine smile on her face. Whenever I see Emily, she greets me with the biggest smile on her face… even at 5 a.m.! Emily is actively involved with charity: water and is upbeat, driven, caring and giving. I met Emily through her mother who used to work at my gym and their whole family is incredibly kind. Emily motivates me to smile at strangers, practice kindness and exercise patience. Working at the gym has also taught me time and time again that everyone has a story and could use a little grace and Emily has a heart that is overflowing with kindness.
- The woman at my gym training for her first 5K. Two weeks ago, when I first kicked off the beginner’s running group at my gym, I met a woman who is training for her first 5K. She’s nervous, excited and incredibly determined. I remember feeling the same way before I ran my first 5K and every time I walk away from a conversation with her, I feel more motivated to reach my fitness goals and make improvements in my life. And yes, she prompted me to start looking into fall half marathons…
- A classmate from college who started her own successful business. I have so many business ideas running through my mind related to this blog and totally unrelated to this blog, so watching a friend from college start her own business and successfully grow it is inspiring. I tend to live on the conservative side when it comes to taking business or financial risks and admire her tenacity and courage to just go for it!
Question of the Afternoon
- Who is someone in your life who provides you with unexpected motivation?
Leave a Reply