This week has been one of the best weeks I’ve had. Thinking back to when I first toyed with the idea of starting a blog, I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to open up and be transparent. In retrospect, that was probably one of the best decisions I made. I was nervous about the first entry. It took me almost an hour to hit the Publish button. It seems like it was yesterday. My hands were shaking, my heart had exceeded its normal pace. I sat there staring at the screen reading and re-reading the words I had written. Finally, I got a surge of courage and hit “publish” and quickly closed the laptop. I often wonder if this is helping anybody besides me. I think of the impact it is having on others. Is it even having an impact? The last few days have confirmed its impact. I once heard a statement that resonates with me to this day. “You have to understand who wins when you win.” That statement repeatedly plays in my mind. This blog has become much more than a place where I document my trials and triumphs. It’s a piece of me that I’m giving to others to let them know they could do it too. Weight-loss or any other goal or dream you have. You can do it. Don’t believe it? Just read some of the blog entries. I have no idea who reads my entries. However, I was blessed to find out that a special group of people have been following me on my journey. I haven’t met this special group but I know them. I know them because we are all overcoming things and becoming better people. I was so humbled to find out that this blog was impacting their lives. I was told that I inspire them but I want them to know that they inspire me. 
I remember one of my favorite analogies because of them. The ripples of success. What is that? Well if you take a rock and drop it in a stream or lake. There are ripples that spread out from the point of impact. The place where the water meets the rock represents the impact you have on someone’s life. The ripples? They represent the spreading of your impact to others indirectly. That’s what’s happening with my blog. I’m impacting others and one of the ripples has reached a special group of friends. To those friends, I say thank you. Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for encouraging me. Thank you for letting me know the blog is helping. Do me a favor please. When you all go to the pond, take a second to drop a rock in the water and watch the ripples. Look at them to see how far they travel from the place of impact. Resolve to be the rock and let your impact have far-reaching ripples of success.
Monthly Archives: May 2013
Ripples of Success
Lesson from Mile Two
Today I had a great experience. I ran and completed my first 5k. All along my goal was to run the entire 5k and not come in last. I prepared for weeks. I ran the course multiple times training for these few minutes. My outfit was picked out weeks ago – complete with shorts to match my shoes. A shirt that I wasn’t comfortable wearing but needed to wear for motivation for my next 5k. (Yes, I’m hooked.)
My playlist was set. An hour and five minutes of songs that would help me run 3.1 miles. I’ve learned many lessons through this process. Lessons like I can do whatever I set my mind to do. Growth is found outside my comfort zone. But I was reminded of one the greatest lessons at mile two.
There I was running… Hitting my zone…. Music was blasting in my ears. I had talked myself out of walking twice by this point. Then I saw this little boy up ahead. Sweating, walking, head down. I saw his mom urging him to continue. He was having no part of it. For whatever reason, our eyes met. At this point, I hadn’t uttered one word to anyone on the course. After all, I was focused. I was competing with me, myself, and I. Goals needed to be accomplished and nothing would stand in my way!
Then it happened. I took my earphones out for the first time. I introduced myself.”I’m Antuan. What’s your name?” He looked up at me, with his hair disheveled, sweat on his face and said softly, “I’m Matthew.” I asked him if he was okay. He just looked at me. “How old are you?”, I asked. “Eight”, he said. I told him I was new to the area and needed a friend to help me finish this race. I asked him if he’d help me finish the race. He said yes. I then asked his mom if it would be okay if Matthew and I finished the race together.
Once she gave her approval, we gave each other the fist bump and started off on the last mile. We ran it slowly, at his pace. At this point, my goals were a distant memory. For one mile, Matthew and I talked, jogged, encouraged each other, and vowed to finish the race together.
We finished it. Crossing the finish line together. (Ahead of his mom as a matter of fact!) He looked up at me and said “We did it!” I replied, “We sure did buddy. We sure did.”
The lesson in all that? There’s no greater joy than helping someone else along the way. We all need each other to accomplish great things. No man is an island. I was reminded of that today.
Matthew helped me way more than I helped him. He reminded me that we’re in this together. We can accomplish more with others than by ourselves.
After the race, Matthew sought me out and brought me a banana and water.He told me this was his second 5k. I responded “Whoa! You’re amazing, buddy! This is my first. I hope to run as well as you one day.” The smile on his face as he ran off was priceless. That smile, that moment, was worth far more than any goal I set out to accomplish with this 5k.
Thanks for the reminder, Matthew.
3980
3980. What is that? That’s my race number for my first 5k. A 5k that starts in less than two hours. Who would’ve thought I’d be running (yes running!) a 5k! My goal isn’t to come in first. My goal is to run the complete 3.1 miles and not come in last(hopefully). I’m excited, nervous, anxious, proud all at the same time.
I’ve trained for this so I’ll be fine. For the past 8 or 9 weeks, I’ve been building up endurance and destroying the “I can’t” monster weekly. These last few weeks I’ve had quite a few accomplishments – Running for 5 minutes straight, running a mile, two miles, three miles…
Proving to myself that I can do anything I set my mind to. So now it all culminates in an hour and 26 minutes. I can’t wait to check another item off my list.
See you at the finish line……
Slow Down To Speed Up
I recently had the misfortune opportunity to really see how much my lifestyle has changed. I had to listen to my body tell me I needed rest from 5k training. For an entire week, I did nothing but rest. (That drove me absolutely crazy!) No running, No weight training. Nothing…..
A few short months ago, that would have certainly spelled doom and destruction to my weight loss plan. This time, however, was different. Instead of mentally checking out for a week concerning all things weight-loss related, I found myself poring old food and exercise logs. I paid closer attention to what I was eating. After all weight-loss is 80% mental and 20% physical. How many times have I said that? Oddly enough, I was even more engaged in the process.
Sometimes you have to slow down to speed up. That’s exactly what I was reminded up during my rest period. I was refreshed, rested, and amazingly I was more productive when I returned to working out.
If you’re not experiencing the results you think you should. Instead of simply trying harder, and continuing to do the same thing and expecting the same results (Isn’t that the definition of insanity?), slow down. Review your logs, identify areas on which you can improve and go from there.
Sometimes you have to slow down to speed up.
Hmmmmm… Seems like I mentioned something about that here and here
May’s Update
Okay, April has come and gone. Here’s the second set of pictures for the Monthly updates in pictures. I think this was a good idea.
Why? Well, for one I absolutely abhor taking these pictures. Why is that good? That means I’m uncomfortable and outside of my comfort zone.
Another reason it’s good is because it pushes me to work harder and be more accountable because I know I have to take another picture in four weeks.
Click to see May’s Monthly update.
fyi – Click on the picture to enlarge it.
Brand New Antuan 