Today is Alpha Delta Pi's 162nd Founders' Day, an international celebration of sisterhood for over 230,000 alumnae & collegians this year. Since 2006, I have been included in this celebration.
To attempt to put into words the experience of membership in Alpha Delta Pi typically seems impossible to me. I joke with people sometimes that sorority membership made me a better dresser, a better conversationalist, a better party planner. And honestly, it did all of those things. Because ultimately, what Alpha Delta Pi gave me (and continues to, every single day) is courage.
The courage to try new things - whether that be with my shirt/pants/necklace combo, my exercise regimen, or joining new professional & interest based organizations.
The courage to build relationships - with a young patient at the Ronald McDonald House, a cashier at my local grocery store, or a 20-something male sitting next to me at a bar.
The courage to dream - about Ryan Gosling congratulating me at the end of my Disney marathon, about one day leading a college classroom of my own, or about a future where girls & women world-wide are provided the education they deserve (shameless plug for Circle of Sisterhood).
The courage to lead - in my area ADPi Alumnae Association, in the higher education world of cutting-edge research and assessment, or in organizing a bachelorette party for a fellow sister.
What Alpha Delta Pi gave me was the courage to believe in myself. To invest in myself.
162 years is a long time. I can't wait to see what legacy we create for those to come.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Thursday, May 2, 2013
On the use of weights.
So a few weeks ago, I conquered one of my fears. And since I had said that this blog would be focused more on becoming more confident in myself, I guess I should share my relatively irrational fear here.
Never, in my entire life, had I used strength training equipment in a gym. Until a few weeks ago. I had used a couple machines during physical therapy when I screwed up my knee skiing and avoiding running over a small child barreling down the mountain, but other than that, I had avoided lifting in front of other people.
I guess there's sort of a two-fold explanation to why:
1. I had absolutely no idea how to use any of these machines
2. If I ever figured out how, I'd probably be the weakest one in the place.
But both of these come down to the same real reason: I didn't want to look stupid/incompetent/weak. Basically, I didn't want to look like a dumb girl who was pretending to lift while looking cute in gym clothes (Which could never happen - I don't look cute in gym clothes. Ever.). So, I had confined myself to doing P90X shoulders/biceps/triceps in my parents' laundry room last summer with my mom, and used little pink 5lb weights the whole time. And then I stopped really doing strength training at all when I moved to Memphis, until I did Insanity.
After that, with the help of my boyfriend (who has turned into a variation of a gym rat), I learned how to use a couple machines. At first, I felt a little pathetic - he would demonstrate, then I would try it out, and we would alternate our rest/reps. Then I'd follow him to the next exercise, and the pattern would start over. He's very patient.
Now, I arrive at the gym feeling confident, even when I go alone. I know what muscles I want to work that day, I put on my Wiz Khalifa Pandora (go ahead, laugh), and I go. I've even built enough confidence to wander up to machines I've never used before, read the little instructions, and try them out.
To be fair, I don't lift a significant amount of weight. And I still get a little freaked out if I get to the gym during the 5-7pm timeframe when it's packed with grunting men. But I no longer care if I look like a fool. I also never want to look like I'm flexing when I'm not, so I will continue to lift fairly insignificant amounts of weight.
The reward has been pretty great, and so I think that's really why it's been worth it - I see more muscle definition, but I also feel better - physically, mentally, emotionally. Since I'm fairly competitive (ok, I'm REALLY competitive), I challenge myself to see just how far I can go, which is pretty fun.
***
As a side note, we now have a third in our Disney Marathon group - Kate! The three of us were pretty much inseparable for much of college, and with us living in three different cities as we train, it's going to be fun to keep holding each other accountable. Ryan Gosling also holds us accountable.
Signing off for now - maybe one day I'll get better about updating.
Never, in my entire life, had I used strength training equipment in a gym. Until a few weeks ago. I had used a couple machines during physical therapy when I screwed up my knee skiing and avoiding running over a small child barreling down the mountain, but other than that, I had avoided lifting in front of other people.
I guess there's sort of a two-fold explanation to why:
1. I had absolutely no idea how to use any of these machines
2. If I ever figured out how, I'd probably be the weakest one in the place.
But both of these come down to the same real reason: I didn't want to look stupid/incompetent/weak. Basically, I didn't want to look like a dumb girl who was pretending to lift while looking cute in gym clothes (Which could never happen - I don't look cute in gym clothes. Ever.). So, I had confined myself to doing P90X shoulders/biceps/triceps in my parents' laundry room last summer with my mom, and used little pink 5lb weights the whole time. And then I stopped really doing strength training at all when I moved to Memphis, until I did Insanity.
After that, with the help of my boyfriend (who has turned into a variation of a gym rat), I learned how to use a couple machines. At first, I felt a little pathetic - he would demonstrate, then I would try it out, and we would alternate our rest/reps. Then I'd follow him to the next exercise, and the pattern would start over. He's very patient.
Now, I arrive at the gym feeling confident, even when I go alone. I know what muscles I want to work that day, I put on my Wiz Khalifa Pandora (go ahead, laugh), and I go. I've even built enough confidence to wander up to machines I've never used before, read the little instructions, and try them out.
To be fair, I don't lift a significant amount of weight. And I still get a little freaked out if I get to the gym during the 5-7pm timeframe when it's packed with grunting men. But I no longer care if I look like a fool. I also never want to look like I'm flexing when I'm not, so I will continue to lift fairly insignificant amounts of weight.
The reward has been pretty great, and so I think that's really why it's been worth it - I see more muscle definition, but I also feel better - physically, mentally, emotionally. Since I'm fairly competitive (ok, I'm REALLY competitive), I challenge myself to see just how far I can go, which is pretty fun.
***
As a side note, we now have a third in our Disney Marathon group - Kate! The three of us were pretty much inseparable for much of college, and with us living in three different cities as we train, it's going to be fun to keep holding each other accountable. Ryan Gosling also holds us accountable.
Signing off for now - maybe one day I'll get better about updating.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Disney. And Boston.
So much has happened since my last (first) post.
I finished Insanity, and I don't think I've ever felt more accomplished about anything in my life. Maybe finishing my Master's thesis (ok, probably then). The last week was honestly the hardest, and really only because I was bored with the workouts. They were still really challenging because Shaun T expects you to always dig deeper, but I knew what was coming next and knew where I would be tired and where I would get breaks. His perfect abs get annoying sometimes, too.
Then I was in a stage of delirium putting off thinking about this new 26 in 26 goal. I ran both weekend days after I finished Insanity and felt really good to be back in my running shoes, but they were sort of casual, 3-4 mile runs. Then, I thought about the fact that I told all these people that I was going to run a marathon. And then, on Tuesday of that following week, I heard from a friend that the Disney registration had opened.
So on Wednesday, when I was sitting in my office finishing up work before going to dinner with dear friend, Sarah, I pulled up the website and clicked on the registration page. And I had it sitting there for a good 45 minutes while I did other things, contemplating if I was really ready to make that crazy commitment. And then I closed it and went to dinner. After discussing with Sarah for pretty much the entirety of our meal, I promptly went home and registered. And apparently I did a good enough job not only convincing myself to run it, but Sarah registered too!
Since then, we've discussed all the important pieces of running the Disney marathon, namely, the creation of an all-Disney playlist to listen to along the course. Top hits include songs from Mulan, Lion King, Aladdin, and Beauty & the Beast. We've also been working on our sales pitch to convince a few others to join us in January. I'll keep you all posted on how that goes (I know you're on the edge of your seats).
After less than a week of excitement/jitters, yesterday happened. One of the greatest races of all time was bombed, and the safe, comforting feeling that running provides for so many was taken from those people. I am still processing this turn of events. For a few reasons, this horrible act has hit me harder than those in the past. Boston is a place that I hold dear to my heart, because of the people, the teams, the memories. And then there's the marathon piece. I remember finishing my first half in Pittsburgh in 2011, and my dad and brother were right there, cheering my mom and I to the finish. Just like those families were doing yesterday. I remember feeling so fulfilled and accomplished, and after seeing the photos of the incredible runners who could not finish, I couldn't imagine how that must have felt. To run in Boston is a dream (far-fetched for most, me included) for any runner. To strip the city and the people of a day typically so filled with celebration and honor still seems unreal.
Today was my planned day off of running. But because I didn't know what else to do, I ran. I ran because there are people who could run yesterday, and who can't today. I ran because no matter how tired or frustrated or lazy I may be feeling, I cannot take my ability for granted. As I was heading out on one of my typical easy 4-mile loops (wearing one of my Red Sox hats, of course), I noticed that an entire street had hung American flags outside their homes. These flags weren't there yesterday, or the day before. These flags were there to show solidarity, to show support, for the city of Boston. We are all connected, united we stand.
If you are a runner (or even if you're not), log a mile or two for Boston. Last I checked, 1,301 people across the world had logged thousands of miles. There's no money connected, no donations. This is, again, showing solidarity and support for Boston.
Because as a runner, when I don't know what else to do, I run. And I will continue to do so.
I finished Insanity, and I don't think I've ever felt more accomplished about anything in my life. Maybe finishing my Master's thesis (ok, probably then). The last week was honestly the hardest, and really only because I was bored with the workouts. They were still really challenging because Shaun T expects you to always dig deeper, but I knew what was coming next and knew where I would be tired and where I would get breaks. His perfect abs get annoying sometimes, too.
Then I was in a stage of delirium putting off thinking about this new 26 in 26 goal. I ran both weekend days after I finished Insanity and felt really good to be back in my running shoes, but they were sort of casual, 3-4 mile runs. Then, I thought about the fact that I told all these people that I was going to run a marathon. And then, on Tuesday of that following week, I heard from a friend that the Disney registration had opened.
So on Wednesday, when I was sitting in my office finishing up work before going to dinner with dear friend, Sarah, I pulled up the website and clicked on the registration page. And I had it sitting there for a good 45 minutes while I did other things, contemplating if I was really ready to make that crazy commitment. And then I closed it and went to dinner. After discussing with Sarah for pretty much the entirety of our meal, I promptly went home and registered. And apparently I did a good enough job not only convincing myself to run it, but Sarah registered too!
Since then, we've discussed all the important pieces of running the Disney marathon, namely, the creation of an all-Disney playlist to listen to along the course. Top hits include songs from Mulan, Lion King, Aladdin, and Beauty & the Beast. We've also been working on our sales pitch to convince a few others to join us in January. I'll keep you all posted on how that goes (I know you're on the edge of your seats).
After less than a week of excitement/jitters, yesterday happened. One of the greatest races of all time was bombed, and the safe, comforting feeling that running provides for so many was taken from those people. I am still processing this turn of events. For a few reasons, this horrible act has hit me harder than those in the past. Boston is a place that I hold dear to my heart, because of the people, the teams, the memories. And then there's the marathon piece. I remember finishing my first half in Pittsburgh in 2011, and my dad and brother were right there, cheering my mom and I to the finish. Just like those families were doing yesterday. I remember feeling so fulfilled and accomplished, and after seeing the photos of the incredible runners who could not finish, I couldn't imagine how that must have felt. To run in Boston is a dream (far-fetched for most, me included) for any runner. To strip the city and the people of a day typically so filled with celebration and honor still seems unreal.
Today was my planned day off of running. But because I didn't know what else to do, I ran. I ran because there are people who could run yesterday, and who can't today. I ran because no matter how tired or frustrated or lazy I may be feeling, I cannot take my ability for granted. As I was heading out on one of my typical easy 4-mile loops (wearing one of my Red Sox hats, of course), I noticed that an entire street had hung American flags outside their homes. These flags weren't there yesterday, or the day before. These flags were there to show solidarity, to show support, for the city of Boston. We are all connected, united we stand.
If you are a runner (or even if you're not), log a mile or two for Boston. Last I checked, 1,301 people across the world had logged thousands of miles. There's no money connected, no donations. This is, again, showing solidarity and support for Boston.
Because as a runner, when I don't know what else to do, I run. And I will continue to do so.
Monday, March 25, 2013
26 in 26.
Hi people. Or no people, whatever the case may be. It's been a while.
Many things have changed. I've moved to Memphis. I've started a job I love working with fraternity/sorority students. I've maintained relationships and built new ones. I've finally completed school (for now).
As 2012 became 2013, I decided that I wanted to challenge myself to living an all-around healthier life. I wanted to read for pleasure again, wanted to cook more interesting meals, and wanted to work out more consistently. I wanted to do better at keeping in touch with old friends, wanted to explore my new city, and wanted to find ways to serve my community in meaningful ways. These were not resolutions. These were expectations.
Part of this challenge was to get into the best shape of my life. I don't think this was the initial goal, but over time (and after a really obnoxious two months of physical therapy for my back), my competitive nature got the best of me. In less than two weeks, I will be done with the Insanity program, which honestly has worked muscles I didn't even know existed. Through my own stubbornness and my boyfriend's check-ins, I have grown to need my daily dose of Shaun T and his rock-hard abs. Over the past two months, I've learned that I am capable of pushing myself way further than I ever thought possible.
Most recently, I've turned 26. No longer can I say that I'm closer to 20 than to 30, and my brother can no longer say that I'm halfway to 50 - because I'm MORE than halfway to 50. I think this has freaked me out a little. But, when I think about the challenges I set for myself a few months ago, I remain calm knowing that probably now, more than ever before in my life, I am being exactly who I always dreamed of being.
So, naturally, it's time to set a new challenge - I've decided to run a marathon before I turn 27. I will run 26 in 26. Not sure which race yet (let's be serious, probably Disney in January), but when Insanity ends on April 5, it'll be all systems go on a marathon training program.
People (or no people) - I'm going to try to blog a little about my experiences. I'm getting really, really sick of running blogs, so it probably won't be that. More about a 20-something woman trying to continue to become more powerful for herself, more confident in her abilities, and more willing to overcome challenges she faces.
Ask how it's going every once and a while. Join me on a run (or two. or The Big Race.). But more importantly, be inspired to consider accomplishing a goal you always thought was out of reach.
Many things have changed. I've moved to Memphis. I've started a job I love working with fraternity/sorority students. I've maintained relationships and built new ones. I've finally completed school (for now).
As 2012 became 2013, I decided that I wanted to challenge myself to living an all-around healthier life. I wanted to read for pleasure again, wanted to cook more interesting meals, and wanted to work out more consistently. I wanted to do better at keeping in touch with old friends, wanted to explore my new city, and wanted to find ways to serve my community in meaningful ways. These were not resolutions. These were expectations.
Part of this challenge was to get into the best shape of my life. I don't think this was the initial goal, but over time (and after a really obnoxious two months of physical therapy for my back), my competitive nature got the best of me. In less than two weeks, I will be done with the Insanity program, which honestly has worked muscles I didn't even know existed. Through my own stubbornness and my boyfriend's check-ins, I have grown to need my daily dose of Shaun T and his rock-hard abs. Over the past two months, I've learned that I am capable of pushing myself way further than I ever thought possible.
Most recently, I've turned 26. No longer can I say that I'm closer to 20 than to 30, and my brother can no longer say that I'm halfway to 50 - because I'm MORE than halfway to 50. I think this has freaked me out a little. But, when I think about the challenges I set for myself a few months ago, I remain calm knowing that probably now, more than ever before in my life, I am being exactly who I always dreamed of being.
So, naturally, it's time to set a new challenge - I've decided to run a marathon before I turn 27. I will run 26 in 26. Not sure which race yet (let's be serious, probably Disney in January), but when Insanity ends on April 5, it'll be all systems go on a marathon training program.
People (or no people) - I'm going to try to blog a little about my experiences. I'm getting really, really sick of running blogs, so it probably won't be that. More about a 20-something woman trying to continue to become more powerful for herself, more confident in her abilities, and more willing to overcome challenges she faces.
Ask how it's going every once and a while. Join me on a run (or two. or The Big Race.). But more importantly, be inspired to consider accomplishing a goal you always thought was out of reach.
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