Doing Your Life Over

When I think back on my life, there are tons of moments I'd love to do-over. Unfortunately, starting over changes everything and mistakes make you who you are today. So I thought long and hard about what I'd really love to change and I came up with something that would have changed all of my life for the better.

Check out this picture. It's me from the best period in my life. In the picture, I'm about to cross the finish line at my first inline 26.2 mile marathon. Yes, the helmet is lame but I was really happy in this photo. The months before and after this picture were the greatest times of my life because I put a concerted effort into my health.

I skated, went skiing, or attended gym classes almost every day. I ate well and put my best into everything I did. I know it's different for every person, but being active really makes me happy.

About a year after this marathon, I moved and got engaged. I no longer had access to abandoned railroad trails for skating and old quarries for skiing. I didn't find a new gym to join. I let my health go.

Fast forward about 6 years and I started to have all sorts of neurological problems. This is, of course, breezing over those 6 years of depression and stress. I had two children in those years and my life was no longer my own. Not even a little bit.

But it was the health troubles that really woke me up and I started to pay attention to what I ate and I started to exercise again. And I slowly got my life back. I am hoping that this painful and scary lesson is always forefront in my mind so I never stop exercising again!

If I could do a do-over, I would have never stopped exercising. Right after I moved, I would have found a gym and joined - no matter the cost! I would have bought some pepper spray, and I would have forged new trails to skate. I would have went online to find friends to ski with. And I would have never quit!

I can only imagine the impact that one do-over would have had on my life. I would have gained way less weight during pregnancy. Maybe I would even be stretch-mark free? I would have been happier and my first few years of marriage would have been less tumultuous.

I may have been happy during the baby years instead of feeling trapped and alone. Maybe I would have even made some lifelong friends with similar interests. Fitness friends are my favorite!

Of course, there are no real do-overs in life - only do-nows. Knowing what I lost during those years of inactivity, I am very careful to make sure it never happens again.

If you have a do-over you'd like to share,  leave me a comment on this post. And of course, feel free to enter the contest (link at the top of page.)

This post was brought to you by Frigidaire:  The Frigidaire Gallery™Dishwasher gets dishes fully cleaned the first time, so there are no dish do-overs. Nearly half of adults admit to re-washing and/or re-drying dishes after the dishwasher cycle has been completed. To prevent dishwasher do-overs, Frigidaire® is stepping in with its new Gallery® Dishwasher featuring the OrbitCleanTM Wash Arm, ensuring dishes are cleaned right the first time.

I was compensated for this post as a member of Clever Girls Collective. All the opinions expressed here are my own.
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