Got to run again after almost a week of no run. Been a busy week meeting new and familiar folks. Got to explore the north and back to the mid by tail-end of week. Productive and sincere conversations hopefully establishing the needed foundation of trusting relationships.Completed my 10km.run today and hitting my best time so far since starting my training in the last three weeks. Finished 1:13 today from the usual 1:20 timing. Best pace at 4:45. Last time last year, I got to finish 10k at 58mins. Few more minutes to shed and so motivated to get to sub1!Resonating thoughts this weekend: FLOURISH.For anything to flourish, it needs dedication and commitment. Like how we take care of a seed we sow and plant, for it to flourish it needs care and love. We water it, check on it and ensure it receives the right nourishment so it grows.In the same way, it will not flourish when it lacks the nourishment or it receives too much of what it doesn’t need. Too much water will rot it. In the same way, too much sun will kill it. For it to flourish, it needs a balance of what it needs – enough sun, enough nutrients, enough nourishment.And we reap what we sow. If we plant goodwill, we harvest goodwill. If we plant bad, we reap the bad. You can’t expect good when bad is planted. We need to prune for it to thrive or sometimes, we need to start over.So in this challenging times when things move faster than we hoped, we need to be deliberate. Be intentional in every move. Don’t forget to do good not just for ourselves but for other people. Keep focus on the mission.Be humble. Be thankful. And it takes a lot of humility to accept misgivings; it takes a lot of humility to create changes; it takes humility to be unselfish. It takes humility to see the whole. Remember we are here to make an impact to that bigger than us. We are not the center of the universe. And the universe does not revolve around us.#TheGratefulCompilation #AneurysmSurvivor

Been doing 5km most of this week to build speed. Time for a long today.

Completed 12km today. Started very early in the morning so I can enjoy the quiet without too many people yet. First 4km was a bit of a struggle for me as I think I should have spent longer time in warmup. Was feeling very thirsty while I was on my last 2km (again, lesson on getting hydrated!). But this was an enjoyable run especially seeing friends post run and finally able to have “carioca” as I have been craving for that since last week.

Some thoughts post run: STANDARDS.

All of us have our own standards – how we make decisions everyday depends on what quality we peg that decision against; or the guidelines we set to measure good from great; sometimes that defines “our norms” on how we live our everyday.Sometimes some of us forget those standards we set. Sometimes we find ourselves accepting a lower standard than what we deserve. Or sometimes, we tend to think that we are not capable of giving the best or accepting the best we set for ourselves. And that leads to disappointments, unnecessary arguments and heartaches.

The absence of a standard is a dangerous zone to be in,too. We get what we aim for. We teach people how to treat us by treating them how we want to be treated and by asserting and addressing if we are treated wrongly. It is shown by accepting or declining based on what standards we set for ourselves and doing the same for others. If standards are low, then we get low quality everything. If we set the bar high, then we don’t accept anything not meeting that “standard.”

And sometimes our judgments may fail us. Sometimes emotions can get in the way of seeing clearly. And that is why, we need to be mindful and be deliberate on what our “bar” is so that we can learn the lesson – then use those to create or revisit and revise those prescriptions we set for ourselves. Be concious what we give others. Be deliberate what we set for ourselves.

#TheGratefulCompilation #AneurysmSurvivor #RoadToBubbles #42on40

Better round this morning for my usual 5km (1.5km warmup + 5km run + 1.2km cooldown). Better time this morning at 34.5mins – 2mins improvement from yesterday! Woot woot!

I usually go here right after I run. This is where I get water and other immediate refreshments.

Had a very good conversation with a friend yesterday and we got to catch up over coffee triggering some thoughts today: OWNING OUR STORY AND TELLING IT.

We walk in the stories of our lives. And we tell it to friends sometimes with feelings of shame and usually with laughter and tears. Recently, I am learning that how we tell our stories and the feelings we associate with it determines the impact of it when we tell it.

In quiet moments when I look back during those big moments where I find myself not in my most comfortable, it is an effort to see the whole story. I try to look through it with more lens of understanding and awareness – What am I feeling? Why am I feeling this? What’s driving this? What am I learning here? And those trigger more clarity of thought so I can react objectively and see the lesson of the moment and hopefully, the bigger picture.

The role we play in our stories – We are accountable for our actions. We are accountable for our words. And when the words get out of our mouths, we can never take it back. So when we tell our stories, it should be truthful. It should be with empathy and authenticity. And we can only hope that in some ways, the stories get to become “useful” to whoever who hears it driving inspiration and realization to be better.

Be proud of the stories we tell. It should not be about “destroying” but about “building.” Use the stories to build bridges instead of walls. I am a firm believer that we will know when we need to tell our stories and the Universe will send those who need to hear it. All in divine time.

Our stories matter. I hope we realize our worthiness to be able to tell our stories when others did not have the same privilege. Speak with gentleness. Speak with a sense of overflowing love and blessings.

#TheGratefulCompilation #AneurysmSurvivor #Secondlife #RoadToBubbles #42on40

Finally was able to run this morning. My goal this week was to work on speed and pace.Completed my usual 5km run + 1.2km warmup and 1.5km cooldown.

Last 5km run was a little over 40mins vs the best pace I had so far was finishing 5km in 20min. Was feeling a little frustrated and a little panicked by how much I need to shed.

Today, I was targeting completing it at least in 30mins. I finished it in 36mins! 😜🤪😜 That was a good ending of my day from a busy productive day offsite! Getting there!

Resonating thoughts this run: CHOOSING. CHOICES. OPTIONS.

I read once in a college paper,

“We are the products of the choices we make and the choices we refuse to make; we are the product of the options that were made available to us or were denied to us at the time we made the choice.”

From that day I read this, it has stayed with me and it resonated with me for years till now. It has served as a “reality check” for me to be accountable for my actions and to be responsible for how I make my choices.

Oftentimes, we get emotional while making a choice and oftentimes we regret it. But this has enabled me to be mindful of being in the right mindset when I make a choice.

We have an option to stay trapped wherever we are. We may choose to do nothing in our current situation. We also can choose to act to make positive changes. And whatever we do, good intentions make a lot of difference.

#TheGratefulCompilation #AneurysmSurvivor #SecondLife #RoadToBubbles #42on40

Solo run this morning and was focusing on recovery today. Completed 1km warmup + 5km run + 2.5 cooldown. Same time last year, I was at my fastest 5km finishing it at 20mins. Today, I am on my journey back to it!

Some resonating thoughts today in relation to this: RESILIENCE AND NOT GIVING UP.

Resilience is about getting back, it is about how fast we get back from tough situations. I may still be building up my endurance and stamina back. But the journey is worth it – having time for myself every run – my new version of my quiet time; utilizing time back to be with friends – our new version of quality time and catching up; and having to be back in the journey in my second life – this time with a lot more appreciation of everyday and every moment.

As I start my 3rd week of getting back to training, I have my spirits up. Did the sub20 last year for 5km almost after more than 6 months into running so there is hope. Getting closer to sub1 for 10k and let’s get working on another faster 5k. Let’s enjoy every step of the way!

#TheGratefulCompilation #AneurysmSurvivor #Secondlife #RoadToBubbles #42on40

Back to regular programming and starting March with warmth for the body and mind. And surprisingly, seeing some friends to warm up the heart!

Completed an almost 12km run today – 1km warmup and almost 1km cooldown and a 10km run! Wanted to run more but I got too thirsty (lesson learned here: need to hydrate more prior to run). Best pace at 5:23 today but need to work on consistency per lap. Getting closer back to sub1!

What a treat to see some familiar faces and some friends I have not seen in weeks. To my delight, I got to enjoy breakfast and good stories with them, too!

Resonating thoughts today: ABOUT QUALITY TIME.

Our memorable moments are shared usually with people we value and people who value us back. And we don’t need much material stuff when we spend time with the right people. And when they choose to spend time, we show appreciation by being mindful with them – paying attention to the stories they tell, engaging into conversations and sharing laughter back. It is about being genuinely interested in what they let us see and what they share with us. If people you value choose to spend the time instead of being somewhere else, do you feel extra special? I definitely do! I have felt it again today – Time spent is love spent. What a blessed glorious morning today!

Quality time and deep connections – this is how we let connectedness grow. So let’s be mindful of how we spend our time and energy. Most especially who we spend it with. Life is very short. Every moment matters. Let’s spend it well. 😊😉😊

#TheGratefulCompilation #AneurysmSurvivor #RoadToBubbles #42on40