Oprah+Goofy=Ketchup

So on Wednesday night I was lucky enough to hear and see Oprah.  It was a fabulous night and I do not care what anyone says, she is great.  I first saw Oprah when I was a University student in 1986 and with the exception of a few years when I was in New Zealand and England, I have watched her most days.  I did go through a period of dissatisfaction but in the 1990’s when Oprah turned her back on the Jerry Springer style of talk show, I followed her along the path of self improvement.  In the late 90’s I was home with my boys, questioning my purpose and life choices and she showed me it was OK to  put myself before others (still working on that one), that I did not have to settle for less in my life and to dream BIG dreams.  I had the courage to get my Financial Planners designation (CFP) and in 2005 to go back and finish the University degree that I failed to get the first time (BA in Economics). I started crossing things off my bucket list and began to find myself again.  I still dream big dreams, I still add items to my bucket list as I cross others off and somewhere along the way I found myself again.  I took what I learned added the love of my husband and sons and have evolved into a person I like.  The stranger in the mirror is gone and the reflection smiling back at me is a better, stronger me and I love it. 

My friend Caroline wrote a beautiful blog piece about her night at Oprah, I could not have put it any better so please read her blog and I second every word she wrote.

Oprah Energy

Maybe it was the Oprah effect, knowing I would be seeing her soon, or maybe it was the encouragement of my running buddy Barbara but on Tuesday I decided to dream HUGE and registered not for the Disney marathon in January but the Goofy marathon and a half.  That’s right, on the Saturday I run a half marathon and on the Sunday I will run my first ever marathon.  OK, running it might be a stretch, running/walking/crawling might be more accurate but I will sure give it 110%.  Barbara will be there to do it with me (thank God) and she is even running the 5K the day before with her family.  I swore when I started running I would never run a marathon and now I have signed up for this crazy event so pass the ketchup, once again I have to eat my words.

I think that most of us have a tendency to sell ourselves short, to downplay our abilities and strengths and to aim too low. We focus on what we cannot do instead of what we can do.  We find ways to criticize ourselves and to belittle our accomplishments.  We waste too much energy on what we are not, at least in our own mind.  One of the quotes I took from the Oprah talk was “Whatever follow, I am_________, follows you. “  For years I have told myself and everyone else that I was not a runner…well guess what? 

I AM A RUNNER. 

I AM A TRIATHLETE. 

I AM WORTHY.

Now it’s you turn, write your own I AM statement and put it somewhere you will see it so when you have moments of self doubt you can remind yourself what who you truly are.