Run, Selfie, Repeat

There's a lyric in Hamilton, An American Musical that helped me find my voice, "Who lives, who dies, who tells your story." I was watching the Hamilton documentary on KPBS and listening to Lin Manuel Miranda talk about purpose and the importance of preserving our stories changed the way I approached my blog, Run, Selfie, Repeat. Up until that point, I was sharing bits and pieces of my story but I stuck mostly with funny articles.

All we have is our story. And for me, one of the hardest parts about my grief or even my struggle to lose weight was that I felt alone. So today, let's talk about our stories and why I think it's important that they're shared and preserved.

Whether you're looking to share your artwork, start a new business, or create your own running blog, take a chance on yourself and make your next move. I honestly don't think I would ever have been able to build a website had it not been for Squarespace. Between their customer support and their beautiful layouts, Squarespace has made the entire process of building a blog, website, portfolio, or business website almost effortless.

Not convinced? Go to Squarespace.com for a free trial or use your offer code (KELLY) for 10% off your first purchase of website and personal domain address. Squarespace is what I use to host both the Run, Selfie, Repeat podcast and my website. And honestly, I'm just really grateful my sister encouraged me to share my story.

And if you haven't already, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the Run, Selfie, Repeat podcast on iTunes or Google Play. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for joining me on this wild ride.

One of the hardest parts about adopting a healthy lifestyle or becoming a runner is that it can easily feel overwhelming or impossible. Pushing your limits and stepping outside of your comfort zone is hard! Results don't happen overnight. It's a slow progression and in the beginning, it's hard to trust that the painful work you're putting in will eventually pay off. Let's talk about how the power of patience can help you kick ass and take names.

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the Run, Selfie, Repeat podcast on iTunes or Google Play if you haven't already!

What makes someone an athlete?

That's what we're talking about because calling myself an athlete is something I've struggled with since day 1. From feeling "slow" to not feeling like I looked like an athlete, I've come up with every excuse in the book to keep myself from accepting that I am in fact an athlete. So let's talk about why I struggle to assume the identity of an athlete.

Thoughts? What do you think makes someone an athlete? Let me know in the comments below! And don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the Run, Selfie, Repeat podcast on iTunes or Google Play if you haven't already (insert salsa dancing emoji here).

How do you define success? Is it monetary? Something that can be measured by your societal status? Or, to steal from the musical Rent, can it be measured in moments and love? Next week, I move back to New York City and if I'm being honest, I'm anxious about the move. New York City is a really tough place to live and after last year, I thought I was done with being chewed up and spit out.

Let me know how you define success in the comments below! And don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the Run, Selfie, Repeat podcast on iTunes or Google Play if you haven't already!

Online bullying and shaming is something I've lived with for the better part of the past 4 years I've spent building Run, Selfie, Repeat but my first experience with it shaped how I view online bullying and shaming for the rest of my life. Today, I'm all about advocating for compassion because regardless of how inexcusable someone's mistakes may be, I don't condone the schadenfreude that surrounds online witch hunts.

I'm serious when I say that I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject. What are your thoughts on the lack of compassion in online comments and message boards? What can we do to make a change?

If you haven't already, take a second to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes or Google Play and, if you're feeling extra generous, I would be beside myself with gratitude if you would give it a 5 star review.

I started chasing my impossible goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon (BQ) in April 2016. In order to qualify, I had to take myself and training seriously in order to take my personal best time from 3 hours and 59 minutes down to 3 hours and 35 minutes.

Ever wonder what it would be like if an amateur runner had the help of a sports psychologist? Meet Dr. Bob! The former head of Sports Psychology at UCLA and a licensed psychologist, Dr. Bob has helped me battle some of my toughest mental battles. Today, he's checking in with me as I approach my second Boston Marathon qualifying attempt.

For so many who struggle with their weight or feel insecure about their weight, it's hard not to let your weight define who you are. Here's the thing, your weight doesn't define you. It isn't your entire story, it's just a chapter or single book in the series that is your life.

My issue with 'Before and After' photos is that they place the before photos in a context that implies that it's unacceptable to look like what we look like in our after photos. Newsflash: If you're on a weight loss journey, it doesn't matter how much weight you lose because if you fail to work on a positive body image, you're in for a rude awakening when you look in the mirror and feel inadequate when you reach your goal.

I'm all for advocating for working towards the strongest version of yourself possible, but when we compare before and after photos, we're implying that there is something implicitly wrong or unattractive about our before selves. And it needs to stop.

Loss and the grief that follows it is unimaginable. It's this awful club that none of us really want to belong to. But even though our pain and grief may manifest itself differently, we all know what it's like to have someone taken from us. It's unfair. But it's a huge part of who I am because when I lost my brother, I lost a piece of myself.

There's nothing I wouldn't give to have my brother back. It took a long time for my anger to turn into gratitude, but with time and patience, my grief changed the way I see the world and live my life. And honestly, running is a lot like grief. Neither ever gets easier. You just get stronger. And with time, you learn to live with the pain.