ideal: Queen Latifah Sings to Me

Queen Latifah, Nelly and Colbie Callait take turns coaching me when I run. I’ve been running now for about 5-6 months and am training for a half marathon in October. This is big news and a magnificent obsession in my life. Great discovery: the “runner’s high” does exist and is a fun byproduct of taking care of myself. When I am not running with my kick ass friend Jill, I turn on my ipod to make my run even more fun. That’s where my celebrity posse enters and I borrow lines from their music to create motivating thoughts for myself.

Notice that I said, “create motivating thoughts.'

Motivation will not knock on your door and come snuggle in bed with you. It will not tap you on the shoulder and invite you to get up off of the couch. It will not interrupt your gossip session to remind you that you have an appointment with yourself. It can only be found within you. Motivation is a feeling state that you create yourself.

It’s the coolest thing to realize that you can create any feeling state that you want your very own self. Happiness, peace, calm, exhilaration, confidence, passion. And, it doesn’t even matter if your brother just punked you on Facebook, or if your cat peed on your fresh dry cleaning. You get to decide what you will feel. How? Two questions:

How do you want to feel?

What would you need to think and then do to feel that way?

Yesterday I wanted to feel motivated to run. My mind created lots of excuses as to why running was not a good idea: you do not have enough time, it is too hot, you can wait until tomorrow, your favorite running skirt is dirty.

I laughed.

And then I decided that I would think this instead: your body wants to move, there is always enough time, it is hot but I can handle it, my second favorite running skirt is clean.

And then, I called on my celebrity running posse and let them sing motivating songs to me.

Read these lyrics and see if you agree that I couldn’t help but leave it all on the pavement with this running though my head.

Something Special by Colbie Callait

I found a way to be everything
I've dreamed of,
and I know it's in me
that I will become
who I want to be
and I finally found it and I'm taking the long way out
Cause it's going to be, something special to me
Something special to me

Days go by
and I grow stronger
It takes time, but I'll never let go
Days go by and I'll try harder to make it mine, I know...
Something special to me
Something special to me
Something special to me

I've found
so many things
I've dreamed of
and I know it's in me
that I will become
who I want to be
and I finally found it and I am taking the long way out
Cause it's gonna to be,
something special to me
Something special to me
Something Special lyrics on
http://music.yeucahat.com/song/English/43145-Something-Special~Colbie-Caillat.html
Days go by and I grow stronger
It takes time, but I'll never let go
Days go by and I'll try harder to make it mine, I know...
It's something special to me

More than I hoped for
More than I dreamed of
This is how it should be.
More than I hoped for
More than I dreamed of
This is how it should be.