My how the time flies
When you look back and wonder
How did we get here?
When did that happen?
The promise that was promised
Had diminished over time
And left the wonder of why
And can the path be adjusted
To fulfill the destiny of the wonder
That was first wondered by me
“Life is short…running makes it seem longer”.
(Baron Hansen)
September 5, 2021 is coming! This date may only be circled on my calendar, but it has importance to my Walk into the Future.
The Virginia Beach Rock N Roll Half Marathon will take place on 9/5/21. This year’s race marks the 20th anniversary of the Rock n Roll series in Virginia Beach and will also be the last time this race is run. Received an email last week stating the city of Virginia Beach and the Rock n Roll series agreed to make this the last hoorah. This is my first visit to Virginia Beach, and I will have to make the most of it.
The date of the half marathon is significant to me due to my training program. I did not have a huge half marathon training focus in 2020 due to COVID-19. I got miles in but never found my training pace because most races were cancelled due to COVID protocols.
Fast forward to 2021 and races are slowly coming back and the running tourist in me is excited to hit the road again. I am looking forward to exploring new locations and testing myself against courses I have only read about or seen pictures.
So, what’s the problem you may ask? Great question and thanks! The problem is: it is HOT down here!!! 😊
I will not get into the concept of climate change, global warming, etc. but this south Florida heat and humidity is impacting my training program.
I officially launched my half marathon training on 6/28/21. This put me two months out from the Virginia Beach Rock N Roll half and should be plenty of time to get mentally and physically prepared to run. I am getting my runs and bike rides in but struggle to extend my miles due to the heat and humidity in my current location. My long runs top out at 7 miles because I want to be mindful of the impact the heat has while training.
I get up earlier for my weekend runs but the temperature hits the mid-80s by 9 am and only goes up from there. Not complaining because most of my runs on done close to the water so I can always stop and make it a beach outing when I am done with my runs.
I did not think the four-hour drive from Tallahassee to Fort Pierce would make much difference on my running program but there is a different level of heat down here. Again, not complaining but stating a fact. This is a fact I must come to grips with soon to keep preparing for future races. I targeted several local 5ks to keep my competitive juices flowing but need these short races to get me race ready.
I added more bike rides (gym and outside) to get more miles on my legs to build up the threshold needed to run and complete a half marathon. This is a new approach for me but a safe way to extend my training without having to deal with the south Florida heat.
I recently added treadmill runs to my training program. I am not a fan of running on a treadmill, but this equipment allows me to log miles and push myself to get ready for the actual process of running a half marathon. My new training routine consists of morning miles on my regular route near the beach and then a treadmill session with equal miles.
The one treadmill trick I started using is to cover the time/distance/speed display. Running on the treadmill is a mentally draining exercise for me and I believe it is because the display does not match what I THINK I’m accomplishing. Simply put, it feels like I have run further than the display shows so I get frustrated with the process. Covering the display allows me to forget about the distance and time and just put in the work. I see multiple people who appear to enjoy their time on the treadmill, and I am amazed watching them. I need to get over my treadmill DREAD and just put in the work.
Looking forward to cooler weather so I can get back to longer outside runs again. Did I mention it is hot in South Florida? 😊
“Don’t be a jogger. They are the ones who find dead bodies”.
(RuntotheFinish)
(Image by Devanath from Pixabay)
“Authentic leadership is revealed in the alignment of what you think, what you say, and what you do”.
(Michael Holland)
Authentic Leadership continues to be a driving force in my daily interactions. Amazing how I stumbled across this leadership style during my dissertation process back in 2013 but it is something I genuinely believe makes a difference in the work environment.
I am also amazed by the number of folks who only know about this leadership style after talking with me or sitting in one of my presentations. Looks like I need to do a better job of spreading the benefits of Authentic Leadership. 😊
I was asked back in January if I would be willing to be the guest speaker for the local Association of Florida Colleges (AFC) monthly professional development program. Inspiration Man was quick to say yes, and the topic they requested was Authentic Leadership. I had to dust off my files but thought this was an excellent opportunity to share Authentic Leadership with colleagues at my new school.
This was one of the first time I was able to stand in front of a group of people since early 2020 due to COVID-19. I was excited to be in front of live folks again in my efforts to move the crowd.
I started the presentation with a brief introduction to Authentic Leadership and the benefits it brings to the work environment.
Authentic Leadership is rooted in positive psychology and allows leaders to improve their self-awareness and regulated behaviors. The importance of self-awareness becomes more evident daily as I interact with others.
All Authentic Leadership variables are important but none of the others come into play if a leader is not self-aware. This was a major feature of my presentation to my AFC colleagues. There were several head nods when I made this point and a couple folks asked if they could expand on how self-awareness helps them daily.
The four variables were shared: self-awareness, relational transparency, internalized moral perspective and balanced processing. The variables were highlighted together as a quick overview and then I did a complete breakdown to show how each enhances the work environment.
I spent extra time on balanced processing because I want to train new leaders to understand how important this is in the work environment. Staff will speak up with new ideas IF they believe input is wanted and will be acted on (as applicable). Leaders who want input from staff need to let them know they are willing to listen but there are times when something truly cannot be done. Nothing wrong with this because it enhances relational transparency in the work environment.
The AFC members had a lot of questions about Authentic Leadership and how they can improve their self-awareness. I am happy with the dialogue we started during the AFC event and look forward to sharing Authentic Leadership with other organizations soon. Got a couple requests to bring my presentation into departmental meetings and I will say YES when the invites come in. 😊
How has your Authentic Leadership knowledge grown?
“The power for authentic leadership is found not in external arrangements, but in the human heart”.
(Parker J. Palmer)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/05/12/what-is-authentic-leadership/?sh=6f7ed67fdef7
(Image by Radfotosonn from Pixabay)
“Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets”.
(Luke 6:26)
My Walk into the Future in 2020 was an interesting journey!
I am sure everyone who just read that last sentence can highlight how 2020 was a unique year to remember—good or bad. We all had to adjust in 2020 due to COVID-19 and these adjustments impacted our daily lives.
One area I needed to adjust was how I lead an organization with COVID-19 work protocols–working from home, virtual meetings and having staff with preexisting conditions. None of these things were on our radar when 2020 started but quickly became necessary talking points in early March 2020 for most of us.
My gravitation to the Luke 6:26 verse came about because even when I am doing great work, I continue to look for an angle to motivate myself to do more. I am not a person to rest on my laurels but look for ways to motivate myself and team to do more. Luke 6:26 stands out to me today because I am happy to report not all men speak well of me on my current Walk into the Future.
I do not make that claim lightly but have found a level of motivation, enjoyment, and humor in this fact. Turns out the people who do not speak well of me are the people who are slackers in their daily work endeavors. It is obvious I take a lot of pride in getting positive things done, correctly and on-time. I have discovered people who do not take pride in their work, who are satisfied with the status quo or who are plain lazy are not fans of people like me.
I enter new organizations with the mission to make a difference daily—amazingly simple concept but one I do not take lightly. I have discovered in my new work environment there WERE several people who were not held accountable for their daily actions. You cannot make a difference daily without being accountable, so these people hear from me they are not meeting my expectations.
Please note, these folks work or worked in multiple departments, so it was not isolated to just one area.
“Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes the wicked incur abuse.”
(Proverbs 9:7)
A funny thing happened when I identified we all need to be accountable in the work environment. Some did not speak well of me! Not saying that to be nonchalant or play it down but I heard someone say they could not thrive in a work environment with expectations. True statement!
I wish I were making this up, but it is true. Imagine being in a work environment and a staff member has an issue with being accountable to the team and overall mission. I have been on this professional journey for 30+ years now and find this a terribly sad state of mind for anyone.
Turns out the previous leadership did not value accountability as much as they should have. It is amazing how much energy is needed within an organization to correct these type thoughts and actions. There have been times new leadership has been questioned but The Energy Bus continues to move forward. Great things are happening and staff who did not have a voice are now able to fully contribute. The new energy is contagious!
I hope there are other folks who do not speak well of me! My work speaks for itself. I was promoted to Administrative Director of Advising and Career Services on July 1, 2021. Must be doing something right, huh? 😊
We will continue to Walk into the Future and do great things! Irie!
Believe Shakespeare perfectly sums up this episode below!
“Heavy is the head that wears the crown”.
(Shakespeare)
Really?
Black Lives Matter you say
Is that real or just a cliché?
Cannot believe we have to scream this everyday
Just to be heard, seen, and protected
From the brutal society trying to stamp us out
The daily body counts continue to rise
With no end in sight, we fall
Does not matter if it is a southern thing
Northern thing or western thing
Black lives continue to be extinguished
With no end in sight
So, I ask again, do Black Lives Matter?
When will you step up to make this true?
Simply saying it with no action makes it a hollow cliché
Something woke to say?
Time for action, some type of display
Marching is fine but there cannot be additional delay
Let us put more meaning to Black Lives Matter
Do it today!
“Running: my sport is your sport’s punishment”.
(Funny running quotes)
Took me a little time to fully understand what being a runner truly means. I started getting serious about running when I moved to Oviedo, Florida from Bonaire, Georgia.
I ran in Georgia because I was still in the Air Force and needed to maintain my cardio fitness to ensure I completed our annual fitness test. I was always in shape but focused on football, basketball and weightlifting while in the Air Force. I signed up for an occasional 5k but never really trained for them—just showed up and ran. I also had NO idea how important the correct shoes can be in this sport.
Now, back to the quote above. I played football, basketball, and baseball back in the high school days. I transitioned to flag football, basketball, softball and weightlifting during my time in the Air Force. Coaches in both worlds routinely assigned RUNNING as a motivational tactic or punishment depending on how they felt. A missed assignment in football was punished by running a lap or two around the track. A missed free throw in basketball was punished by unlimited ‘down and backs’ on the basketball court. An error in baseball or softball got a lap around the field to regain your focus. So, as you can see, the quote above rings true in more ways than one. 😊
Fast forward to today and punishment from my younger days is something I routinely leave my house to accomplish, for fun! The therapeutic benefits have been amazing also.
Running has taken on a large part of my Walk into the Future, and I do not see it diminishing anytime soon. I got into running later in life, so I am blessed to not have run related injuries that limit my ability to get my miles in. I also know the importance of nutrition and stretching so make sure I take care of my body before, during and after my runs.
Another fun fact about my running program is I bring my running gear whenever I travel in case I can sneak a run in. Sometimes I never get a chance to break out my gear but want to be ready.
My work with the Central Florida Employment Council (CFEC) back in May brought me back to the Orlando area and the large trail systems available there. My event with CFEC was on a Friday afternoon so I decided to hang out in Oviedo after the event so I could get up on Saturday morning and run the Seminole Cross Trail while in the area. Yes, you read that right—Inspiration Man made a point to get a run in while in town making a difference.
I love the Seminole Cross Trail because it has visible mile markers and most of the trail is shaded. I made sure I got out early because I wanted to beat the Central Florida heat and still have time to enjoy time in Oviedo.
There was a lot of activity on the trail with bikers, walkers and runners sharing the trail. I made a point to wave and say hello to everyone I saw on the trail. My Fort Pierce runs do not provide many opportunities to see many folks during my runs, so it was great seeing others out enjoying the morning on the trail.
A first for me was seeing someone riding a unicycle on the trail. Guess I only thought people rode unicycles as part of a circus act but this guy rode by me at a good pace. I was impressed with the ability to balance and ride a unicycle while avoiding people on a busy trail. Started to wonder if I could ride one of those things. Running provides time to think about stuff. 😊
I was able to complete a quick 6 mile run on the trail before it got too hot—not bad considering I was there for an event.
I look forward to leveraging the Seminole Cross Trail more as I ramp up my half marathon training. I plan to get back into racing later in the year and need to start getting long runs in again.
My run gear bag remains packed, and I am ready to keep logging miles. Each run brings me closer to 1,000 training miles for the year.
How many miles have you logged this year? Let’s get busy!
“Running helps me maintain my ‘never killed anyone’ streak”.
(Pinterest)
(Image by Bryan Stewart from Pixabay)
“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself”.
(Oprah Winfrey)
My Walk into the Future allows me to explore activities that I enjoy. This concept provides me unlimited access to find new ways to make a difference in the world.
I understand most of my blog articles center on my adventures, travel and things that cross my mind (social justice, current events, etc.) I continue to seek opportunities where I am making a difference and then decide how to highlight those efforts on the Walk into the Future blog. Please note, I do not take notes when I am engaged in an activity—I try to sit down after the fact and then document my thoughts to share with my readers.
I received an email from Daniel Botero who is one of my tree branches. Daniel’s name should be familiar with readers since he hosts the Mastering College to Career podcast, and I have been a featured guest 4 times so far. Daniel has added an interactive mentoring component to his program and invites national guests to speak with his mentees.
Mastering College to Career has grown quite a bit since I last sat down with Daniel in March 2020. He continues to add value to college students across the country by helping them understand how to make themselves attractive to recruiters.
The program helps colleges students LEARN how to build their online presence, resume, and mock interview skills. Surprisingly, COVID-19 allowed Daniel to extend his program since he uses Zoom meetings to check-in with his students.
The email Daniel sent me was a request to join him via Zoom to speak with his students. He did not provide a specific topic but wanted this to be a free form conversation so his students could ask me questions. My roles within Career Services at multiple schools was a targeted aspect of the conversation. Daniel wanted me to share my knowledge on the correct way for colleges students to network with employers to ensure they are visible and viable in the recruiting process.
I made sure to express being visible and viable is the key to transitioning from a college student to the world of employment. This was a bit of a revelation for some of the students because they assume a degree means the transition will be easy. This is a common thought of students everywhere I have been, but it is not true. There are a lot of talented graduates at every college and university, the key to going to work is being visible and viable to recruiters. Sounds simple but students without these key components are not on the radar of recruiters. Daniel’s students were amazed by this statement and quickly wanted to know how they can gain an advantage.
I shared a quick story of a student I worked with at UCF. This student had a GPA that was not high. This student was not a U.S. citizen, so this eliminated them from certain organizations that refused to sponsor students for the hiring process. This student was a native Spanish speaker so English was the second language. These are three huge strikes within the on-campus recruiting process and the student in this example was not feeling good about the chances of gaining employment after graduation. I met with this student, and he explained the things he PERCEIVED to hold him back from getting a job after graduation. I developed the visible and viable concept while working with this student.
I told him he needed to identify organizations he wanted to work for and identify when they were on-campus. He was advised to ensure that each time one of these organizations was on-campus, he would meet with them and expressed his interest working for them. He was schooled on how to ensure the recruiters saw him as someone with potential and not worry about a low GPA. Fast forward a bit and several organizations saw him as visible and viable and offered him interviews. Not only interviews but this same student received 6 job offers prior to graduation—not bad for someone who supposedly had the deck stacked against him.
Can you guess the name of this student? If you guess Daniel Botero, you would be right. The person who learned how to be visible and viable is teaching his students the same skills he learned sitting in my office a decade ago—small world! 😊
The reaction of the students on the Zoom session was a renewed energy. They needed to hear others have struggled with this process and overcame similar doubts. Sharing my knowledge with the students provided a reminder they control their destiny—no one can stop a determined person.
I received about 20 LinkedIn requests from students in this session to connect for future advice on their journey. I gladly accepted the requests and actively help these students anyway I can. I found a higher level of satisfaction by volunteering my time to help these students.
Inspiration Man continues to seek ways to make a difference in the world!
How do you reach back to help others? Irie!
“We all need someone who inspires us to do better than we know how”.
(Anonymous)
“Surround yourself with people who are only going to lift you higher”.
(UK Wired)
Dictionary.com defines inspiration as a divine influence directly or immediately exerted upon the mind or soul.
I have multiple Walk into the Future blog posts discussing superpowers and why they are important in our daily walk. Here is one of my favorites where I introduce my readers to Inspiration Man. 😊
My move to Fort Pierce has allowed me to make a difference but it is more of an organizational difference so far. We have adjusted work product and flow in my first 14 months. It almost feels like a complete overhaul of the organization based on how we revamped our services, products, and delivery methods. I did not expect this level of adjustment when I arrived, but we have made steady progress on modernizing our services and delivery.
The concept of Inspiration Man came up to highlight how I make an impact in the daily lives of others. Inspiration Man has been doormat, but this all changed when I received an email from a colleague in Orlando who works with the Central Florida Economic Council (CFEC) and Christian HELP.
Both organizations work to help people in Central Florida get back on their feet—job search, housing, food, etc. My friend is the Division Director for these organizations and asked me to speak at their May 2021 Job Fair. I did something similar 10 years ago and she remembered my positive impact on job seekers and wanted me to share my knowledge again. She does not know about my alter ego, Inspiration Man but she was about to unleash the superhero on the Orlando area. 😊
I quickly accepted the opportunity to move the crowd and share information with job seekers. The topic given: Job Searching in 2021—How to Adapt.
This was not a topic I had in my speaking library, but the challenge was to find a way to cover this information and engage with the audience. They provided an article with a ton of useful information, so this was the foundation of the presentation.
I never miss an opportunity to help, and this process was exciting; research, building and then presenting information to people who needed to hear from me.
I made my way to Winter Garden on the day of the event. Decided to drive over and then change at the venue prior to show time. My friend greeted me at the door, and we took a little time to catch up on life. She remembered the book I published in 2010 and thought I had another one ready to present to the group. FYI—I have been working on producing an eBook on Authentic Leadership, but it is not ready for public consumption. It should be coming later in 2021—get ready!
Inspiration Man made a quick dash into the dressing room to change into my superhero outfit for the day. Trying to be funny with that—it was a grey suit with a power blue tie.
Headed off to do a quick microphone check and make a quick adjustment to my slide deck. The event was held at Mosaic Church in Winter Garden, Florida and they have a fantastic audiovisual team. Sound checks allow me to gauge the acoustic of the venue to understand how loud I need to speak into the microphone. All systems go!
I took the stage after the host took care of some announcements and introduced me as the featured speaker of the day. It is always weird to me when I hear someone introducing me at an event—I want to look around to see who they are talking about, and it is ME.
I like to start my presentations by building rapport with the audience. One member spoke with me before the presentation and shared she was having a hard time finding employment. She mentioned a few things she tried but was having troubles. This quick conversation allowed me to bring a real-world situation into my presentation and highlight I was there to help. I speak with slides, but this does not drive how I present. Slides to me provide a foundation but I am not limited to the words on my slide show.
I am a huge fan of Jocko and introduced this video to set the tone for the day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdTMDpizis8
Diving into the presentation I covered:
Each topic came directly from the article they provided, and I leveraged this data to highlight how the current trends favored the job seekers. We jumped into new job search parameters and ways to gain and keep an employer’s attention. The personal messages centered on building a WHY statement. Of course, I shared my WHY with the group to show how it can impact a positive mindset.
The competition on the job search is really internal—preparing well enhances the client’s ability to connect with employers. The presentation centered on creating an elevator pitch to helps a client standout in a positive manner.
The audience responded well to each topic and had a lot of questions for me during my hour with them on stage. This was the most fun I have had in a long time. Working with motivated people who want to learn and get better brings out the best in me. I was intent on moving the crowd during this event and happy to report mission accomplished.
Several folks waited to speak with me after and tell me their unique stories. I listened and shared my contact information so they can reach out to me when ready. I am happy to help them continue to grow.
Hoping to get additional invitation to help with CFEC/Christian HELP events again soon. May be time for Inspiration Man to make another appearance! 😊
“Do not let yesterday take up too much of today”.
(Will Rogers)
“Fill your house with stacks of books, in all the crannies and nooks”.
(Dr. Seuss)
Who knew Dr. Seuss was so wise?
My love of reading started when I was young. This may have come about because my hometown is so small and reading provided unlimited adventures for me. I cannot remember a time when I did not have a book in my hand reading about things that enlightened my world.
My love for reading kept me in my junior high school library daily looking for new books. Books about the old west were some of my favorites back then. Learning about warriors Sitting Bull, Geronimo and Cochise was my go-to section within the library—I read other stuff, but the wide west was an era that fascinated me. Mrs. Wiggins, the librarian, gave me unlimited access to books and allowed me to check out as many as I wanted. I left school on Friday afternoons with a new stack of books and read them over the weekend so I could return on Monday and get more books. Did I mentioned I love reading! 😊
High school saw me gravitate to a larger library with even more adventures waiting for me to discover. I spent so much time in the library, Mrs. Chandler let me check out books to my fellow students. I did not work there but she made me useful and took breaks while I ran the library for her. I still see Mrs. Wiggins and Mrs. Chandler when I am back in Jasper—they still bust my chops for always being in their way.
Fast forward to 2021 and I still have a thing for reading—guess I am a lifelong learner.
I write out my yearly goals each January and make sure I list a reading goal for the year. My 2021 reading goal is to read 2 books each month. That does not sound daunting, but my reading progress can be impacted by life (work, travel, etc.). Work has proven to be the biggest obstacle to my reading program since we have so many new things going on at the same time. Yes, that is an excuse so had to work my way out of my reading funk and get back on-track.
My saving grace is one of my coworkers. He is an avid reader, and his yearly goal was a bit more aggressive than mine. He would come into work on Mondays and tell me about the book(s) he read over the weekend. I am a bit competitive so knew I had to get myself in gear or he was going to leave me in his dust (reading wise). Life inspiration is funny—positive peer pressure got me back to reading.
Proud to say I have been in a groove and have started to crush my reading goals. I joined Amazon Prime so I could get free shipping and 2-day delivery for my book purchases. Sounds like a small thing but getting books delivered faster actually keeps me focused. I routinely have two or three books on standby as I complete my current title. Amazon provides book recommendations based on previous purchases, so I am always on the lookout for my next buy.
I read four books in April and three in May—this put me back on pace to meet my yearly reading goal. My increased reading volume puts me on pace to read 40+ books this year which would be the most ever for me in a year. Funny thing is I am still super busy at work but made reading a priority and the pages are turning now.
I am not limited to a single topic when selecting my books. I do not read much fiction but try to find subjects I can learn from and apply in my daily interactions. Some of my books are just entertainment and enjoy turning pages while sitting on the beach in between naps.
Here are a few of my latest reads:
Looking to get The Bomber’s Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell soon—the reviews are great and love his writing style. I am sure there will be other titles added to my reading journey—just need to figure out what I want to read about and put my Amazon Prime membership to work.
What are your reading goals? Who is your favorite author and why?
“There is more treasure in books than all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island”.
(Walt Disney)
“Your life is a story of transition. You are always leaving one chapter behind while moving to the next”.
(Anonymous)
2020 brought us a year of uncertainty and change. Not the most prophetic thing I have ever written for the Walk into the Future blog but felt the need to drop that nugget.
I celebrated the one-year mark of my move to Fort Pierce on April 13th and decided to look back. I am sure I was not the ONLY person to move to a new city during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic but have not met anyone in my current circle. Turns out I was the last employee hired by Indian River State College before a hiring freeze was imposed due to COVID-19 uncertainty and the onset of remote work for all college employees.
I remember when I was preparing to move from Tallahassee to Fort Pierce the thought kept coming up that maybe my opportunity to work at Indian River State College would be pulled due to the pandemic. I called a few times to make sure I was still hired, and Human Resources kept saying yes. Packed up the U-Haul, pointed it south and the rest is history—arrived in Fort Pierce without knowing the pandemic was about to get a whole lot worse than we expected. It did not help the government kept telling people there was nothing to worry about—that dang U.S. government, they have never lied before, right? 😊
I never had a remote work schedule when I arrived—being new to the area, going into the office was my only interaction with other people. The limited staff in the buildings all wore masks and practiced physical distancing but going to work was a welcomed part of my day. I could not imagine moving to a new city and then sitting at home all day without seeing anyone.
True story—my entire staff was working remotely so I met my 11-person team on my laptop via a Zoom meeting. Never thought this would be possible but 2020 made us find creative ways to get things done. My initial staff meetings were all done via a virtual platform (Zoom, Black Board Collaborate or Microsoft Teams). I love the functionality of Microsoft Teams and continue to conduct staff meetings with this platform. Most of the staff are fully vaccinated but we still have a few stragglers—hope to be able to get everyone together with physical distancing in the fall—fingers crossed.
I had to find new running routes over the past year. Discovered Fort Pierce is not as runner friendly as Tallahassee or Oviedo so finding places to run safely continues to be a challenge. I have two good running areas but would like more routes for a change of scenery. I love running but still get bored if I do not have variety on my routes. Will keep searching for new places to run because I need to extend my long runs with my focus on becoming a running tourist again. I have race entries for the following:
Would like to add more races but need to build my long runs back up to 12+ miles again.
My initial workouts in Fort Pierce were done strictly at home. Most of the gyms closed due to COVID-19 protocols and I would not have ventured in even if they were open. I stopped going to the gym before leaving Tallahassee because the gym environment is a prime place for close contact with others. This close contact led to people spreading the virus so I invested in workout equipment so I could maintain my fitness levels from home. Surprisingly, I stayed in great physical shape with home workouts. I have slowly returned to the gym but only go two days a week now when I am in town. I do body weight workouts (pushups, crunches, squats, etc.) in the mornings before I head to work. I am happy with my results and will keep this up since it is working and a lot cheaper than having a gym membership. 😊
The beaches on the Treasure Coast provide me with great places to sit, relax and catch up on my reading. Funny, I live about 10 minutes from a beach but find I must schedule my beach outings. I run close to the water and stop to enjoy the views but need to do a better job of just making beach days. I am heading to Melbourne tomorrow for an air show and will get an early start so I can stake my claim to a prime beach location to relax and enjoy the Blue Angels as they put on their show. I plan to get to the beach more this year and keep taking beautiful sunset shots.
Time continues to move forward. It feels like I just got here yesterday but it has been a year. Most days seemed to be the same due to COVID-19 protocols but a year it has been. Looking forward to new adventures in 2021 and you know I am going to highlight a few in the Walk into the Future blog! 😊
Irie!
“To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly”.
(Henri Bergson)
Walk Into the Future 