The Green Girl's Updated Motivational Collage

The Green Girl decided it was time to update her Motivational Collage.

The focus of my last collage was the amelioration of my mind, body, and soul.

A significant portion of last year's healing process involved a chronic case of Achilles tendon bursitis (retrocalcaneal bursitis) in my right heel.

The rehabilitation of my heel was two-fold: Active Release Techniques (ART) and strength training to reduce muscle imbalances.

In addition to being a Certified ART Provider, Dr. Sebastian Gonzales from The Performance Place also performs gait and stride analysis for runners. I went through the process with him a few years ago and Dr. Gonzales identified some muscle imbalances.

Plagued year after year with overuse injuries, I finally opted to enlist the help of a personal trainer. I started training with Chris Nelson from Beach Cities Mobile Fitness twice a week.

One of the benefits of working with a professional is the fact that they are able to quickly identify muscle imbalances or tightness based on the exercise posture of my body. Slight adjustments during workouts make a significant difference.

I credit the treatment, support, and guidance I received from Dr. Gonzales and Chris for the completion of my first ultramarathon last year at the Run Woodstock Freak 50k. While my Achilles bursitis is not completely cured, I am able to run. I support my heel with kinesiology tape on long runs or at the first sign of sensitivity.

My updated collage revolves around:

• Regular stretching and yoga
• Disaster/emergency preparedness
• Local exploration

I am going to get back into a weekly yoga routine and set aside dedicated time for stretching at home.

I want to continue educating myself about emergency preparedness. I don't want a zombie apocalypse to take me by surprise.

Finally, instead of hopping on a plane, I want to focus on exploring locally through trail runs, hikes, and road trips. I identified a number of places I'd like to visit in my 100 Things in 2014 list.

The Green Girl's Updated Motivational Collage

The Green Girl decided it was time to update her Motivational Collage.

Since my last collage, I did manage to accrue 54 out of the 60 professional development units (PDUs) required per three-year cycle for my my PMP certification.

In terms of dreaming and following my heart, I took some chances and ended up with some bumps and bruises along the way.

My updated collage reflects the following:

• Heal
• Balance head and heart

My number one focus right now is an amelioration of my mind, body, and soul.

A significant portion of this healing process will be the rehabilitation of my right heel. I've been struggling with Achilles tendon bursitis (retrocalcaneal bursitis) since the beginning of this year.

I believe finding a balance between my head and heart will be an integral part of this journey for me.

Healing comes from taking responsibility:
to realize that it is you – and no one else –
that creates your thoughts, your feelings, and your actions.
Peter Shepherd

The Green Girl's Updated Motivational Collage

The Green Girl decided the time had come to update her Motivational Collage again.

Since my last collage, I did manage to Say Goodbye. I mentally bid farewell to things I needed released from my life.

I did not re-Cisco certify and I've decided to let that one go for now.

I have started spending more time in the kitchen and I'm slowly learning how to prepare some basic dishes.

My updated collage reflects the following:

• Follow my heart
• Dream
• Accrue PDUs for PMP certification
• Find balance

In order to maintain my PMP certification, I must earn 60 professional development units (PDUs) per three-year cycle. This is achieved by attending Project Management Institute (PMI) events and certified educational courses.

The ॐ symbol represents my desire to find balance in my life.

For the most part, I'm a rationalist. Growing up, I was intrigued by the English scientist and philosopher, Francis Bacon, and his theory of empiricism. Empiricism is the view that knowledge is derived from experience.

I have a tendency to be overly logical and analytical and I find great comfort in mathematics and science - in proven fact.

Following my heart and dreaming are ways for me to work on expanding my reality.

If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts he shall end in certainties. Francis Bacon

The Green Girl's 'Say Goodbye' Trail Cairn

say good·bye [sey good-bahy]
verb The act of saying
goodbye to all the things
you need to let go of 

The Green Girl finally managed to 'Say Goodbye'.

After my running epiphany at the top of Bill Eckert Trail yesterday, I felt a certain sense of empowerment and liberation.

As I ran back down the trail, I realized I was finally ready to Say Goodbye.

Ironically, after spending years trying to figure out the optimal way to perform this ceremony, it came to me in an instant.

I decided I would Say Goodbye and then I would leave the goodbye in the dirt of the trail.

I ran until something told me I should stop. I quickly grabbed a stick and dug the letters into the damp ground.

On a whim, I decided to erect a small cairn above the word. I felt the symbolism was apropos.

I stood there and mentally bid farewell to each thing one by one.

As expected, some things were easier to release than others.

When I had separated myself from the last piece of emotional baggage and that metaphorical weight had been lifted from my shoulders, I took off down the trail as fast as I could.

The Green Girl's Updated Motivational Collage

The Green Girl decided it was again time to update her Motivational Collage.

Since my last collage, I ran the Athens Classic Marathon and completed the Long Beach Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program.

I still need to work on my Cisco certifications and Saying Goodbye.

My updated collage reflects the following:

• Save Money
• Say Goodbye
• Learn to Cook
• Get Cisco certified

I have quite a bit of travel planned in the next couple of years so I want to start saving as much money as possible. I have vowed to keep my trips domestic next year so I can go to China, possibly Thailand, and Australia in 2012.

'Say Goodbye' is the act of formally letting go of something you've been holding on to. There are some unresolved issues in my life that I still need to let go once and for all.

Cooking is something I've battled with over the years and I am determined to achieve some level of competency. I figured preparing meals at home will also help me in the money saving department since I consume a lot of pre-packaged meals.

I'm struggling to focus on getting certified again. Cisco requires testing every three years and I let my certifications expire while I was consumed with graduate school.

The Green Girl's Motivational Collage

The Green Girl decided the time had come to update her Motivational Collage again.

The first time I created a motivational collage was for a couple of SparkPeople challenges. One activity involved assembling a visual college. The other was the creation of a visual motivator.

As a visual person, I took it upon myself to combine the two activities into a single collage. I felt my visions were synonymous with my motivators.

After I created my first collage, I printed it out on sticky paper and stuck it in places where I felt it would hold the most significance for me.

My updated collage reflects the following:

• Complete the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training
• Say Goodbye
• Get Cisco certified (again)
• Complete the Athens Classic Marathon

I like how the collage serves as a constant reminder of my objectives. The visual helps keep me accountable and focused on my goals.

As I reach the milestones, I get a certain sense of satisfaction from being able to remove the completed items.