Karen S Flynn
Body | Mindset | Living the Prime of Life
New year, fresh perspectives
This is a post dedicated to that girl on the left. That girl who is stressed, overwhelmed, defeated and tired. That girl who woke up and somehow was 35 pounds heavier than she should be, felt inflamed, couldn’t seem to recover or perform athletically like before and generally living life on auto pilot.
That mom, wife, and athlete who has a body that fights it’s own immune system. The gal who woke up with headaches and coffee and went to bed with cold hands, feet, and a lack of hope.
That girl who thought weight loss was about depriving her body and putting in hours of cardio; and who thought it was fate to have to live this way because ‘I was older.’
That girl on the left was me, is me. I love her.
I love her for:
- Birthing and nursing 2 of the most amazing human beings ever.
- The ability to move, dance, swim, motivate, inspire, teach, coach, train, breathe through countless years of synchronized swimming, Jazzercise classes, training runs, 10 full marathons, countless 10Ks and half marathon courses.
- The wife and mom she is when times feel hopeless yet endures through it.
- The resiliency and perseverance to never ever give up on the hope that there was a better feeling body on it’s way in the future.
- The spirit and mindset to keep trying, researching, and putting in action every single day knowing there was better health, increased energy, and optimized athletic performance on the other side.
- The personality to shy away from asking for help; an introvert that felt no one would understand yet crushing through that barrier to seek out people who knew the way.
That girl on the left is the reason there is a girl on the right. The girl on the right is older, wiser, fitter, more adventurous, hopeful, and kinder. The girl on the right is here to stay because she’s found a different way and approach to stay this way. It’s not a ‘before and after,’ it’s a ‘past and here and now.’
I’m grateful for that girl on the left and all the ups and downs she went through. Without that girl on the left, the girl on the right would not exist and I love that. “Three things will last forever: faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love.” What will you do differently in this new year in the name of love?
Being Memorable
Regardless of influence, status, title or years in life, we all know people who when we first meet them or are in their presence, we feel this energy – something you really can’t describe in words – but a knowing that there is something about them that you just want more of. A drawing in.
Here are a few traits I’ve found common in these individuals:
Confidence
These people typically exude an extremely high confidence factor. They hold their bodies with their shoulders back, their head held high, a positive look on their face, and will look you in the eye, say hello, and be open to what life has to offer.
These are people who admit when they messed up, are people who are humble, are definitely not ‘know-it-alls’ but add value to a conversation, and who answer questions with a sense of assuredness in their delivery. It’s not an arrogance, but a knowing of themselves from the inside out.
Confidence, really, is the new sexy.
Engaged in Life
To be memorable, you need to be interested and engaged in life. Being interested in life will make you interesting. Being interesting, having curiosity, asking questions, learning new things, will spark energy, conversation, and knowing which will draw others to you.
And for the life of Pete, can we stop labeling ourselves. Labels are so last year. Truly. If you are a person that is engaged in this thing called life, you are certainly more than ‘a mom’ ‘a student’ ‘a nurse.’ If all you did was describe yourself by a label, you are really undermining your worth as a human being.
Ask yourself, ‘If I removed the labels in my life, who exactly am I? What feeds my soul and life?”
That’s who you are. You are spirit, you are an inner being and that’s what should drive your daily habits, behavior, and actions. That is what the people above all have. And being multi-dimensional drives the interesting needle up the curve.
Generosity
When you are generous, you are a person that radiates energy. But this isn’t just monetarily, although that is certainly wonderful. I’m speaking about ideas, time, and positive emotions (by the way emotions are energy in motion – e=energy + motion). By delivering those repeatedly every day, people want to be part of that. Generous people are the first to help, serve, mentor, and give. Giving generously of your ideas, time, and positive emotions is like the most perfect juicy summer peach, and people will remember you.
Maya Angelou said it best:
People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
The next time you meet someone with that energetic force, evaluate. Are they confident, interesting, and generous?
Story maker art is born
We’re all creative. Creating is instinctual for children. Children pick up pots and pans and quickly discover the unique sounds that are made through the use of their hands or utensils such as a spoon or lid. Curious and fearless. They push their little fingers through the gooeyness of acrylic paint to create something of their own.
And as these children age, something happens to their creativity. It either is encouraged by a seemingly artistic ‘talent’ or discouraged because their ‘art’ isn’t conformist or someone pursed their lips in such a way to let them know they weren’t living up to an expectation. Perhaps that led to a path of channeling their energy into other areas which masked the magic of creating and what it does for the soul.
One day they wake up as an adult and – boom – have no idea what it means to live a creative life.
Mixed Media Original by K Flynn, 2014
As a child, teen and adult, I was around creativity and encouraged it with my own children. My grandmother, mother, father, uncle, cousins were/are so very talented — quilting, painting, knitting, sewing, cooking, car assembly, bus troubleshooting and repair, bamboo fly rod making, making dry flies, creating music.
Personally, to live a creative life means to look at the world in a non-conventional way. Having a hunger for expression.
Expression to me equates to curiosity. Curiosity equates to fresh ways to life live. New and fresh ways to life live equates to pureness of knowing you. Knowing you equates to being truly happy.
So if the end game to this life is to live it happy, we must create.
Mixed Media Original K Flynn, 2014
That is where story maker art was born.
During my transformation a few years ago, I was told that making a ‘vision’ board was a good thing to have. So I did it. But I didn’t do it like everyone else, I made it my own.
During that process, I explored using other techniques and just, well, dabbled (samples seen here in this post). I journeyed on my own with no instruction book or mentor. Just me, my thoughts, and my creativity — my happy.
This past weekend, I came together with a room of 300 awesome women to explore more on the topic of finding that ‘happy’ and to crack open hearts a little more through story telling and connection. Then it hit me. Why not a visual representation of our story or story maker art?
I’ll be working with a few of the women from this retreat on their story pieces and hope to grow this as a way to not only express myself more but to also serve those of you who would like to have their own visual story as a marker for who they are and what they represent. Stay tuned! I can’t wait to see where this goes.
Keep your eyes open. Listen. Follow your curiosity. Ideas are constantly trying to get our attention. Let them know you’re available. ~ Elizabeth Gilbert
Turn your Desert into a Sea
Have you ever listened to a song and thought, ‘huh, that sounds like something I can relate to.’ Do you remember the song “A Horse with No Name?”
A Horse with No Name | America
I could sing this song word for word yet today was literally the first time I’ve really ‘heard’ the lyrics. As we open ourselves up to who we are, I’ve found this happens more and more.
“On the first part of the journey
I was looking at all the life
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz
And the sky with no clouds
The heat was hot and the ground was dry
But the air was full of sound”
[Sounds like the beginning of a transformation]
“I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
‘Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain”
[Then you are alone in your desert of change but it feels good because you know the other side will be better than where you began]
“After two days in the desert sun
My skin began to turn red
After three days in the desert fun
I was looking at a river bed
And the story it told of a river that flowed
Made me sad to think it was dead”
[The process of change causes you to seek new resources and feelings]
“After nine days I let the horse run free
‘Cause the desert had turned to sea
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
there was sand and hills and rings
The ocean is a desert with it’s life underground
And a perfect disguise above
Under the cities lies a heart made of ground
But the humans will give no love
You see I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
‘Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain”
[However long it takes – nine days or nine years – it doesn’t matter. Your desert can morph into new beginnings if you allow enough time to pass. Love the process. We each get to our happiness differently.]
2013 – 2015 brought to you by a change in mindset, dense nutritional protocol, and daily movement
My transformation isn’t over. I view my physical change as a direct result of the internal work and people I’ve associated with – my choices – in the last two years. I didn’t join a ‘program’ for 30 or 60 days and close the door although I did follow some new ways to health based on science.
I have dedicated the last few years to re-learning about mindset, learning about the new research in nutrition, and building what I lovingly call my ‘angel army’ of people who are there to cheer me on, pick me up when I need it the most, and genuinely care about my happiness and success.
As an athlete my entire life, I had the mental fortitude for success, but I needed a new army of supporters who believed in me. I also needed to be more open to alternative methods of nutrition that wasn’t part of my day to day.
To live a healthy lifestyle, you have to commit to a practice, a way of being. It’s not a quick thing. It’s gradual. And it’s so very satisfying to feel as though I am aging backwards.
And now I luckily get to offer what I’ve learned to others – consider me having a gift for you if you’d like to receive it.
I’m here when you’re ready to turn your desert to a sea. Paddle on friends.
Jump In and Figure it Out Later
Lately I’ve been restless.
Expansion and curiosity has been part of my new norm ever since my renewed health focus a few years back. If you’ve ever set out to achieve something, achieved it, and then wallowed in thinking what’s next, that’s been me for the last year.
When and if you feel as though you’ve maxed out and aren’t learning new things, it’s time to change.
When you wonder, what if, it’s time to explore.
When you have done the same thing over and over and realize it doesn’t have the same allure any longer, it’s time to shake things up.
In the back of my mind I’ve always wondered ‘what if’ I could actually do that thing.
So this week an annual opportunity presented itself and I pondered it for awhile. I sat with it, ran with it, and rested it on it.
Then, I pushed submit and that was it. I was in.
I’ve got 8-1/2 months to prepare.
No bike. No wet suit. No experience with the sport. But I jumped in with both feet and will be figuring it out along the way.
For those that think they shouldn’t, can’t or won’t. For those who’s heads are now spinning from disbelief, we all have have our own road and path to go on. This is mine for a portion of 2016.
July 30, 2016 I’ll be covering 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking, and 26.2 miles of running — all in one day. If successful crossing the finish line, I’ll be adding Ironman to my list of accomplishments.
Anyone got a used bike to sell? Wetsuit maybe?
Happy Birthday to me next week. I give myself the gift of adventure and achievement.
My Fallen Hero
Memorial Day.
Innocence, youth, future — all lost. Families broken. You go from having a father one day and without one the next. You see your mother a widow overnight with 3 young children.
No one understands — not well-meaning relatives, friends, co-workers — the reality as much as others walking the same path.
It’s not November. That’s when the country celebrates Veteran’s Day, a day to show appreciation and honor to those who have served in our military. It’s May. This day is Memorial Day. I don’t even call it a holiday because for me it isn’t. Today is a day we mourn, memorialize, and honor those who weren’t fortunate to return home. This day in May is about the fallen.
The most respectful thing you can do on this day is to find a family or a person impacted and reach out to them. Honor the fallen soldier. Find a local organization with a mission to nurture the families so shattered by such extreme loss. Today and every day I honor my fallen hero, my father, Air Force Captain Gary W. Bitton.
Karen S Flynn 