The State of Being Happy

hap·pi·ness: noun \ˈha-pē-nəs\

        : the state of being happy

                www.merriam-webster.com

Happiness.
What is happiness? According to Merriam-Webster, happiness means the state of being happy. But have we ever really sat down and thought about what truly brings us to that state or feeling.

Everyone has been through their fair share of ups and downs in their lifetime - I know I have. It's seems cliche to say that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. However, I feel like there is so much truth behind that statement. In my eyes, you have to go through the trials and tribulations in life to find out what really makes you happy, which leads me to my next point...

Positivity.
Having a positive outlook on life can change your entire perspective on anything. Looking at the glass half full, rather than half empty is a motto I love to live by. Why take the negatives out of every situation? It will only bring you down. When you focus on the problems rather than the solutions, you stay stuck. Life is too short to worry about things that haven't worked out in your favor. 

Staying positive brings positive results. 

"A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor." - English Proverb
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Finding That Motivation...

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Believe you can and you're halfway there?" I believe Theodore Roosevelt was on to something with this. 

Let's face it, we've all had those days before the gym when you just are so tired and lack any type of motivation to go there. My theory is, getting there is 80% of the battle. Once you're there, more often than not, you rise to the occasion and absolutely crush your workout. I've found that a lot of days where I thought I was "too tired" to do my workout, I ended up doing more than what I had planned for..

A big motivating factor for myself is knowing how I will feel after I complete that last rep, sprinting that last interval, climbing that last hill. There is nothing more rewarding than setting the bar and surpassing it. 

I signed up for my half marathon last January with a little bit of panic tapping me on my shoulder. I mean, I had always been an athlete, played collegiate sports, and had a knack for running. But 13.1 miles? That seemed to be excessive.

After a few months of training, the day of the race came. Nerves had officially settled in at the starting line. Putting my headphones in, I had finally calmed down telling myself this was going to be an exhilarating experience and besides, I had spent all spring training for this! 

One goal: to finish, without walking.

Fast forward to post 13.1, and I felt on top of the world.  I actually ran 13.1 miles at a constant pace and did not stop to walk once! That was huge! I didn't quite get my time I had hoped for, but I reminded myself that it was my first race ever and I had achieved my one goal I set for myself.

Key takeaway for future motivation: set achievable goals and you will feel amazing when you surpass them. 

What motivates you?
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