Gearing Up

I am proud to say that this week I am 'gearing up' for my first triathlon. It is a sprint tri, so it contains a 400 meter swim, a 10 mile bike ride, and a 2 mile run. But excited and ready I am regardless. I get to be a REAL triathlete after this!!  Excited for a week of fueling my body and keeping it moving!

It is amazing, looking back at where I've come and where I am currently. Last year I vowed to tackle a marathon. This year, I vow to tackle an olympic distance triathlon. It makes me so very hopeful for what is to come after this. I do not know what tomorrow holds, or what fun challenges I will tackle next, but I'm sure that it will be rewarding in ways I have not yet discovered.

Self discovery continues to abound, and with it my heart is growing exponentially.  Last night, while watching a TED talk, I learned about the brain in love (and loss). A fun little fact: the area of your brain that is stimulated with extreme feelings of love is the same area that is stimulated in an extreme loss of that love (breakup.) So, the brain is essentially trying to make up for the loss by stimulating the same area, all the while trying to get over the feeling of extreme love (makes sense why breakups are so tough, huh?). This particular person (a neurologist I believe) concluded the talk by saying "Love is in us, deeply embedded in our brain, but our challenge is to understand each other." Love, and the feelings associated with it literally share qualities with addiction: focus, obsession, craving, and a distorted reality. MIND BLOWN.

I have experienced more love for more people in the last year and a half than I had probably in my entire lifetime. Simply by opening my heart, being vulnerable and letting go of the end result. It really is that simple!

With that, I challenge you all to show a little more love each and every day in any way that you can. A smile, a gift, a hug, a touch, paying it forward. To live love and give more than I take: that is and will continue to be my mission.

I hope my heart stays this full forever, I will do my best to keep it so.

Have a blessed Monday!

love,
Kara




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