March is National Optimism Month

 A 53 year old woman diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome shouldn't be able to run and should have prepared to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair, but she didn't know any better and went on to run the 2009 Boston Marathon having many wonderful adventures as runnergirl 1953.

These are very challenging times to feel optimism yet these are the very times when we need to fuel optimism and hope combined with intentional action to help create change. 

Let me begin by saying that optimism is not denial of reality. I love what Simon Sinek said about optimism during the 2020 pandemic. Optimism isn't blind positivity. It's about an undying belief that the future is bright and we can all get there by working together and putting in the work to make it real.

It is a challenge to look for the good these days; negativity is drawn to us like a magnet seemingly at every turn. Yet when we look for the good, we are able to find the good that is happening around us.

 

During the many many challenges I have faced in my life, I have discovered that worry and focusing on the negative outcomes, drained me of my energy. It did not change the outcome although one could argue that the focus on negativity made negative outcomes more likely and robbed me of the strength I needed to face the challenges should they arise. 

And what if -- just what if the tide turns and despite all appearances to the contrary, situations we once thought were impossible suddenly become infinite possibilities. That's what happened to me time and again in my healing journey.

 

 

 

 

 

Research has repeatedly shown there are health benefits to optimism. 

Here are a few detailed by the Mayo Clinic:
    increased life span
    decreased depression
    better cardiovascular health and decreased risk of cardiac disease
    reduced risk of death from cancer, respiratory conditions and infections
    greater resistance to illness
    better psychological and physical well-being.

Today marks the two year anniversary of when Bill Burke started The Optimism Institute and Blue Sky Podcast.  It's amazing how I discovered the Blue Sky Podcast right when I needed a boost to fuel my optimism last November. I had seen a post from Lee Woodruff about her being a guest on the Blue Sky podcast.  Her journey after her husband, Bob Woodruff, suffered life threatening injuries while covering the war in Iraq as an ABC News correspondent, is sure to boost your optimism. Recently, Bill hosted Sal Khan, and Leslie and Richard Strauss who are education innovators. 

There are so many inspiring conversations in previous episodes. I encourage you to scroll through and see which ones resonate with you. The episode with Marko Cheseto gave me goosebumps and brought me to tears as he shares his journey from tragedy to triumph after a double amputation. I am so excited to cheer him on in Boston this year for the marathon.

In his A Bit of Blue Sky podcast out today, Bill shares that this is probably the most difficult time to be optimistic yet by being a part of this community, hearing inspiring stories and stories of people who are the change makers fueled by a sense of optimism and hope, we can stay steady and remain optimistic.

My favorite piece of advice that Bill offers time and again, "Don't let the news cycle control you!"

I have a list of healing resources on my website that continue to fuel my journey in the wake of the once devastating diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006. I do hope you will join me in celebrating National Optimism Month and make it a year round celebration.

Please enjoy my poem, "Optimism Is a Way of Being" that I wrote shortly after the results of the 2024 election. I was feeling devastated and shocked by the results after having poured our time, talent and treasure into Kamala Harris' campaign. As I had after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, I turned to writing poetry to help uplift me:

From my heart to yours

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my website to learn how poetry, optimism, gratitude and the mind/body connection helped me to transform my life. After having been told in December 2006 that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I went on to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as runnergirl 1953. Be sure to visit the recently updated News and Events Page for links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.

My books are available on Bookshop that share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary. Be sure to visit my Author Page on Amazon   My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is receiving rave reviews and is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club.

 

Hope and Possibilities

 

 

18 years ago I sat in a leg brace using a cane and at times a wheelchair for mobility. I'd been diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome. I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and expect an accelerated decline as I aged. At this time of year, with Boston Marathon training in high gear and the anniversary of when I started writing poetry, I tend to wax nostalgic.

In February of 2007, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance facing a grim and uncertain future. What happened next was miraculous. I discovered the gift of poetry in my soul. The first poem I wrote, "Running the Race" foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run. Writing poetry opened the portal to healing by firing up my imagination harnessing the power of the mind/body connection! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By taking certainty out of the equation of the prognosis, everything became possible!

I first learned about Bernie Siegel, MD's work in the 1980's. I was in the hospital for a staph infection in my right shoulder. I was blessed with an earth angel of a nurse, Beth Jordan, who told me that I needed to heal not only the infection in my shoulder, but my life. She brought in cassette tapes of his lecture, Love, Medicine and Miracles. When Bernie (as he likes to be called) came to speak with his wife Bobbie at Harvard, Tom and I went to hear him and I was blessed to meet him after his talk. Throughout the years, he has become my "chosen dad" and a "rebirthing coach".  After the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, I revisited his Forum and his work harnessing the power of the mind/body connection and renewing my commitment to healing my life from the once devastating effects of paralytic polio and childhood trauma. 

It''s been an incredible journey that continues today. As our daughter Ruth Anne trains for the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab, a full circle moment from 16 years ago when we ran the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab:

 Tom and I are doing our miles on the Newton Hills and being support crew for Ruth Anne. As I 'run' into runners I know from social media and/or in real life, I feel the awe of being a part of this incredible community. I had been a stranger to athletics until my mid-50's. 

Last Saturday, we 'ran' into the "Bearded Runner" who I 'met' through the On The Runs Podcast. He loves to take selfies while he trains for Boston. He also gives great hugs and high fives:

Tom and I did our 5K and coordinated a 'water stop' with Ruth Anne after we finished. She had 'only' a 10 miler to do last Saturday. 

As we enjoyed our post-race fueling, my heart overflowed with gratitude for my journey. 18 years ago, in early February, I experienced the dark night of my mind, body and soul in the wake of the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006. In mid-February in the midst of a very cold, dark day, a light shined through the darkness as I penned my first poem, "Running the Race." Little did I know at the time that it would foreshadow my 2009 Boston Marathon run. Little did I know that 18 years later, I would be celebrated as a most unlikely runner connected to the most amazing village I could ever hope for. 

I chose the title, "Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibilities" for my memoir after running the Boston Marathon. I truly had no idea that it would set the tone for my healing journey and writing a Trilogy of Transformation, two books during the pandemic and my 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior." 

I found hope in the seemingly impossible diagnosis and prognosis of Post-Polio Syndrome much as we all find hope in the depth of winter knowing Spring always comes. In the midst of the darkness that is happening in Washington these days, I still have hope and know that infinite possibilities await. It's going to take a lot of hard work as did my emerging from the dark night of my mind, body and soul becoming a most unlikely runner, but I have faith and optimism to light the way.

From my heart to yours

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my website to learn how poetry, optimism, gratitude and the mind/body connection helped me to transform my life. After having been told in December 2006 that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I went on to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as runnergirl 1953. Be sure to visit the recently updated News and Events Page for links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.

My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon  My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is receiving rave reviews and is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club.