In The Face of Adversity...What's in my Toolbox?

 

We agreed that this year, unlike in 2016, we would go to bed early and wait for any election results in the morning. Everything seemed so different from 2016 once Kamala Harris became the nominee. Even her campaign manager was confident that there was a clear path to victory. She had the money, a brilliantly executed campaign, throngs of supporters at her rallies, backing from members of the Republican Party and his own staff from when he was 45 organizing to vote for Kamala. It was quite a shock when Tom, Ruth Anne and I checked my email to see the Globe headline that he was on the cusp to become the 47th President. We all felt gutted, shocked, angry, frustrated and confused. It was incomprehensible a) that he was allowed to run for office and b) anyone would vote for a felon among all the many labels he and his followers carry. Fear and racing thoughts took hold until we all took a collective breath and moved forward with our day. 

We connected with like-hearted individuals in social media and in real time. We were blessed with "chance meetings" in the neighborhood with two neighbors who we've known for years. We shared a laugh, tears, anger and hugs. Ruth Anne also visited a dear friend whose daughter is critically ill in the hospital. They made it a political free zone. 

On Wednesday evening, Ruth Anne received notification that her dream of the past 5 years to run the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab had come true. She has been accepted to the Race for Rehab Team. She is well enough to take on the challenges of running Boston and fund raising. She wants to give back to the place that has done so much to help her find her strength and fully recover from her incredible challenges of the past 5 years. The outpouring of love and support on Facebook for her announcement touched our hearts and souls. On Thursday, we kept very busy with chores, fund raising and continued connections with like-hearted friends and family. We had morning miles with a mission as we mailed off Ruth Anne's contract with Spaulding.

 

On Friday, after all that busyness on Thursday, we took a lot of time for meditation and prayer. I realized that I needed to reflect on what do I have in my toolbox to navigate this time of adversity and challenge. We poured our time, treasure and talent into the campaign and would do it all over again in a heartbeat but I needed to dig deep into my toolbox to maintain equanimity, and not be swallowed up by fear, anger and disappointment. I have known adversity and trauma since I was 5 years old. After the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome at the age of 53, I had to take a deep dive into how to radically improve my physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Perhaps these tools will be helpful to others. Feel free to add comments and share your own.

I started with gratitude. I looked through my Mac and Facebook photos to find gratitude quotes. Writing poetry about gratitude opened the portal to healing after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome. In November, I post about 30 days of gratitude. This year I am amplifying those posts and honing in on what I am grateful for. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shortly after I contracted paralytic polio at age 5, I had an out of body experience. That touch of grace enabled me to endure recovery from paralytic polio and abuse at the hands of family members. I knew that the darkness would not prevail. I knew that there was something within me greater than my circumstances. I have faith that we all have the capacity to navigate these challenging times as we did in 2016. Staying connected with like-hearted people as we ride the waves of emotions and feeling a collective sense of determination based in faith and hope is an anchor.

It's sometimes easier to do this which is where my meditation practice comes in. I've been following Dan Harris on Instagram who wrote the book, "10 Percent Happier" and has been offering wonderful words of wisdom on his account. "Action is an antidote to anxiety," and "Don't do anxiety alone" are two gems. He also shares wisdom from the meditation teachers he has studied with through the years. Ruth Anne and I are reading "Make Every Move a Meditation" by Nita Sweeney. I love Divine Timing that we 'just happened' to be reading this book when we need it most. She even references her reaction to seeing yard signs during the 2016 election cycle. I put a time limit on my catastrophic thinking greeting my thoughts with compassion but not allowing the doom and gloom scenario to swallow me up. I am not watching the news and came up with a saying, "No news = less blues." I know that I will find out what information I need to be informed but not inundated.

A quote I heard years ago is, "If you're feeling helpless, help someone."

Did you know that kindness is an antidote to stress? And choosing kindness during these times where there are so many unkind words and actions being spoken is not an easy feat. BUT it is vital for our health and well-being. I am so blessed to be friends with Dr. David Hamilton. His latest book is, "The Joy of Actually Giving a F***."

Not only does he talk about the joy of caring for others but how vital it is to care for ourselves. He addresses those kindness conundrums such as how are we kind in the face of unkindness. It is a perfect time to pick up his book where he uses science to address the health benefits of kindness and why kindness is needed now more than ever. He is also offering a FREE 21-day kindfulness experiment that combines meditation and kindness practices. As I said earlier, I am in awe and so grateful for the Divine Timing of having these books and people coming into my life.

I've been friends with Tom D'Angora on Facebook through our mutual love of Barry Manilow. He played a major role in Hillary Clinton's campaign in 2016. We each shared the view that Kamala Harris' short yet extremely effective campaign had such a different feel from 2016. Despite his own feelings of devastation, he became a beacon of light emphasizing the need for self-care and expressing the feelings of his collective village. He suggested that we begin a daily journal of things that make us smile; where can we find the joy and a few moments of respite and relief while we process what happened. We then share on his page. 

And speaking of Divine Timing.. I saw a post from my friend Lee Woodruff that she was a guest on the Optimism Institute's podcast, "Blue Sky." That was back on September 25th. I had on my to do list that I wanted to listen to it and also reach out to the host, Bill Burke to see if my journey would be a good fit to share on his podcast. I finally got to it last week. We connected on LinkedIn and his assistant scheduled a time for us to meet. I follow the Optimism Institute on Instagram and Bill shared Reasons To Be Cheerful Post. I highly recommend following both those accounts and listening to the Blue Sky podcast.

Lee talks about her toolbox of navigating that horrific time in her life after Bob was critically injured in Iraq. She could write a book about resilience. Oh and she has! 

Chocolate - yes chocolate is in my toolbox but not just any chocolate, FlavaNaturals.

Let me close on this longer than usual blog post with two quotes:

and...  “Optimism is different than positive - and it's definitely not naive. Optimism is the belief that the future is positive, that there's a light at the end of the tunnel and we're heading there, together.” ~Simon Sinek

In health and wellness,

Mary

Visit my website to be inspired by my journey. May it ignite a spark within you to go farther than you ever believed you could. Be sure to visit the News and Events Page with links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements, where you can find my incredibly inspirational story and upcoming events.

Proud to BU is a podcast highlighting the illustrious achievements of Boston University Alumni. Here is the link to my episode.

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.

 

 

Chocolate -- FlavaNaturals

Imagination is Everything!

 

Did you know that the runner within me was born in my imagination? Sounds impossible right? How could a runner be born in one's imagination? I had never run a day in my life until I was over 50 years old. Running and physical activities were nowhere to be found on my bingo card of life. I contracted paralytic polio at the age of 5 and endured years of abuse at the hands of family members. I was in survival mode for most of my life. But then a most miraculous thing happened. My life came to a screeching halt with the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome. I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair!

In February of 2007 I got still and asked for Divine Guidance. I just knew I needed help from Source to guide me through that dark night of my mind, body and soul! I was told I needed to quit my award-winning social work career if there were any hope of stabilizing the symptoms where they were. 25 years of a career. Three years shy of retirement. I was in chronic pain. I clutched the banister to walk up stairs. I experienced chronic fatigue. I needed to go back in a toe up leg brace, use a cane and at times, a wheelchair for mobility!

So how is it possible that the poem, "Running the Race" flowed out of me on a dark, cold February day when I faced a grim prognosis and had to make incredibly difficult decisions about my future. Would I even have a future?

Why was running a race even on my radar when I had never run a day in my life? Oh sure I watched the Boston Marathon and one year, after reconstruction leg surgery quipped, "No I don't think I'll be running this year" as I hobbled around on crutches. (Be careful what you say out loud to the Universe. You never know where it may lead!) There was something deep in my soul; in my unconscious that was preparing the way for me for my second act!

Poetry, initially in the cadence of Dr. Seuss, poured out of me. Gratitude for the challenges, forgiveness for those who abused me, metaphors for healing the past and poems about visualizing myself happy, free, dancing in the rain, and running were the themes in my poetry. I worked first in physical therapy and then with a personal trainer who believed in the body's tremendous capacity to heal. This winning combination inspired my mind, body and soul to catapult from survival mode into an expanded mode of thriving. 

I continue to harness the power of my imagination as I continue to move forward in my health and wellness journey after a major setback in 2021/2022. I begin and end my day with meditation/visualizations and take time in the afternoon for rest and harnessing the power of my imagination for healing, for upcoming races and/or events in the future. Once I came to believe in the power of my imagination to heal, my practice of harnessing the mind/body connection gained momentum. The combination of imagination and inspired action,  with a powerful intention to achieve my goals while partnering with Source and professionals to guide has enabled me to become the most unlikely runner I am today!

I updated my website's News and Events page. Be inspired by my recent appearance on Women's Running Stories. Check back often for upcoming events! On 9/28 I will be at Providence Fit Body Boot Camp in Providence RI for "Running With Health Challenges as Septuagenerians: Still Moving and Finishing Strong". When I was training for the Bermuda Marathon Triangle Challenge 10K, I imagined meeting up with a few back of the pack runners and we'd get each other to the finish line. 

From "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior":

I took that first hill with relative ease putting one foot in front of the other. Spectators joked that we had a police escort. There were no other walkers that we could see in front of us and few spectators lined the course. I was in the zone determined to finish and get my bling.

We caught up with an older woman somewhere before mile 1.

"I just knew that we were going to find another walker that we would team up with."  

We talked about being back of the packers and how we get celebrated when we cross the finish line. Tom and I shared our Marathon Sports 5 Miler experience when we were celebrated with air horns and cheers as though I had broken the finisher's tape even though I was the last runner to finish.

"Look there's mile 1 up ahead. We did a good pace. We're gonna do this," Marlene said.

"Absolutely."

We shared our stories and noted Bermuda's beautiful farm land.

"Look there's mile 2," Marlene called out. She said that she had to go to the bathroom.

We asked the volunteers where the porta-potties were. They weren't sure but said there was a restaurant down the road we could try.
"I'll try to run up and catch up with you," Marlene said.

"Oh no. It's runner's code. Besides, it's a good idea for me to stop and hydrate and refuel.”

I took off my jacket as the winds subsided and the humidity was high.

"I hope they let me use it," Marlene said.

 "If they don't, they'll have to answer to me," said Tom.

Success! "I'm not going to drink anymore water because I don't know where the next porta-potty is."

"Oh no Marlene. It is humid. We have to hydrate."

"Oh okay," she said.

We soldiered on together pausing to hydrate at times and to have a moment to reset as we tackled the elevation.

 If you are in the Rhode Island area, please join us on 9/28 for what is sure to be an incredibly inspiring and motivating event about what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary. Imagination IS everything!

In health and wellness,

Mary

Visit my website to be inspired by my journey. May it ignite a spark within you to go farther than you ever believed you could. Be sure to visit the News and Events Page with links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story. My interview with the amazing On the Runs podcast team of Erika Hamel and Eric Knuuttunen is Episode 56. Be sure to subscribe and download on your favorite podcast platform and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Proud to BU is a podcast highlighting the illustrious achievements of Boston University Alumni. Here is the link to my episode.

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.