In a Rut...What??

Good afternoon to you!  I hope that you all had a great weekend and a positive start to your week.  This morning as I was brainstorming my post, I just couldn't seem to pinpoint exactly what it was that I wanted to focus on.  I feel as if I am stuck in somewhat of a rut lately.  Not with my blog posts but, just in general.  Like I told you last week, this blog is real.  I won't sugarcoat things, only write the honest truth. If you are human, the chances are pretty darn good that you may have even felt this way yourself, in some way or form.  

The last month or so, I have felt as if I have been either running on a treadmill to nowhere or treading water.  It has just been one of those seasons in my life that, no matter how positive my outlook seems to be, things just haven't been going how I envision them.  My daughter has been sick for what seems like weeks and as a result, has missed many days of school already, and it is only October.  So frustrating to have her feeling so yucky and not being able to make it go away. Even more heartbreaking is hearing her ask me why she keeps getting sick and expressing to me that she would do anything to feel like herself again. It is somewhat hard not to feel defeated as you can't always take away the pain from your child. As any mother would, I wish I could have taken her sickness on for myself. I am very happy to report that we saw the doctor, again, this week, and she is on antibiotics that have her headed back down the road of being healthy again.  Yes!  I told you that there always lies something positive in everything. Everything always turns around for the better. Sometimes it just takes longer than other times.  

Alongside her being sick, I found out last month that I was very anemic.  I am so glad that I asked the doctor to check my iron levels because I had a sneaking suspicion that my levels were low.  I have been so very tired, yet I can't seem to sleep very well and of course I simply can't take a nap, no matter how hard I try.  My mind never shuts off.  So, my energy level has been rock bottom.  I am typically one who can never sit still for a moment and must always be accomplishing something at any given moment.  I can not tell you how frustrating it is for me to feel like I am totally unaccomplished lately.  I wake up every morning just hoping that the iron pills that I have been taking, twice a day, will finally make me feel human again.  I just want to feel myself.  Each day, I sit here feeling like I have lost myself.  It is amazing when your body isn't quite in balance and all systems aren't quite in sync, how different you feel.  On the positive side, if I weren't displaying symptoms, I may have never picked up on the fact that something was off balance.  If you think about it, the human body is truly amazing.  I don't mean to bring up the topic of running again but, I have not even had the energy to do what I love, and that is to go for a mind clearing run to rejuvenate myself and my soul.  I think back to my half marathon over Labor Day weekend and somehow my body pushed through the fatigue.  I fully believe that it was through perseverance, determination and adrenaline that carried me to the finish.  Now knowing that I was anemic,at the time, my desire for faster and stronger races in my future burns.  In my heart, I knew, although I tried my hardest in that race, that I was capable of so much more.  

Before I began writing this post, I wanted to come up with some words of inspiration that "inspire" me.  You will notice some of the words that I chose and included in the photo above. Of course, I had many more but, not enough space. Sometimes it is as simple as reading a word of inspiration to keep me focused and positive.  All throughout my house, I have inspirational words.  Some may be on the wall, some on picture frames, some in books, and even several of those crafty decorative blocks of wood that are engraved with phrases or words.  Words can truly be a powerful thing.  Did you know that if you see a word, it is impossible not to read it?  Your mind just takes over and it becomes a thought.  I dare you to try this.  Look at something with written words and try not to read it.  I bet you will find the same thing to be true.  Why else would these items be so popular in every little store?  I use them as gentle reminders each day as I read them.  

Here are a couple of my favorites that I read every single day....

This one is from my very good friend, Jen. She gave this to me before I moved back to Michigan.

Just a favorite that I picked up several years ago.

Do you have any words or phrases that help you stay positive or inspired?  I would love to hear from you if you are interested in sharing.  

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!