I write an extra blog post for my local patch website: Live Fit and Sore!. It’s really another avenue for me to support others in my local community to get fit for themselves and their families. This past week, I wrote on a common theme – Finding your “CrossFit”:  finding your passion, something that shocks your core into realizing that neglecting yourself is doing no one any favors.

I decided to revisit this theme because I have met so many women lately that have really forgotten who they were. They are wrapped up in everyone else’s life that they forget they need some time to cultivate their own or bring back the part of themselves that has been neglected.  I always ask these women to consider the sort of example they are setting for their kids. I believe very strongly that kids need to see that their parent’s are people too – in their own right. Have their own interests, make time for fun, take care of themselves and value their own identity.   If mom is so busy shutting kids back and forth, cleaning, making dinner, etc –when does she have time to do that? I know what you are thinking, well if I don’t do it –how does it get done?

Well there is no magic trick to it -creativity, commitment, determination, value and most importantly, learning that it’s OK to ask for help. Heck, it’s even way more than OK — you should absolutely ask for help.  I learned how to ask for help when my husband was sick — there was no way in the world that I was going to be able to do what I had to do all alone and add in his care. You realize that it’s not only helpful for you, it’s a good thing. Your family learns that the world does not center around them. They are a part of a TEAM.

For me, my husband plays a HUGE part in this all working out. I get up early, get dressed for my workout and head out the door. While I am getting all fit and stuff, he is getting ready for his day, getting the kids up, fed and ready to head off to camp/school. When I get home, I make their lunches , finish corralling them, getting their school/camp gear all set and they head off with Scott. Without his role, it would be extremely difficult to be able to workout out in the morning. He knows this is very important to me. In our house, the saying is – When the Queen is happy, there is peace in the Kingdom. And it’s more than true —