Be driven and excited about what's to come! You can see hope on the horizon, and you know that even though there may be obstacles, and a lot of work to do, you are starting to notice how the path beneath your feet connects to the future.

I hope that you can hold on to this when you start to have any doubts. Continue to pay attention to your surroundings - the people, the places, and the way the sun shines. If it brings a smile to your face and joy to your heart, hold on and savor that moment. Stay committed to your growth process, until you can start to feel the joy, the excitement, the feeling of being alive.

Rest and Restore. Each one of us has favorite things and places that help to calm and quiet us. We need to learn how to relax, how to unwind. Find something this week that's relaxing, healing, soothing, restorative to you.

Sit in the sun. Sit in the tub. Perch on top of a mountain or hill, and take in the view. Let yourself sit and soak it in for as long as you can. Let yourself be still for as long as you can. Allow yourself to relax, and give yourself opportunities to unwind. 
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​You are here. You are prepared to explore, and not to stay put.

​I remember a conversation with Coach R several years ago, in which we explored the idea of being comfortable being uncomfortable. I thought about this a lot when I was training for the Transalpine Run last year. When I was on a big climb that felt like it would never end, when I would feel my heart jump right up into my chest, in the moments where the last thing I wanted to do was eat and fuel up for the rest of my long run. In those moments of discomfort, can you tell yourself that you're really ok? That you're doing great? That you have everything you need to move positively forward? Discomfort can empower us to change.

​Can you embrace those moments where you are uncomfortable, feeling the energy and empowerment from those around you, and from those who have come before you? You signed up. You've been showing up. You're here despite all of the things that have happened this last year. If the process is a teacher, and change is the reward, lets enjoy the journey.

Trust in the process. Trust that despite all you may fear, there is something to learn here.

Breathe.
Let out the air.
Let each breath remind you
all is passing.
There is so much behind you.
There is so much ahead of you.
And there is also this present moment.
I know it can be hard to stay here,
Especially considering all
you brought to this moment
and all that lies ahead,
but there is freedom and peace
when you take the time to breathe.
Exhale. Trust that you are growing here.
​You don't have to wait for all the answers.

This week I'm spending some time by the ocean. The waves crashing on the rocks always seem to remind me - that wave by wave, everything is passing. There's a blue heron who spends his early mornings standing there on the rocks by the shore. Just being. 

So start with your next breath.
Remember the waves crashing on the shore.
Remember that you are free to let go,
Free to believe.
Free to trust.
Being here in this moment,
with a grateful heart, is enough.

With gratitude,

Hannah

Some of us don't know how tired we are until we try to relax. Then we realize we are exhausted. It's important to take the time (especially on rest week!) to Relax. Refresh. Regroup. It's all right to rest even if we're busy, and to rest often enough to keep ourselves replenished. One of my favourite quotes when I started practicing yoga was "listen to your body when it whispers, so you don't have to hear it scream."

What are some ways this week that you can find stillness? Can you take a deep breath and relax your shoulders? Find some time to stretch, or to just sit and be in the moment? Go out for a walk around the block with no agenda other than to just breathe and enjoy it? There is  so much for us to learn in stillness. There is growth in stillness, even when we don't see it. Learn to relax. Program your body to let go and be at ease. 

​Find out how tired you are.
Then let your body tell you what it needs 
to come back to life.
The techniques of relaxation will 
refresh, restore, and recharge you,
so that all you can do is all you need to do
with more power and vigor than before.

I've always been a fan of routine and rituals. For me, rituals help me to carve out the time for the things that matter. It could mean sitting down for dinner with your family each evening, or taking up a hobby with your friends and making it a regular occurrence. 

Rituals provide structure and a way of nourishing. We will typically perform rituals because they have a deeper meaning to us. And because we carry out those meaningful routines with purpose and awareness, rituals are like mindfulness put into practice.

Think about which meaningful routines bring you renewed energy. When we're consistent with our daily or weekly rituals those series of actions become a mental cue for what’s about to come. For example, if you put on some soft music and do some stretching before you go out for your run, that act tells your brain it needs to start getting focused.

​What rituals or routines are you already intentional about in your daily life?
​
What are some things you could integrate into your week that would help you to continue to move forward with purpose and intention?

With gratitude,
♥
​Hannah

I’ve always been empowered by the fact that we have a choice in everything that we do. That though we can’t change the weather, we can change whether or not we’re going to smile.
 
I think of joy and positivity like that. A choice. Joy can be the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to be happy. Sometimes we have to choose it in spite of unbelievable circumstances. Maybe we will have to choose it in the middle of a situation that seems too hard to bear. Sometimes we may think that after we get our act together, or complete that race, or our health clears up, or we get a raise, that we can finally be happy. But we can choose to be happy in spite of these circumstances. It’s not often the easiest choice, especially when we’re surrounded by things that are overwhelming. It certainly may be the most rewarding though.
 
What would make you happy? Many of us haven’t asked ourselves this question. Asking and answering that question is the start on the path that will lead us to our next step. To choosing our destiny. And the destiny we’re choosing is joy.
​

Summer is here and with it comes those early - July sunrises. I hope they remind you that you are worth new beginnings in this season, no matter your uncertainties.

Every day, you are changing. You are growing. You are becoming wiser than yesterday. You cannot compare yourself to your past self. You cannot discredit today's results because they weren't as good as yesterday's. Today is a new day, all on it's own. There is room to do things differently. There is room for grace, and for brand new beginnings.

I hope you continue to remember that you have known the morning sun over and over again, and with it you've experienced a brand new day. The truth is - you are still moving forward, even in the wild of disappointments, even in the slower moments, you have grown and you will continue to grow. I hope that you dare to believe, that you have grown since last year.

You are right where you need to be. I think there is a part of us that is in constant search of the next destination while we're on the journey that we're on now. There's that part of us that knows where we need to be, and where we really want to go.

Honour the beginning. You are here now. Beginnings hold the promise of new lessons to be learned, new trails to be explored, and limitless possibilities. They hold promise, fear, and hope. Let this time be new, let it be magical, and let it unfold.