Hi Everyone (if you’re still out there?!),

I left off many eons ago (okay, last Monday) talking about how last week I was going to get back on track with my Training Log updates, and use all of that motivation from the successful Eggnog Jog to get myself firmly back on that wagon, and buckled in for the long haul.

Little did I know that my body had other plans.

Monday and Tuesday of last week were hectic, hectic days, I was running around like a maniac, trying to cram about 30 tasks more then I should have into tiny little 40 minute windows, neglecting my diet (or forgetting to eat altogether, which NEVER happens with me – I like my food!!) and not getting even close to enough sleep.

You might remember that I came down with a nasty cold shortly after we bought the house about 4 weeks ago. I had finally shaken the cold a couple of days before the Eggnog Jog. I could tell on the Monday after the race that it was starting to come back, but instead of heeding the warning signs, I pumped myself with as many vitamins as I could, and kept powering on.

Tuesday, I woke up feeling quite dizzy and disoriented. The cough that I had had ever since I got my cold had really flared up and I could hardly get a deep breath. More warning signs. I took some more vitamins, and kept on going.

Wednesday, I had finally pushed my body too far, and it had had enough of me. Everything shut down completely. I’m not talking about “feeling kind of lousy”, I’m talking about, “can’t lift your head off the pillow without the whole world spinning, pouring sweat, chest pain, ragged coughing, sinus congestion, wish you were dead lousy”.

I somehow managed to get myself to the doctor, who told me that it looked like I had come down with a nasty case of Bronchitis (I always think of a dinosaur when I see that word), gave me some antibiotics and told me that I needed to rest or I would be flirting with pneumonia.

From Wednesday until Saturday morning, I literally didn’t move from my bed or the couch, not because I didn’t want to, because I physically wasn’t able to. On top of the whole bronchitis and sinus infection that I was battling, my original cold came back in full force and I was right back to the sneezing, congested wreck that I was before the whole mess even began!

Let’s just say it was not pretty. I think Matt was wondering if his girlfriend had been eaten by a sasquatch or something.

6 days into the antibiotic cycle and about 1,000 hours of sleep later, I’m feeling better, but still not quite back to normal 100%.

Now that my brain is somewhat working again, I wanted to do a post about gratitude and about health.

Do you ever notice that often it takes something really gut-wrenchingly awful happening to make you truly, truly grateful for what you have?

How many parents around the world do you think desperately held onto their children and thanked God last Friday night, even when that very morning they had wanted to just smack them for talking back or doing something bad?

I find that our health is no exception. We carry on from one day to the next, wishing that we were thinner, or had better skin, or were taller, or maybe were stronger or faster. We take for granted that each day we will wake up, get out of bed and get moving at all.

I was reminded last week that good health is NOT a given and it can be taken away from you at a moment’s notice with no explanation and no apology.

So, now that I am feeling more like myself, I wanted to stop and acknowledge how thankful I am for the miracle of good health. I’ve learned my lesson, and I got the message loud and clear. One of my goals over the upcoming year is going to be to learn to listen to my body when it tells me it needs a break, and I’m not just talking about muscles and joints.

Call it the holiday spirit, but I’ve been feeling very grateful for a lot of things lately, and I thought it would be nice to document them to look back on during those inevitable days when you feel like the whole world is against you and you just can’t catch a break.

I am grateful for….

1. My good health

2. The good health of my family and friends

3. My best friend and partner in crime Matt

4. My kitty Blake (who I love a weird amount)

5. My secure job (and lots of vacation time!!)

6. The fact that I’ve found my passion in teaching, and I get to do it almost every day!

7. My wonderful “non-instructor” friends who put up with me over-scheduling my days and not having as much time to see them as I would like

8. Matt putting up with me being a basket case 98% of the time and not leaving me

9. Having the passion and the drive to go after challenging goals that inspire me

10. My incredible “instructor” friends that totally “get” my obsession (and share it with me!) without me having to apologize or explain

11. My family being close knit and connected

12. Lululemon. Without it, we’d all be working out in soaking wet cotton t-shirts.

13. Living in a peaceful and safe part of the world and enjoying basic freedoms that so many around the world do not

14. Lindor Chocolate Truffles. Because I just ate about 9 of them, and they are so damn delicious.

15. All of you reading this, for spending a few minutes of your very busy days with me!! 🙂

Today marks my last work day of 2012 before I am off until the New Year on Christmas holidays. It’s been a year of challenge and change as I moved from my comfortable role in advertising into a very uncomfortable role in budgeting. I would be lieing if I said that there hadn’t been ups and downs, but I made it, and I feel very good about moving into 2013 in my new role.

I know Christmas is just around the corner, but I do plan on getting back on the training horse by doing some running, some swimming and maybe even fitting in an RPM class or two over the coming weeks. My Training Logs page has been updated, and I am officially back on the wagon.

Stay tuned for a continuation of my (not forgotten!) Les Mills International Series and some goal-setting tips for the New Year! Enjoy the holiday season!