I Run Not to Get Away
Happiness
From Victim to Victory
If you missed my interview with Debbi Dickinson last week, you can find the mp3 here. I talk about strategies to move out of victimhood and take charge of your own life. Enjoy:)
Two-Faced July
July has the potential for being ugly to me. July is the month of tough anniversaries, from the last full day I spent with my husband (7/4/09) to the last embrace with my husband (early morning 7/5/09) to the day my marriage ended (7/11/09) and the aftermath. Oh, the bloody aftermath. As these dates spin around on the calendar once again, it is impossible not to have them chafe.
That is only one of July’s faces; however. July has become a month of wonderful memories these last few years as my boyfriend (dubbed “Sir Beef” by one of my readers) and I have embraced the activities of the summer. One of my favorites of these is the Peachtree Road Race, a 10K held every July 4 in Atlanta that welcomes 60,000 runners and about as many support personal and spectators.
This is the second year that Sir Beef and I have run the Peachtree, and it has now become a tradition. The event is like no other race I have ever done. You have everything from the elite Kenyans who complete the entire 6.2 miles in under 30 minutes (yup, that is sub 5 minute miles!) to ten-year-old kids running with their families. Some people take it seriously and compete for time; others take part in keg stands along the way. I love running along side (and around! there is quite a bit of zigging and zagging!) so many people with different backgrounds and stories that lead them to this race. I always overhear conversations about people using this event to encourage their wellness journeys as they work to lose significant amounts of weight. Others have run this race for 20 consecutive years and can tell you about the history of the event. There are always a large number of current and former troops on the course and the support for them is deafening.
Apart from the energy of the larger community, I enjoy participating with Sir Beef. He makes me proud as he encourages slower runners up “Heart Attack Hill” or give a fist-bump to a kid running his first race. He almost made me cry last year when he slowed down in the last few tenths of mile to run alongside a troop who was struggling in full fatigues in the heat and humidity. That’s my boy:) I love the encouraging kiss we share at the start line and the sweaty uncoordinated one mid-run. I especially love that we cross the finish line together, hand in hand.
After the race, we chowed down (love me some veggie nachos!) and we took the beast to dog park so that he could get some exercise too.
As I continue to layer memories like these over the pain of three years ago, the painful past fades and is replaced with smiles and hope for the future. I like this face of July a whole lot better:) And, now, all I have to say is, “Go Braves!”
How to Become a Huffington Post Blogger
In the last few weeks, I have been receiving quite a few inquiries about how I started blogging for the Huffington Post. The short answer? It was a combination of daily work and luck. Here are my tips for those of you who are interested in getting your writing out on the big stage:
1) Read the Huffington Post. Daily. You don’t have to read the entire site, just focus on the sections which are of interest to you and are similar in topic to your writing. You won’t know what they are looking for if you are not familiar with the material on the site. I find that it is easiest to subscribe to my sections of interest in my RSS reader so that I get a notification when a new article is posted. That becomes especially important with tip #2.
2) Comment on articles and blogs. Take the time to craft well thought out responses that add to the post or provide an alternate view in a respectable tone. The best comments provide some information while hinting that you have more to say on the topic at hand. Leave them wanting more. You can link to your blog or your other writings on the topic. This is where the work comes in; I spend thirty minutes or so a day reading and commenting on appropriate articles.
3) In the meantime, work to create a body of writing if you have not already. This shows your writing style as well as demonstrates that you have a unique view or story to share.
4) Keep this up for a while and you may get lucky and have an editor contact you with a blog idea. If this doesn’t happen, then proceed to #5.
5) On the “Contact Us” link on Huffington Post you will find a link to submit a pitch for a blog. They give you the option of submitting the full text or just a description of your blog idea. I have not gone this route, but I would recommend submitting the entire post so that your ability to craft a quality product is not in question. Also, write about an area where you are passionate; it will show in your writing and will pull others in.
I wish everyone the best on their writing, whether you keep a private journal, a public blog, or are working to become a published author.
You can find my Huffington Post submissions here. My book is available on Amazon and you can read about my experiences with publishing here and here.
Huffington Post also led to my appearance on The Jeff Probst Show!
Lessons From the End of a Marriage 