Count your blessings everyday!!!

Today, I am leaving a work trip in Singapore and heading back to the States. It is the morning of January 25th here in Singapore and the afternoon of the 24th back home (I still find it amazing to be ahead in time while here). I decided to update today as this trip was hard for me in so many ways, but also very eye opening. I have been here for 10 days & it was an amazing place to experience. For a place that is only 26 miles, which is a distance I have run in my life (scary I know) their vision is beyond anything I have ever seen. I was fascinated by so much. I will post a link to pictures later, but the detail of my trip is not the reason for my post today. All throughout my trip, I have struggled trying to eat healthy while wanting to experience the food of their culture. (Let’s face it, they have the greatest food over here, but not all of it is very healthy). I was jetlagged and had 10X’s more work to do during my trip then the clock allowed for, which in turn stressed me out. I have been a little lonely sitting in my hotel some nights wishing I could have shared the experience with another. I normally work out to relieve stress, but outside of the weekend, time was limited for that as well. So you ask why I am sitting here complaining to you?? Well here it why….It is because most of us do this daily, complain over little things…. Reality was a fast slap in the face reminder today that I should have taken these past 10 days and enjoyed them 10 times more without worrying about the ‘little’ things or things I cannot change as it is NOT worth it. Overall I am truly blessed to be healthy and have the opportunity to be here even if it is for work and not vacation. Today I read an email. An email that made me stop and realize how blessed I am to not only be healthy and doing things, but to have others in my life that matter to me. I woke up, I ran on the ‘dreadmill’ for an hour and I ENJOYED it. I enjoyed it because first off my injury is better and I am healthy again & can.. YEAH… Today I had motivation, clarity and inspiration that made me want to run longer and harder. Most of you that know me, know that I am personally competitive with myself and tend to give myself crazy goals each year. But you also know that for the past 8 years I have been a part of Team in Training (TNT), originally because I joined with friends, but continued for personal reasons very close to my heart. With TNT I have been doing endurance events while fundraising to find a cure for all blood cancers. In the present also using those funds to make a better life for those living with one. Well this season, as you may have read in my last post, I met Doug. Doug is our team hero. Doug joined our team during his remission after being diagnosed about 11 months ago and was getting ready to do his 1st triathlon with us on April 1st. I have been motivated, inspired and blessed by meeting and getting to know & train with Doug over the past 2 months. Watching him do the workouts and build his strength has been amazing. Today I found out he may not be able to join us on race day as his cancer has returned and he has to go back to treatment. It saddened me to be out of town when he told the team as I wanted to give him a hug, but he knows we are all here for him and he is a fighter. I will Run, Bike, Swim and get to the finish line FOR Doug. Our entire team is behind him and we will see him pull through. So this is just a reminder that health, family and friends are a TRUE blessing and we should be thankful everyday for what we have & stop worrying about the little things. Now time for me to get back to training (well once I am done with these 28 hours of traveling home) and start sticking to the schedule to be ready for April as well as the BIG race in August… no more excuses! My fight to help LLS find a cure continues… you can keep track of that as well or help out those suffering with a blood cancer like Doug, by visiting my website below!! http://pages.teamintraining.org/rm/lavatri12/tauth