My Kind of Therapy.

The other day, after the storms passed, Bryan and I decided to take advantage of the gorgeous 70 degree weather and go for a run. As we were running, I took a long deep breath only to smell fall in the air. My most favorite season for a number of reasons. One being that every year, it takes me back to my memories of when I was 14 years old. Around the beginning of fall.

Out of whim, I decided to try out for the cross-country team when I was a freshmen. To this day, I have no idea what made do this considering the fact that I HATED running! I mean despise-would-rather-jump-off-a-cliff-or-go-sky-diving-hate. However, I need to go back and thank that 14 year old Shefy because cross-country changed my life for the better. It helped me get to who I am today. See, I stunk at running. Like it was ugly watching how bad I was. I specifically remembering one race where there was a girl walking who was passing my running self. Talk about utter embarrassment. Especially when you are freshmen in high school! I am pretty sure I wanted to quit about five million and one times. However, I never did. Why? Because I had some awesome coaches, teammates and parents who believed in me more than I believed in myself. My coach in particular was the one who gave me the nickname "Shefinator" which has stuck with me over the years! I think the name speaks for itself. He is the same coach who attended my wedding and I probably owe him a lot of thank yous for the confidence he gave me each day.

I worked incredibly hard that year. At the district meet, I hit a personal record and was one runner away from qualifying for state. I wanted it so bad, so much, that I told myself I would work REALLY hard, so I can make it to state the following year. During that winter, I trained and trained. I ran when it snowed, when it sleeted and in my basement in circles when my mum thought I was crazy for running outside when it was below freezing. Track season came and as the guns were shot off in the first race, I ran my little heart out! So fast that there was a 200 m gap between me and the next girl. As I ran through the finish line, I saw the looks on my coach and teammates faces. They were floored. Needless to say, my speed improved, I trained hard the entire summer, rocked it out during the next cross-country season and made it to state! To this day, this is one of my biggest accomplishments. It made me who I am today.

I guess you can say, if I never ran cross-country, I would have never gone after the impossible like engineering or photography. It made me understand how far you can go if you work hard, are very determined and believe in yourself. And, if for some reason someone tried to stop me, I just need to go all "Shefinator" on them. Just ask Bryan. He will tell you what happens when you are on my team when we play any kind of game or sport for that matter. Let's just say there is a reason we are not allowed to play on the same team anymore!

Every year, when I smell that hint of fall in the air, it brings me back to this story of my cross-country journey. And, each year the moral of the story is different depending on where I am at that point in my life. This year, the moral is not to give up. Ever. Starting in photography and trying to learn the ins and outs of owning a business is not easy at all! However, doing what you love and working hard to get there is SO worth it. I guess I owe it to that 14 year old Shefy and running. Running is just my kind of therapy.

Have an awesome weekend! xoxo.