Sunshine Blogger Award!

Hello My Dear Darling Friends!

I really am thankful for this blog and all of the connections I have been able to make through the years.  Being able to share my stories and read the stories of others has made life far more exciting and interesting.  I love how positive everyone is and how we uplift and encourage each other.

It was such a nice surprise and an honor to receive this Sunshine Blogger Award and I would like to thank Lee from Cleaver Fit for nominating me.  Thank you for being such a positive and inspiring person in this wonderful blogosphere!  I look forward to reading your posts and appreciate the time and effort you dedicate to this community.  Keep doing what you are doing and continue to live your best life!

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My nominator was Lee Cleaver from Cleaver Fit.  He is a soft tissue specialist, movement analyst, and elite performance coach.  Visit his blog for a wide variety of  stories, inspiration,  and insights.  You will not be disappointed!

1. At the stage you are at in your life…what’s…your own personal definition of the word “Love?”

Love is patient, kind, selfless, and understanding.  It allows us to connect deeply and see past ourselves and to hope for the very best for another.  Love is a lot like light.  There are different kinds of love.  Some people you can love up close and others you love from a distance.

2. Would you entertain…you…10 years ago…now?

I think that I would entertain myself from 10 years ago.  Since then, I have been able to make nearly every dream that I had back then come true.  And the wishes I had that have not come true, did not happen for very good reasons. I do think that myself from 10 years ago might say that I have become a little boring and should be much more adventurous and dare to dream even bigger.

3. Where’s the place…or places…you feel most at peace…at one with existence?

Lately, peace has been a state of mind.  A decision because life often gets chaotic, but I can choose to take deep breaths and feel a sense of peace.  Here are some places that bring me peace: toes in the sand at the beach and salty hair in the ocean, walking through a new place and taking in the new sites and sounds, sitting at the piano, sitting with a cup of tea and snuggling with my cat.

4. If you could take a personal life lesson…then turn it into a quote that connected with and helped others…what would it be?

“When you stop growing it is time to get going.” I came up with this back in 2013 when I decided to part ways with the swim team that turned me into a swim coach.  It had been a dream for most of my life to someday coach swimming and then I ended up coaching for the team that I used to swim for myself and I coached for them for 3 years.  It was a major dilemma when I was offered a position to coach for a bigger team in Seattle and what made this offer so inviting was the fact that I would be working alongside my mentor.  I would also be getting a pay raise, but I also felt torn apart at the thought of leaving my team. I spent weeks thinking through the pros and cons trying to decide what to do. Then it came to me.

“When you stop growing it is time to get going.”

While I absolutely loved this team and my swimmers, my boss had said months back that he could see me working with the team for my whole life.  But then a few months after that he had alluded to the fact that I had reached my payment cap at just $10.50 / hour. He became more demanding of my schedule and I started to feel stuck so I decided to do the hard thing and let go then dive into the new opportunity and I am glad that I did.  I continued to learn, grow, and thrive, and years later, this quote still serves me and people who are dear to me on a regular basis.

5. What’s your favourite smell?

The ocean.  I really love peppermint.  Is that weird? I also enjoy pineapple, lavender, roses, nag champa incense, and Hawaiian Ginger.

6. What’s your favourite sound?

The sound of the ocean, a kittens purr, drums, and the beating heart of a loved one.

7. At the stage you are at in your life…what’s…your own personal definition of the word “Success?”

Right now, success is setting goals and dreams, then following through and making them come true.

8. Sum up your blog space in 5 words?
   Living out loud everyday everyway.  
9. You’re fighting…professionally…for sport…for the championship of the world…and…you win it. Did you highlight reel your opponent in the first round…out cold…or…win on points after warring with each other the entire distance?

We went the distance, of course.

10. If I turned your life so far…into a blockbuster movie…what would it be called?

Living Out Loud with my Head in the Clouds.

11. You’re writing a best selling book…fill in the blank. “10 steps to……………”

Living Out Loud.

In no particular order, here are my nominations!

1. Priorhouse Blog -photos, art, and a little bit of LIT
2. Sarah -Sarah’s Cup of Beauty
3. Jessica -The Happiness Box Project
4. Joe & Jaime -Sage Dragon Fitness
5. Big Island Mouse
6. Jacob -That’s So Jacob
7. Cindy -Cindy Knoke
8. Amelia -Amelia in Hull
9. Kat
10. Paula -Never A Dull Bling
11. AJ -A Petite Slice of Life
12. Carolyn -Beauty Beyond Bones

1. What inspired you to start your blog?
2. What are three things that you are thankful for today?
3. What inspires you when you are feeling unmotivated?
4. What accomplishment are you most proud of?
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
6. Describe yourself in 6 words.
7. How would you spend a perfect day?  Where would you go?  Who are you with?  Etc.
8. What is something new that you would like to try (that you have never done before)?
9. What is your dream job or lifestyle?
10. Favorite thing to do when you have free time?
11. How are you making a difference?
12. How would you like to be remembered?

There you have it, my Sunshine Blogger Award!  Thanks again for nominating me, Lee.  Please be sure to to check out Lee’s blog and all of my nominations!

❤ Alana