Tag Archives: determination

GOAL Digger

Posted on by
1

person passed out with crowd looking in concernLive photo of me on City Tech campus lol. Just kidding, but that’s how I’ve been feeling. These past two weeks have felt like I’m walking down the street, but the wind gusts are so strong that I’m not even getting anywhere. As soon as I finished one paper or project, the next was due right after it. I’ve also been dealing with some personal things and probably have been the most overwhelmed that I’ve ever been in my life.

But I push on.

I push on because I know what I am working towards and I know the things you want most, do not come easy. I am a GOAL digger.

mug that reads goal digger on table with office supplies

I’m sure you’re familiar with the label “GOLD digger”, used to describe someone who seems to be using others for financial gain and opportunity. You could just call them ambitious, or someone who is able to strategically match themselves with partners who can contribute to their lives… but hey I don’t make the definitions lol.

A “GOAL digger” in my own definition is someone who too is ambitious and clear of the things they want. Goal diggers have dreams, goals and aspirations for independence, success, and their version of happiness. They “dig in” and do the work to become the person they strive to be.

Being a “GOAL digger” is all mindset really. It’s the basic of setting goals for your life and doing what it takes to achieve them. Whether they are goals set in your education, your career, your personal life, or some other area. You are setting goals for whatever it is you desire that will define success to you. Tackling obstacles and burdens that may get in your way, being determined, persevering, sometimes a little suffering with blood, sweat, and tears.

A GOAL digger never stops working towards their goals.
What have you done to get better today?
Think of every single move you made in the last 24 hours.
Was everything geared at taking steps towards your goals?
Do you have a clear idea as to what your goal really is?
You need to do an honest self evaluation of where you are right now.
Then you can focus on shaping (or re-shaping) the path.
Then once you have your eye on THAT prize don’t lose sight of it.
Fight for it! Because us goal diggers, we don’t give up.

So as I finish up this post and will then have to re-direct my focus to the 3 finals I have the rest of this week, I’m not panicking, I’m actually celebrating. I celebrate because that means this semester is practically over and I’m one step closer to my goal.woman holding out hands excited and quote picSo continue to be the GOAL digger that you are, whether you’re goals are big or small, short term or long term, doesn’t matter. Sometimes my goal is simply to NOT finish the entire party size bag of Lays’s chips on my own. Lol just saying no shame.There’s a reason you want to accomplish these things, so respect that desire and do something about it. Set them, write them down, stick to them, and the reward is all yours.

Love ya, Neffi
quote picture

 

 

 

Virtues from Motherhood: Strength

Posted on by
4

Strength is a well-known and wildly used word and like many other words in the English language, it is easier said and defined than it is done. It is not until you’re forced, tested and down to your last fighting step that you discover your true inner strength.

My first lesson in sheer strength came when I brought my newborn daughter Ava home from the hospital. It’s expected, of course, that newborns come with no sleep and little time to function outside of changing and feeding. At eighteen years old however the virtue of patience was still being cultivated and I was at a loss. Never before in my life was I forced to operate on next to no sleep and make major life choices for another human being. It was terrifying.

When Ava was one week old she was readmitted to the hospital with a case of jaundice. Not only was it scary to have a baby that needs to go to the hospital it was even scarier having to talk to doctors, sign papers and navigate the healthcare system to make sure Ava was getting the care she needed. Everything seemed like this big blur and my head was spinning I had to do this alone. As I held Ava fast asleep in my arms in the triage area, I remembered how quick my own mom sprang into action when we were sick or hurt. I tried to think of all the questions she’d asked and how she asked them and I started to feel as if I wasn’t totally clueless. After I’d taken a deep breath, or twenty, I asked for a patient care representative and I got information about Ava’s treatment, her rights as a patient and mine as her mother. As soon as I got my hands on that information I felt better because I’d asked for help.

Ava ended up staying in the hospital two nights and I barely slept the entire time we were there. All I had in that room to sit or sleep in was a recliner and one white sheet, we weren’t at the Hilton and we weren’t there for me. I don’t remember caring much that I was uncomfortable I just wanted Ava to be OK, I stood next to her incubator most of the time watching her tiny chest rise and fall with each breath. When they finally said I could take her home I was so relieved, emotionally, mentally and physically.

If you’d told me on my eighteenth birthday that in 10 months I’d be sleeping on a chair in the Pediatric ICU I’d have rolled my eyes. My life was all about me then, my mom still made my dentist appointments; the biggest test of my strength was deciding what dress I wanted to wear to graduation. It wasn’t until I was wholly responsible for another life, a defenseless little life that needed me that I discovered I harbored that same inner strength my mom had. I don’t know how I stayed up for nearly 48 hours but I did for my daughter and it taught me that even when you feel you’re lost and you don’t know which way is up, you do.

Looking Ahead: Thank you so much for reading! Each week I’ll be posting about my struggles and triumphs of being a mom while working and going to school. This week I debuted my “Virtues from Motherhood” which are personal stories I want to share with my readers so they know they’re never alone in what they might be feeling. Next week i’ll debut “Things I want my daughter to know” where ill be sharing some of the most important life lessons I’ve learned that I want to pass on to her. I hope you’ll keep checking back and sharing your thoughts and comments with me!

7 Steps to Run a Marathon – Congratulations, TCS New York City Marathon Winners!

Posted on by
3

On November 1, 2015 about 50,000 people traveled from Staten Island through Brooklyn and ended in Manhattan for the annual TCS NYC Marathon. This 45 year old marathon started as the Central Park race, it has grown exponentially being open to anyone over 18. Let’s congratulate the running and wheelchair race winners:

Mary Kietanya woman running a marathon


a man running a marathonStanley Biwott

a man running a marathon in a three-wheeled wheelchaira man running a marathon in a three-wheeled wheelchair

 

 

 

Tatianna McFadden

Ernst van Dyk

 

 

 

 

Here is 7 steps to prepare for participating in the upcoming marathons:

  1. Check and monitor your health: You should know your capabilities. Check in with your physician and make sure your are able to participate. If you aren’t in shape ask what you can do to perform at your best.
  2. Do research: Explore the marathon. Make sure you know the time you have to finish the race and and the route in which you will take. Know the course, what will be provided, and the map in and out. Sometime if you go in groups or with an organization you will be able to be sponsored or ask for donations for your supplies, time off and training. Now, after you register for the event months to a year in advance lets finish to prepare.
  3. Dress for the part: You don’t have to get the most expensive brand clothing and running shoes, however, they must have good quality. You need to be able to have items that will be able to sustain weather conditions, which includes the environment and the sweat and heat from your body. Your clothing should be able to handle the stress while you train and race on the day of your marathon run or roll. If you buy something and it messes up soon after, return it and consider reading reviews before purchasing over the advice from some sales person.
  4. Eat healthy: From day 1 of your training make sure you have a good amount of carbohydrates, protein, grains, fruits, veggies, and of course, LOTS OF WATER! You can consult with a trainer and make sure you are intaking the right amount of food for the amount of exercise you will now endure.
  5. Do many trail runs: Part of your training, which includes exercise and a healthy diet, will be actual doing trail runs. Your researched the route now use it. Run, or roll, with a partner, or many, how you would on the day of your marathon even. Im sure the first time may be rough and you will be out of breath. But as you continue to practice it will become second nature and be as easy as pie.
  6. Avoid injuries: Keep yourself safe. Try not to sprain anything or continue working through an injury. Get injuries checked out and handle them as soon as they occur. Make sure to take breaks and return to training when they heal. Stretching can help.
  7. REST: Try not to over exert yourself. make sure you have adequate sleep. There isn’t a cure for tiredness except sleep. Not coffee, not an energy drink, and not cold air. If you are tired your body will shut down on you, so avoid that from happening.

Enjoy and do you research for the marathons to come.

Image Credits in order:

Mary Keitany Nyc by Acrb using the CC S-A (Share Alike) 3.0

Stanley Biwott during 2013 London Marathon by Chmee2 using CC S-A 3.0

Ernst F. van Dyke in 2014 Boston Marathon by Gr5 using CC S-A 3.0

Tatyana McFadden alla Maratona di New York del 2011 by Caricato da OttawaAC using the Creative Commons (CC) by 2.0