Yes to Self-Improvement by Valerie Williams-Ndikintum

The last few years of my life have been some of the most challenging for me.  Just a little over a year ago, I decided to take charge of my life and pick myself up out of my 5-year depression.  A depression that left me 100 pounds overweight, an emotional wreck, an emotional eater, a friend instead of a mom to my teenaged daughter, an unreliable friend to the adults in my life and just generally the type of person no descent man would want to settle for or with. 

 

 

The day I decided to take back control of my life was the day a close friend’s sister invited me to a group run.  I’ve seen adverts for Black Girls Run (BGR) locally, but had never given much thought to the movement and it’s objectives.   That day was in October of 2013.  The group of about 10 ladies met in Smyrna.  I was so out of shape I could barely walk 2 miles in the allotted 40-minute duration.  I felt exhausted and defeated as I struggled to make it back to the arranged meeting place, however, something encouraging occurred as I approached the designated end mark.   I saw that many of the ladies who finished their run before me had stayed and they were cheering me on and encouraging me to finish strong.  They clapped and some gave me a high five as I finished my walk.  I’d never experienced this level of encouragement from my peers; a group of ladies of similar demographics happy to see me succeed.  I’ve never felt this level of acceptance from my own family.  This was special to me. 

Since that day I started moving my body on a regular basis and I haven’t stopped.  I went from a 20-minute per mile pace walking to a 12 to 13-minute per mile run.  I never in my wildest dreams thought that 16 months, almost 1000 miles and minus 50 pounds later I’d be as much in love with running as I am today.  Running for me is my reward; it’s my stress relief and my outlet.  My favorite place to run is in Austell on the Silver Comet Trail.  I run on the trail in the mornings when traffic is light, the morning air is crisp and clear and I can meditate on all that God has blessed the world with through nature. 

I no longer run with BGR, however I’d like to acknowledge the group for teaching me one of the best lessons I’ve learned in life, ‘it’s not how you run the race, but how you finish.  Finish strong.’  That’s a lesson I’ve applied to other areas of my life…  work, relationships and other recreational activities I participate in. 

So, I say ‘Yes’ to self-acknowledgement and self-love.  I say, ‘Yes’ to physical fitness and mental health awareness.  I say, ‘Yes’ to overall self-improvement. 

If you’re interested in topics related to the Project Management Profession, I’d like to invite you to visit my blog, www.pmpracticality.com. 

Thanks to Kathi Middleton for inviting me to participate in her blogging event.  This was truly a wonderful and uplifting experience.