Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you had a great weekend.

Thursday was my 52nd birthday. Yep, I am another year wiser, healthier, and happier. I am also very excited to embark on another year of my life’s journey.

I was looking back at my 51st year and it made me smile. I had three major changes last year. I officially became Laura Kelly just days before my birthday so I started my 51st year with a new identity. Along with my new identity came a new position in a new school and my decision to start working with my personal trainer, Mark.

Becoming Laura Kelly was one of the best decisions I ever made. There’s something very empowering about deciding how the world will address us. For me, changing my last name fundamentally changed who I was on the inside. I like who I have become. I will go on record as saying ” A rose by any other name is looking for someone to come up with the name Rose.”

Changing schools has helped me to grow as an educator. If you had asked me back in November of 2013 if I wanted to switch schools I would have been hesitant to answer. I was very loyal to Hudson Academy. I still have the highest regard for that school and the staff. It is a group of highly effective, and dedicated teachers and amazing students. However, I think I had grown as much as I could grow in that environment and I needed a different demographic and different administration to push me forward. With a new school came new discoveries about myself as an educator and I feel as if I have grown immensely in my career over the last nine months.

Hiring a personal trainer is right up there with changing my last name as a really good decision I wish I had made sooner. Becoming physically stronger as I get older, proves that age is just a number and our achievements can continue to grow no matter what our stage of life. Mark Warburton is my trainer and in less than a year he has helped me become not only physically stronger but encouraged me to see myself in a different light. This past Saturday he was cheering me on as I did my push-ups. They were three-point push-ups with my feet stacked on top of each other while balancing them on a ball. He reminded me that when I started training with him I had to do push-ups on my knees. It is true when I first started training I mentioned I would like to learn how to do a decent push-up and then promptly panicked when he asked me to try a couple off my knees. There was no going back and I felt like I was going to die. I also remember begging Mark not to make me run a couple of laps around the track because I was terrified of running and it caused me pain. Now with his guidance I am signed up for my first trail 10k in May. Push-ups, trail running, all in a year’s time. I don’t think these are the kind of body changes women usually think of when they hit their 50th decade. They are, however, the changes that make life exciting.

So what is my vision for year 52 of my life? I envision a year of continued personal and physical growth. My friend and coworker, Cheryl,and I are committed to climbing our 1st 14ner this summer near Boulder, Co. Mark and I set a goal of a half marathon before the end of 2015 and I now have a bike thanks to my sister, Cindy, to ride this summer. I’m sure as the year unfolds I will find new things to try, explore, and experience. It will be fun to see what transpires. Most more importantly, I am looking forward to growing as a human being. Becoming more loving, more giving, and more inspiring as the year progresses.

As always, I would love to hear from you.

Thanks for stopping by the blog!

Until next time,

Laura