I ran 6 miles this morning.

With a fancy little runner's belt, at that! For those of you who have known me for a long time, I know I might have to do a little convincing. I grew up as the most un-athletic person you would ever meet. So, allow me back up a bit.

3 months ago, I couldn't run 2 miles without feeling like I was at death's door. No really. I would have to walk part of the time, then give myself a pep talk, then run again... and I looked like a sluggish little old woman doing the slowest jog possible. I mean, I was slooow. By the time I would make it home, I would be panting heavier than Winston.  And if I "ran" 2 miles once a week, I was, in my opinion, awesome at life. It was really difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that I would be running 13.1 miles later this year.

By creating a solid "base" as Coach calls it, I was able to slowly over time increase my distance and speed. (A strong base = being really solid at running 2-3 miles multiple times a week, not concerning yourself with long distances or record times.)  So, I would run... a lot. 3-4 times a week, until he knew I was ready to increase my distance. The first time I ran 3 miles without stopping, I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. Same story with 4 miles, 5 miles, and now... 6 miles.

Did I really just do that? 

And that, my friends, is the power of setting goals. No, I haven't run my half marathon yet. But I'm right on track to run it in July. And what's weirder? I LOVE running. Running 4 times a week doesn't seem like enough for me anymore. I want to run every day. I love being outside with my pup. I love feeling the sun on my skin. I love getting sweaty. I love my awesome runner's-tan. (Yes, my feet are really white.)  I never thought I would say this, but I love being an athlete. I'm so proud of myself for setting this goal, because I never thought I could do this.

In the spirit of setting goals, I just have a few, simplified goals for this May. Wedding season is in full-swing, and I need to stay focused on what I can realistically accomplish!  I have some inspiring blogposts heading your way, after attending Making Things Happen this week. (I need a few more days to organize my thoughts - what a day!)  My first May goal is related directly to MTH :  living life to the full, and  being intentional about living in the moment.

•••

May Goals:

To detach myself from my iPhone and live a real life by removing emails from my iPhone and buying a new, separate alarm clock
To stay committed to my half marathon training in this summer heat (& buy new running clothes as a reward for my 5K!)
Wake up at 6am once a week, to move a bit closer to my 2012 goal of waking up at 6am each and every morning
12 in 12: Read Heaven is for Real 

What are your May Goals? Leave a link below!

This month's list of goals is so encouraging and inspiring to me. 2012 is going to be a big year for the Ray household! I am jumping in the deep-end of a complete lifestyle change : becoming an athlete (distance runner) + changing our eating habits. Look out world - I am going to be grumpy! Ha! Really though, it's not going to be easy. But it always feels good to do the right thing. To do the hard thing.

The biggest thing that's happening this month? I am proudly, enthusiastically, and tearfully welcoming my best best friend into our family. Forever. Sam, my closest friend since middle school, is marrying Will's brother. How fantastic is that? We were best friends in youth group, in high school, and then roommates together in college. The dynamic duo of Samantha Crowder and Nancy Miller are now both going to be Rays for the rest of our lives. I love that. And words can't even begin to describe how much I love and admire Will's brother, John. You can bet that I will be a teary mess the weekend of April 21st!

Finally, another exciting change this month is that we will be officially welcoming a Studio Assistant onto our NRP team. I cannot wait to work in tandem with someone in the studio during the week, knocking out the daily tasks that can be overwhelming. We will be a coffee-drinking, music-listening, productive team! And Winston will be there to cheer us along.

So yes, this is a big month. A wonderful month. And I'm ready to watch it all unfold!

April Goals

Take a load of stuff to the consignment store [Spring Cleaning!]
Run my first 5K
Begin my nutritional lifestyle change with a 2-week sugar fast [yikes!]
Complete our 2nd time facilitating FPU
Hire and begin training my Studio Assistant
Continue my half-marathon training
Patio makeover! Clean + find patio furniture on Craigslist
Celebrate Sam (my bff) and John's (Will's brother) wedding!
Begin planning our September vacation to NYC + Boston + New London

Well March, here you are! Before I could catch my breath, you arrived. I'm honestly excited to see you. You mark the beginning of wedding season, and I am so grateful. I begin to get a little antsy, excited, impatient when it's been a few months since I've photographed a wedding. It's what fires me up, you know? It's what I was made to do. So now I am focusing on rest, relaxation, and preparation - doing everything I should do in my business and my body to prepare for what's to come. I'm filing taxes, organizing and backing up hard-drives; I'm cleaning out my studio and sending off my equipment for cleaning, I'm meeting with vendors, taking my vitamins, running... a lot; I'm preparing for my new studio assistant, and I'm ready. I'm ready for what's ahead : acting like a lady, thinking like a boss. That's what you're for, March, you're here to prepare me. You are the launching pad for my 2012 wedding season! You give me the final days of preparation and rest, and then you reward me with beautiful couples in love. Yep, I like you a lot.

March Goals

12 in 12 : The Hunger Games [Trilogy]
Clean out the Garage*
Clean out my closet / get rid of old clothes that are taking up space
Take big trip to the consignment store
See The Hunger Games in the theater (!)
Continue to wake up at 6:30am Sundays - Thursdays
Run 3 miles with no walking; continue 1/2 marathon training
Have 1 big pre-wedding-season day of rest, just for me. Sleeping, reading, watching movies, relaxing
Send off all tax documents to my accountant

Okay, it's time to get real with you. The Hunger Games Trilogy has gotten the best of me.

If you follow me on Instagram, then you already know. I have a problem. A friend decided to "loan me the Hunger Games" on Kindle, which means I can access the entire book for 14 days on my Kindle iPad App. 14 days? Yeah right. No way I can finish a book in two weeks!

Well, before I knew it, 3 days had passed and I finished all 400 pages. Then I was off to the store, and I finished Catching Fire in 5 days. Now, I'm trying to pace myself with Mockingjay, but that's tough. It is seriously that good! So if you haven't yet, go read them. They are fascinating, can't-put-it-down kind of novels. I cannot wait for the movie!

Who else has been caught up into the world of Panem?  Which book is your favorite of the three?

My dad always told me growing up,

Five years from now, you're the same person except for the people you've met and the books you've read.

He got that quote from John Wooden, and to be honest, I never thought it was true.

Really? The books I read will change me that much?

Really, they will.

Last year, I took the challenge of reading 12 books in 12 months. I ended up reading more than that, and I am a completely different person because of it. If I do this 12 in 12 for the next 5 years, I am incredibly excited to see how my life will change! Dave Ramsey always says, "He with the most information and the most patience wins." Usually he is referring to getting the best deal on an item you want to purchase, but I think it applies to reading books as well.

He with the most information and most patience really does win.

This February, I want to focus my free time on reading. It's a small goal, but a step in the right direction to set the tone for this year. Will and I both have some substantial goals regarding books in 2012, so my hope is to read a little every morning, a little every night, and to fill my free time with reading a few pages as well. If I take Winston to the vet? I bring a book. If I take a road trip? Bring a book. If I run errands? Maybe even listen to an audio book. Hopefully lots of little time reading will result in much accomplishment!

I'd like to share one of my favorite Pinterest Boards I've created : Books Worth Reading. These are books that I have read and highly recommend.  In one way or another, they changed me, my habits, or one important area of my life. I don't post every single book that I read onto this Board - only the ones that have had an impact on my life. Or maybe I really enjoyed a good novel, and I feel you would enjoy it too.

Since I never officially gave a recap of my 2011 Books, here is a summary of the books I read : 15 Total

The Mesh
The Forbidden
The Parting
The Longing
The E-Myth
Be the Pack Leader
Heavenly Man
Love and Respect
Saving CeCe Honeycutt
Stuff Christians Like
Thou Shall Prosper
Good to Great
Boundaries
The 4 Hour Workweek
The Bible

Out of that list, I would say my top 5 include : The E-Myth, Boundaries, Thou Shall Prosper, Heavenly Man, and The 4 Hour Workweek. (Obviously the Bible is #1!) I hope that my 2011 reading list, as well as my Books Worth Reading Pinterest Board, will inspire and motivate you to become a reader. Or perhaps, just become more of a reader than you already are.

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February Goals

Spend more of my free time reading
12 in 12 : Read Kisses from Katie
Meet with my health coach to layout a plan for my 1/2 marathon training
Continue to wake up at 6:30am each workday + add Sundays to that routine
Clean out the Garage
Design + Order the last wedding albums from 2011

What are some of your favorite books?

Fresh start. New beginning. Starting point. Launch. Day one. Origination. Onset. Clean slate. 

New Years Day is one of my favorite holidays. And not just because New Year's Eve is my birthday, which is super fun. (By the way - my husband is the sweetest. I love you so much William Ray. You made me cry.) I love New Year's Day because the world stops. It's a holiday dedicated to taking a deep breath and looking back at what you've accomplished this past year. It's a holiday dedicated to looking inside yourself to see the best parts of you, and the worst parts of you. It's a holiday dedicated to looking forward no matter what, to being the best person you can be in the year to come.

And I love that.

I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. [Phil 3:13-14]

Looking back, 2011 was an incredible year. A great year. A year where I can say I accomplished almost all of my 2011 goals.  I didn't paint every single room in my home, but I only have 2 to go. I didn't complete every single book on my 12-in-12 list (still finishing the final 2), but I actually read 16 books - one being the Bible. I have made more time for prayer and God's word, but I'm still working on taking a consistent Sabbath. But now, it's time to look forward. It's time to take my life to the next level. To mature spiritually, physically, and mentally like I never have before. 2012, I already like you a lot. It's a time of growth and change. I am thrilled to see what you have in store.

2012 Goals

Train my body to wake up consistently at 6am
Read 12 books in 12 months
Run a half marathon
Be intentional about having a spiritual mentor in my life
Hire someone / Outsource more
Drink 3 camelbaks per day (=9 glasses of water) for 5 days/week
Enforce strict office hours for Nancy Ray Photography
Plan a fun vacation trip - for just the two of us

January Goals

Wake up every work day at 6:30am, and go to bed at 10:30pm
Complete 4 Hour Workweek & Entreleadership
Prepare my heart and mind for Branches and Light (!)
Close the books on 2011 : Financially and Editing/Albums

I can't wait to hear your goals! Remember to leave a comment and leave a link to your goals as well.

photo credit : oh, hello friend via Pinterest