Pumping Myself Up... Thursday, April 14

I'm a pretty self-motivated, positive person but some days I struggle to get going and with staying positive.

Today was one of those days.

I've been feeling an excess of reverse culture shock these past couple of weeks and I know changing clubs and switching coaches has definitely contributed it.  I 100% don't regret the change but it's like I am starting all over again, uprooting myself.  I'm a 35yr old female with not even so much as a library card to my name in this country.  Most people assume my move to Korea to be hard but the fact of the matter is my move back to Canada has so far been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.  Some days I feel just as alone and lost here as I did in Korea but it's usually more intense because everyone expects me to just fit in here and feel at home.  I still feel like Korea is my home.  I absolutely love Toronto but I haven't yet figured out my niche here so I bury myself in my training because it's what I know.  I didn't have boxing today nor did I have it yesterday so it feels off to not have seen Coach Perez.  I did go to System though and it felt so good to see familiar faces.  I don't think I could ever let that place go.  I walked into the locker room tonight and saw Ginger Spice so I yelled out to scare her and for a good laugh.  I then wrapped my arms around her and then we chatted for a bit. 

On days like today, when my motivation is lacking and I question what the he'll am I doing here in Canada, I have to pick myself up.  It's not so much of a struggle as it is a drawn out process. I thought about it today, for my homepage entry, and decided to jot down some things that help me to kick my own butt into positive mode.  Here's what I came up with:

1.  Show up at either one of my boxing clubs or System.

2.  Message a friend a simple hi.

3.  Crank up some tunes.

4.  Take a shower.

5.  Take myself out for a cup of coffee.

6.   Ride a streetcar.

7.   Go to the corner store for fifty cent chocolate covered berries.

8.  Go running.

9.  Browse Pinterest.

10.  Send a silly picture to my roommate.

11.  Call my dad, my Papa Here.

12.  Visit the dog park by my house.

13.  Head down to the lake.

14.  Stand on my balcony and look at the lake.

15.  List in my head things I'm grateful for.

16.  Go for a walk.

17.  Watch a motivational fitness video on YouTube.

18.  Visit B's private dog and play with his dogs.

19.  Text message friends and Hulkies in Korea.

20.  Send a funny picture to a friend.

Today I added "look in my Facebook 'other' inbox" to my list of how to boost my mood.  I had a total of 28 messages most of which were either from those I used to coach or fans.  Fans ranged from fellow boxers to random boxing fans in Italy, Japan, Korea, and even Pakistan, and all messages were encouraging.  Some asked for pictures and inquired about my fight schedule while others wanted to share who their favourite boxer was.

I love fans.

I can't believe I have so many interactive fans though -- fans that message me. It's all so flattering and a lot of fun.  I feel somewhat undeserving of those I have but it's very cool.  Many of them are fans from my reality TV show while others are boxing fans.  

Today I responded to all 28 messages.  It took a couple of hours actually and no sooner did I respond to their messages but some messaged me back.  The hope is to get them all to like my Facebook fan page and privatize my own personal Facebook page more.