Inspiration

Inspiration

Create Positive Momentum

Inspiration is a profound feeling that precedes change. It’s like a window through which we may be able to see the life we could have. It can give us the ability to recognize that changing our life begins with changing the way we think , since our thoughts create our actions, and our actions create the life we could have.

For some, inspiration comes from experiencing a connection to nature—the oceans, rivers, and forests. Immersing ourselves within our environment can be a powerful and joyful feeling we long to sustain. For others, it may come from the belief that if we can succeed at changing our habits, we can achieve our dreams—whether they’re about feeling better, having more energy to do things with our loved ones, or even just performing better in sports, work or at school.

Once you are inspired to change, the key to success is in taking small steps each day. And when you find yourself reaching your first goal, you may want to slow down for a moment to enjoy what you have accomplished. That’s because one of life’s greatest pleasures is in achieving a goal! By taking the time to simply experience joy, you may discover the source of inspiration for your next challenge!

If You Believe in Yourself, You Can Do Anything: Peter Gottwald and His Paralympic Dream Visually impaired runner Peter Gottwald shares the inspiring story about his journey to the silver medal at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing.	The Indomitable Spirit of a Remarkable Athlete Inspires Hope for Life’s Toughest Challenge At age 16, Jothy Rosenberg lost a leg to cancer, and at 19, a lung. But with amazing courage and true grit he has become an accomplished athlete, and along the way has raised more than $100,000 for cancer research.
A Sign of Success in the Fight Against Cancer at the Pan-Mass Challenge More than 5,000 cyclists took part in the two-day 2009 Pan-Massachusetts Challenge— a charity Bike-a-Thon that’s become the biggest and most successful athletic fundraiser in America and has raised more than $275 million for cancer research and treatment.	Getting Out the Door It can be the most important move of the day—simply starting your workout! It’s comforting to know that even the best athletes in the world sometimes have trouble getting out the door. Some tips from Uta to help you take that magic step on days you don’t feel like working out.
A Unique Charity That Uses Running to Get the Homeless Back on Track The Philadelphia-based charity, Back on My Feet, uses running to get the homeless off the streets and back on the road to a new life. And their unusual approach works. Take The Magic Step visited this remarkable charity.	The Fit Life: The Travel Splurge You can miss so much if you don’t pack your running shoes for that out-of-town journey. Runner and author Scott Douglas shows how the most famous landscapes can take on a whole new meaning viewed from a runner’s-eye perspective.
The Fit Life: Fast Friends One of the great things about aerobic exercise is how sharing a workout with a relative stranger can create an instant friendship.	“We Confuse Success with Victory”: A Conversation with Jack Fultz Celebrated 1976 Boston Marathon champion Jack Fultz, who teaches sport psychology at Tufts University, shares his thoughts on how to measure your successes—and be truly happy with your accomplishments.
The Fit Life: Sweet Light A workout at any time of the day is great. But those at the bookends of the day are special not only visually, but also in how they give meaning to the hours that lie before and after them.	The Ecofriendly Exerciser How satisfying to get in a workout while helping to reduce greenhouse gases! Tips to help you help the environment—from making your own no-wrapper energy bars to saving shower water.
The Fit Life: Weather or Not, It’s a Good Day to Run Experiencing all of what nature has to offer is one of running’s greatest treats.	The Fit Life: Make Yourself Useful! Should we feel obliged to put our workouts toward practical ends?
The Fit Life: Redefining Fun When you think about something being fun, you usually picture yourself smiling and laughing. But there’s a whole other aspect of fun that gradually gets revealed to you when you’re fit.	The Fire Still Burns: An Interview with Bill Rodgers Bill Rodgers won the Boston and New York City marathons four times each and was ranked #1 in the world three times. At 58, his competitive juices still flow. But more importantly, Bill has become an elder statesman and ambassador for the sport of running. (This interview was posted in October 2006.)
The Fit Life: Running as Freedom Many people see running as nothing but drudgery, discipline and denial. They couldn’t be more wrong.	Make Your Wishes Come True: How to Set and Achieve Goals Whether you want to lose 10 pounds or run a marathon, setting realistic goals is the key to staying motivated and getting the most from yourself. In this interview Uta shares the mental and physical tools she uses to inspire her.
What We Can Learn from the Mind of a Champion After an impromptu workout with Uta, Take The Magic Step’s™ Mike Reger was inspired to capture his thoughts.	Getting Started in Running By Uta Pippig Even champions were once beginners. Here Uta describes her early running days: Running is an awesome sport. It has the advantage of keeping you fit without requiring much equipment: a pair of running shoes and somewhere to run are enough. Just set aside some time to run, and if you can find someone to run with, that’s even better.
Uta’s Easy Run on a Favorite Trail When your body is ready for that easy day, give it a treat. Uta shares her approach and some of what goes through her mind on easy runs amid beautiful scenery. Some insight as to her perspective may influence your enjoyment during your next easy run and help you understand a little more of what makes a runner better.	My Love of Running Uta describes what she finds so captivating about running, and how you can gain that same appreciation.

Inspiration Articles

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