By |

“When you get the courage to climb,  spread your wings,  because child you’re going to fly!” So today marks the start of my 32nd year on the earth!

Ambitions, Dreams and Goals
“I go zero to 100 real quick!”…lol! Just reading over the shower of birthday love and we’ll wishes from friends and family,  I am learning how my life has been a rapid fire lighting bolt of goal digging and dream chasing. Not a bad thing, just that it doesn’t go unnoticed.

image

My physical fitness level over the past year has sky rocketed. Half marathons,  full marathons,  winning fun runs and figure competitions! I went from “no place” to “first place” in a matter of 12 months!

image

Living Fit, Travel Light
“I live for the open road,  and the clear blue sky.” Travel is where my most creative being resides. The center of my creative heart, my intuition, the place where God speaks to me.  When I’m alone on the open road or in flight, free of distractions, this is when the seeds of the ideas and ambitions that are later manifested in my life are planted. I have found myself on this particular travel day to be very emotional,  with intermitent bouts of crying. Moments of joy and anxiety abound.  I haven’t traveled the friendly skies in over a year and a half,  and I’ve never been as fit as I am to date, plus all of this is taking place on my birthday.   So much has changed about my approach to travel,  my diet, the way I pack and prepare for a trip. When I worked as a travel nurse, I gained so much weight,  eating “conveniently” even when I thought it was healthy. I have always stayed active,  but the diet was too excessive that my physical activity level just wasn’t keeping up. Nowadays, to over indulge on food, whether healthy or unhealthy makes me nauseous.  I have found myself overwhelmed with emotions today because I have a whole new outlook my life now than in the past 30 plus years and I’m not looking back.

image

Calm in the Storm

“If you want to live a life above the clouds,  you have to have courage fly” I can remember my first introduction to the power of flight,  as a little girl, my grandfather’s favorite pass time to share with us was to park outside the airport and watch the planes take off. Oh if only my grandpa could see his baby girl now. ..can’t keep me out of the clouds! It’s no wonder I’m also the offspring of an air force veteran.  I still watch in awe when waiting in airport terminals for my flights, as other airplanes parade around the landing strip in preparation for their turn to stretch their wings and fly!

image

With flying high comes Turbulence. I once listened to a sermon from the profound TDJakes where he made the following analogy. “The devil doesn’t mess with you when you sit still, with your mouth shut, setting for less than your worth, but soon as you start climbing up, by your hands and feet and speaking words of faith, that’s when the enemy comes against you.”
Along this journey,  I’ve run across many set backs, distractors, commentators,  haters, and just down right devils.  But in sticking close to my small circle of people who care about my success the most,  I’ve overcome the traps and turbulence with grace and continue to live a life above the clouds, all because I choose not to care what people think of me.

image

As the saying goes,  “you must be doing something right if people are talking about you” Well I know I am,  because I’m living fit and loving it!

image

Grace for the Journey
“Live for today,  and ponder tomorrow,  but never ever look back”
Today I just touched down in the magnificent city of New York! Everything about this place is amazing.  So blessed to have made the contacts that I have made within the city. The founder of the urban obstacle race called City Challenge Race is so graciously hosting me during my stay here. I’m here for work and fun and love it! As a volunteer and intern for the City Challenge Race, I am embarking on a journey I would have never in my dreams imagined.

image

Also while here I will be able to meet my #yogisister Lara Land, and practice at her studio. Don’t forget,  I am still raising funds to journey with her to India in the spring. You can follow the link below to learn more: http://www.gofundme.com/eokl2k

~Until next time…Live in Love…Live Fit~

Candice

image

By |

It has come to my recognition that sometimes “fit people” intimidate, shock, or even inspire “not so fit people” without even saying a word…. #sorrynotsorry! I can’t help how I look and carry myself. ..like Bey and Nikki say ” Flawless…I wake up like this!”…

image

…because I grind day and night giving all I got to live this lifestyle and reach my dreams!

image

The Panel of Commentary – Can’t Take This Body No Where in Public…LOL!

“What inspires you to stay so fit?” – Grocery shopping

“Man I need your diet!” – Grocery shopping

image
Competition pantry restocking

“You work out don’t you?” – Post Office line mailing in my competition registration

“You look great,  but you look awfully lean!” – Owner at the yoga studio I teach at

“You look like you have one of those ‘Zumba’ bodies, I sell Amway, want to be a representative?” – Lobby of a residential site I train at

image
Trainer mode

These and other statements along with awkward stares, all but one happened within a 24 hour period by the way,  are a part of my day to day life during my bodybuilding competition season.

I usually just smile,  knod, respond the best way possible and press on, or if I feel like I can drop a little knowledge on a person to push a little harder then I make a deposit and roll on!

If this is how people treat an amateur,  I can only imagine what the other side, yeah being at the top feels like! The official winners circle,  pro status! “I must be doing something right!”

image

I continue to count down to September 27th and let the comments,  questions,  and stares be my motivation.

Until next time…#EatClean…#TrainDirty

~I AM CANDICE MARIA ~

image
I AM CANDICE MARIA

By |

image
Reflections in Yin: Dragonfly - side Pose

“When you get the urge to climb, prepare to spread your wings, because child you’re going to fly!” ~ @iamcandicemaria

I stumbled upon this beautiful story today about a #waterbeetle & a #dragonfly! Read and be inspired! – #Shanti!

‘The Dragonfly’

“Once, in a little pond, in the muddy water under the lily pads,
there lived a little water beetle in a community of water
beetles.  They lived a simple and comfortable life in the pond
with few disturbances and interruptions.

Once in a while, sadness would come to the community when one of
their fellow beetles would climb the stem of a lily pad and
would never be seen again.  They knew when this happened; their
friend was dead, gone forever.

Then, one day, one little water beetle felt an irresistible urge
to climb up that stem.  However, he was determined that he would
not leave forever.  He would come back and tell his friends what
he had found at the top.

When he reached the top and climbed out of the water onto the
surface of the lily pad, he was so tired, and the sun felt so
warm, that he decided he must take a nap.  As he slept, his body
changed and when he woke up, he had turned into a beautiful
blue-tailed dragonfly with broad wings and a slender body
designed for flying.

So, fly he did!  And, as he soared he saw the beauty of a whole
new world and a far superior way of life to what he had never
known existed.

Then he remembered his beetle friends and how they were thinking
by now he was dead.  He wanted to go back to tell them, and
explain to them that he was now more alive than he had ever been
before.  His life had been fulfilled rather than ended.

But, his new body would not go down into the water.  He could
not get back to tell his friends the good news.  Then he
understood that their time would come, when they, too, would
know what he now knew.  So, he raised his wings and flew off
into his joyous new life!”

~Author Unknown~

Until next time. ..Practice Strong. Practice Often. ..Namaste

image

~ I AM CANDICE MARIA ~

By |

Perfectly Imperfect

“We have all heard that no two snowflakes are alike. Each snowflake takes the perfect form for the maximum efficiency and effectiveness for its journey. And while the universal force of gravity gives them a shared destination, the expansive space in the air gives each snowflake the opportunity to take their own path. They are on the same journey, but each takes a different path.
Along this gravity-driven journey, some snowflakes collide and damage each other, some collide and join together, some are influenced by wind… there are so many transitions and changes that take place along the journey of the snowflake. But, no matter what the transition, the snowflake always finds itself perfectly shaped for its journey.
I find parallels in nature to be a beautiful reflection of grand orchestration. One of these parallels is of snowflakes and us. We, too, are all headed in the same direction. We are being driven by a universal force to the same destination. We are all individuals taking different journeys and along our journey, we sometimes bump into each other, we cross paths, we become altered… we take different physical forms. But at all times we too are 100% perfectly imperfect. At every given moment we are absolutely perfect for what is required for our journey. I’m not perfect for your journey and you’re not perfect for my journey, but I’m perfect for my journey and you’re perfect for your journey. We’re heading to the same place, we’re taking different routes, but we’re both exactly perfect the way we are.
Think of what understanding this great orchestration could mean for relationships. Imagine interacting with others knowing that they too each share this parallel with the snowflake. Like you, they are headed to the same place and no matter what they may appear like to you, they have taken the perfect form for their journey. How strong our relationships would be if we could see and respect that we are all perfectly imperfect for our journey.” ~ Steve Maraboli

I came across this quote several weeks ago,  and it spoke so well to how my life’s journey as it continues to evolve second by second,  minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, week by week,  month by month,  year by year, even decade by decade! I cherish every experience along the journey,  failures and victories alike,  but most of all I am blessed to be where I am in my life in the present moment. As I still travel to my final destination as you travel along yours, know that everything about you is perfect for your specific journey.  I have lost friends and gained friends,  even learned to be content with a life absent of friends.  I follow no one and have lead many. Yet that’s my journey,  alone I stand, though not truly alone, my journey is perfect,  despite what you may see as imperfect,  because it was shaped flawlessly just for me. I dream day and night,  reaching for everything in sight. Bending over backwards for the strength,  the intuition and enlightenment to spring forward into the future.  Why? Because IAM the author and finisher of my universe,  this journey so perfectly perfect, for an imperfect me.

~ I AM CANDICE MARIA ~

image