Dare to Begin—this is the message that’s been echoing in my mind. It’s the call to action from my upcoming memoir, releasing in less than eight weeks! When I think about my greatest wins—and when I think about people reading my book—that’s the message I want them to...
“You can do it, AJ. You can do it, AJ. You can do it, AJ,” I heard my son whimpering quietly behind me on the tag-along bike attachment. He was scared of biking, and this was our first attempt on the tag-along after years of trying to get him on his own bike with...
By-when? — It’s the question that lingers at the edges of my mind. If I’m to do a task, by-when is the rudder that steers my sails. Wind is needed, certainly. But I can’t control the wind—I can only harness it when it comes, and wait patiently when it...
We love setting big goals. It’s easy to dream big: imagine the perfect outcome, visualize success, and aim for the moon — "because even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars," right? But what happens when those dreams stall? When your motivation...
I’d never look at a daffodil bursting through the earth in the spring and criticize it for not blooming sooner. Knowingly, I am above the snow and grasp that the flower won’t survive in any season other than the one intended for it to bloom. It’s effortless for me to...
Every rep counts — this is the thought that drifts into my mind as I think about the challenges of the day, sitting in a chairlift beside Primrose, my oldest child. Up we go, ascending the ski hill on a crisp but sunny winter day. At the bottom of the slope–too...
I was desperate – locked in place and frustrated. No book hacks, self-help podcasts, or personal commitments could shake me free from the years-long rut that clung to my life like a hoe dragging through tough soil. There were things I couldn’t do anymore – not...
Before I packed my bags to leave for California, a last minute trip for a chance opportunity to run into someone interested in my book, there was work to do. In the week leading up to my departure I found that it took all of me to believe in the choice that I had...
For years I wrestled with my desires (increasing revenue for my nonprofit, publishing my book, and speaking on stage), and what I could produce (none of those things). I had BIG desires, but low results. Ugh. I just had to work harder, obviously – wake up...
Twelve years. Twelve teams. 213 everyday, unique, amazing runners coming through America’s longest relay run, helping me shape what works and what does not. This weekend marks the completion of another year leading runners across the U.S. and I sit firmly...
When I was in third grade, I came home from school one day and my mom had surprised my two brothers and me with the cutest, most precious miniature dachshund puppy. I cried. Not because of how cute she was, or because I was overjoyed, but because I felt emotionally...
I am pregnant, my belly swollen in front of me with a full term baby while my husband and the whole labor and delivery team linger on my periphery, anxious for action. “When is the baby coming?” they ask in anticipation. The pressure increases between my legs and I,...
I had the honor of writing a piece for the National MS Society’s Momentum Magazine — an article about my mom’s MS and experiences as a carepartner (which is currently being featured on their homepage!). I am excited to share a section of the article here, while...