Good Changes Ahead

Hi all!

About 3 weeks ago I decided I wanted to compete in a triathlon on Aug 9. Well here I am signed up for one tomorrow! Ahhh! Nervous but excited!

Why my life has changed.... (and maybe this is me venting a little haha)
Back in December I felt like my life was falling apart. I was depressed, unhappy, and stressed beyond all belief. I put on a good face for everyone because I had just graduated college and immediately got my first teaching job, I was 22, lived at home, and I had the same boyfriend for 7 years. To everyone else, it looked like my life should have been perfect.

Well for some reason or another, I stopped taking the anti-anxiety/depression medication I was on... and that I had been on since I was a freshman in high school. And all of a sudden I felt like "me" again. It was so weird, because before I felt like I didn't have any "feelings." To add to my stress, the other love of my life, my horse, had messed up a ligament in her back and was costing me a fortune in vet bills. Riding her was my only relief from my crazy world, and I was unable to even sit on her.

I fought with myself in my head for months about where my life was... why am I so unhappy? is this the guy I want to spend the rest of my life with? how am I going to afford another vet bill? Not to mention I was still living at home with my younger brother and sister and parents... who were dealing with legal issues and the economy with the family business.

To make this story short(er) haha, in May I made some really difficult life changes. I broke up with my boyfriend (who was soon to be fiance), I let the MSU vet clinic wipe my bank account clean, and I moved out of my house for the first time! The stress of all of the events made me loose 20 pounds. And then I started swimming again (I was a big time swimmer in high school). And then I started running again. And a couple of weeks ago... I decided I wanted to do my first triathlon. And here I am today... with legs of steel!

I am so glad I have found this online "family" that is so willing to help each other out! And I am soooo excited that I actually have a goal that I am working towards! It is such a relief to do something other than my same old routine. Working out all summer and then switching to actual training has done wonders for my mental health. I'm so glad I had the guts to change my life!

..... and whew! I feel so much better getting that out there!
Thank you tri friends for your kind words and support! This site is awesome!

Jessie