Wednesday, August 18, 2010

150,000 reasons for inspiration...


You can't see it, but there are 150,000 other people in the photo above. Every single one of them inspired me to do things that I never thought I could.

150,000 Ohioans suffer from MS.

Today's post is about People - believing in them. Last weekend I had the opportunity to participate in Bike MS Pedal to the Point - a 75 mile bike ride in Northeast Ohio to raise money and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis. It was by far one of the most challenging and rewarding things I have done! I was fortunate enough to be among 2,300 other riders who were cycling in the 97-degree heat for the cause. It was awesome. For most of the ride all I could do was envision what it would feel like to cross the "finish line" - and the moment of accomplishment kept me going. Even more so, the most motivating thing of all happened before I even got on my bike at the starting line. A woman, who knew my family, introduced herself to me and said that we were riding for her and thanked us for what were doing. It was a very touching moment and was the inspiration that I needed to keep in mind as I completed the ride.

It's amazing how all people can affect your life. Those that you know well, those that you might never meet, and those that you just got introduced to - they all ultimately have an impact on how you motivate and inspire yourself and people around you. I never thought that I'd be able to do the bike ride, or have the desire to do it again, but the number 150,000 remains in the back of my mind and all I can think about is that I should start preparing for next year!

Let people inspire you. Strangers, friends, family, coworkers... They will all push you to do things you never thought you could if you open your heart and mind to the powerful bond that exists between us.

As of today it has been one year since I started The Daily Challenge. Thank you to all of the people who are reading and following this blog - whether or not you know it, you have kept me going and continue to inspire me to write more, smile more, and love more. Thank you.

5 comments:

  1. We keep you going and you keep your readers going. I recently wrote on a post that blogging is like being a leader for all your readers.You blaze a path for us through the wilderness of life, and we follow behind you.

    I've read about four of your posts, and each one is uplifting and inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy ONE YEAR!!!! When I first came upon your blog several months ago, the top line that mentioned your start date caught my eye because it's my son's birthday! What else could there be to make me smile every day?!

    ReplyDelete
  3. (although your post above was dated Aug 15th, and it appears you started on Aug 18th...?)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow Candice! An amazing post! What a great cause and a fantastically heart-warming story:)

    It has been a pleasure following your Daily Challenge blog this past year. Among my favorite of your posts were the ones about the house you always passed on the way to school, the one with the sign in the front yard. Remember, you are made up of the same stuff as the sun and the stars!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This was an inspiring post on your blog....it is a reminder that we are all connected. Nothing we do is irrespective of the rest of the world. And we can, as Brandon said, lift ourselves up, be lifted up and lift others up through the interconnectedness of our actions. We see what we perceive.....

    ReplyDelete