Hope you had a great 2 weeks! I just got back from an incredible weekend in Disney. If you’ve been reading the last few newsletters you know that I was invited as a VIP guest (hotel, flight, dinners, spa treatments…the list goes on and on). There was a catch however-I had to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon (13.1 miles) and only had 6 weeks to train for it-EEK! Training has been a huge learning experience and it all paid off with an incredible few days with my fellow Princesses. Here they are:

Besides the race, we toured the “sporty side of Disney” which included the new ESPN complex, water parks, water sports, a sports expo and more! Early Sunday morning (I’m talking 3am early) it was time to get ready for the race. Here’s me taking a photo of myself in the bathroom mirror:

Certainly not looking very glamorous but I was ready to go with my “The Mojo Coach” shirt which had a photo of my family on the back for good luck. Once at Epcot where the race began, Princesses (and a few Princes dressed like Princesses) were everywhere! The spirit was infectuous with over 13,000 women eager and determined to do their best. During the run, school bands played at almost every mile and Disney characters were everywhere. Ipod loaded with my favorite songs and adrenaline flowing I took off and vowed to not compare myself with anyone else, keep up a steady pace that felt right and just do my best. Turns out it was a good plan because I finished in 1hour and 55minutes!

The run was a thrill (and I’m proud to say I’m officiially a Half Marathoner) but the real highlight had to be the surprise visit from my family! My husband and kids packed up, boarded the dogs and flew to Disney to cheer me on (and of course spend a few days at the parks while they were there). Here I am with my favorite cheering squad:

Besides all of the special magic that only Disney can bring, this experience has taught me as well as my family so much. First, when opportunities come along, grab them-they present themselves for a reason. Sure they may be scary but only because they’re unfamiliar-not because it’s something you can’t do and once you push yourself to a new level, you’d be amazed at how capable you really are.

These opportunities are also great lessons for your kids to see. First, they see that you’re feeling some fear but working through it instead of retreating. Next they see you stumble and fall but keep getting up and trying again. The lesson being that it’s part of the process to struggle at first-it’s not weakness but the only way to grow.

Next they see you setting a goal, making a commitment and managing your time so that it all gets done as best you can-also showing that if things aren’t perfect, it’s perfectly ok.

Next, they see you accomplish things you’ve never done before, giving you opportunities to be proud of each goal you achieve as you work towards something bigger.

Another bonus was that my husband and kids got to spend time alone together without me. While I’m sure their hotel room was a disaster and they ate way more junk food than usual, I’m sure their time together was priceless.

Finally it was an opportunity for my family to give me a treasured gift of their love and support. And for me, it was an opportunity for my heart to melt as I saw my family there to cheer me on. While yes, it didn’t hurt that they were going to the place where dreams come true, knowing that their primary intention was to support me is an indescribable feeling-kind of a combination of love, appreciation, gratitude and awe.

So if their rooms are a messy and my husband leaves his socks on the floor for a few days… they get a free pass from me!