Tag: happiness

Getting Out There!!!

On By Kimberly Rae Gerodimos/MarxIn healthy and living life!!!, Life's journey2 Comments

FB_IMG_1498167652488My day begins at 4:30 a.m.  Yes, I know… way too early, but if you live in Arizona and the outdoors is calling you, you must get up before the sun.  Today, my good friend Liz Merritt at boombaby.me,  (check out her site) invited me to go paddle boarding.  Now, I love the outdoors, I kayak, hike etc…. but I have never paddled before.

As the birds began to chirp and sing their morning songs, I was out the door.  The board strapped to the top of my SUV…off to the lake I go.  A short 40 minute drive to one of the many lakes we have in Arizona.

I came prepared, my camelback loaded with water, sunscreen on, and my water shoes in hand.  I was a little worried I might fall off at first, but I surprised myself, the water did not get the pleasure of enveloping me with its wetness.  I could tell I was working my inner thighs, my core, and defiantly my arm muscles with all the paddling.  I was enjoying the outdoors which I call my playground as well as getting a great workout at the same time.

But…the best part, was the peacefulness of the calm, empty lake at 6:00 a.m.. The hawk flying overhead feeding her babies, and the beautiful canyons that surrounded us.  We paddled in silence and took it all in.

It was an amazing morning.   I tried something new on my bucket list, I got my workout in, and I wasn’t in an enclosed space with air conditioning.  I had a view, an  amazing view.

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I want you to see that choosing healthy doesn’t have to be boring.  Get out there and try something new.  It might not be easy at first, but don’t give up.  You just have to keep going….one step at a time, one day at a time.  We are all in a different place in our lives.  We have to do what fits our lifestyle.  Just… GET OUT THERE!!!

I choose healthy.  I choose to live my life…. you can too!!!!

Never Give up!

Kimberly Rae

 

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Say YES to Life!!!

On By Kimberly Rae Gerodimos/MarxIn Life's journey2 Comments

My journey the past five years has taken me many places. But I find that the happiest of places is always on a trail somewhere in the beautiful outdoors in Arizona; or on a road trip to another state that has its own Beauty to share. 

For me the outdoors infuses me with the  energy and joy that keeps that smile on my face more times than not.  

When I step onto that trail, I am noticing the beauty in each step I take and all that surrounds me. 

My last adventure in northern Arizona took me to a few places of heavenly beauty. Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona is one of my favorite places.  It continually changes as the seasons  meld into each other . The beautiful fall colors, the water flowing through the streams and the canyon that surrounds you,  brings peace to anyones existence. 

I decided 5 years ago not to be that victim or to let what happened to me Define my life. The healing took place over a few years but I knew that if I didn’t start living my life and saying YES to life, that I would be stuck; stuck in a place that had no life, Joy, or happiness. I went out and found my own Adventures with friends or by myself. And I found myself continually drawn to God’s Beauty in the outdoors. For me, that’s my heaven here on Earth.

We all get up every day, go to our prospective jobs and do what we have to do to survive. But are we living? Are you living? 

Saying YES to life and going out there and living it may have to be a directional change for some. A change that could Empower your life and Propel it to the next level. How exciting is that?

So ask yourself, “Am I living my life, Or am I just existing?”

Think about what you’re passionate about, what puts a smile on your face, and joy in your heart. That will guide  you down the path of living, and saying YES to life.😊😊

As always… keep hiking to the top!!

Kimberly Rae

Patience!!

On By Kimberly Rae Gerodimos/MarxIn Life's journey1 Comment

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“Things come to us not when we want them, but when we are ready.”

Patience is a virtue…so they say.   I’m not sure that was passed down through my genetic makeup.  Oh, I suppose there is some swishing around in there somewhere.  It does come out now and then.  But today… it has taken a holiday, and I’m not sure when it’s returning.

I do my best each morning to wake up with a grateful heart, a smile on my face, and the motivation to make it a great day!!!  But today, and maybe a little yesterday… It seems to have escaped me.  I seem to be standing at a huge fork in the road.  My journey has stalled; taken a rest… I don’t know, but I’m stuck; frozen at a point in my life where I should be confident and moving forward.

My summer took me to places I didn’t think I would ever see.   I climbed the highest peak in Oahu.  I swam in the bluest water you have ever seen.  I tasted food beyond my wildest imagination… I was living and loving my life.  But…as wonderful as my trips were… I didn’t have anyone to share it with.  I wanted to be sitting on Sunset beach with that special person in my life.  I wanted to laugh and discover with them.  I wanted someone’s shoulder to lean on, on the long flight home.   After 5 years of being single, is God saying I am still not ready?? Does Karma really exist?  I keep asking myself if I have done something not to deserve a good man in my life.  I keep asking God, what else am I supposed to learn?

I’ve grown to love myself and to be happy with just me.  The scar I wear proudly from my last relationship… remains just that… a Scar.  It has healed over and I have moved forward.  I’m ready!!! So I think.

So what else God??  Are you still trying to teach me about patience?  I know I’ve stumbled a bit over the past 5 years, but I’m still here; wishing and wanting to share my life with the person you have waiting for me; or maybe there isn’t someone.  Maybe I am just supposed to embrace being single and that’s how it’s going to be.

So give me that little nudge. Push me in the right direction.  You may need to hold my hand at first, but I’ll keep moving forward, because I have never lost my faith in YOU.

As always… Keep hiking to the top!!!

Kimberly Rae

 

 

 

 

A New Journey!

On By Kimberly Rae Gerodimos/MarxIn Life's journeyLeave a comment

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“One moment she was alone and lost… and 4 years later she emerges, anew.”

I have decided to take a different path with my blogs.  I have healed and moved on from my very painful relationship.  My blogging helped me to move on.  Sharing my raw feelings helped me deal with life.  Not that I won’t stumble… I am only human:)  But life, my life has moved on.

After everything I have been through I look at myself as a tight rope walker.  Because the tight rope walker is the one who doesn’t need a safety net.  He can move on with his life without someone in it.  And that is just what I did.  My faith is all that I needed and need to keep moving forward.

I love to write about my discoveries, whether they be about life or the many trails that I happen upon and learn from.

I am fortunate enough to live in a state that allows me to hike all year round.  The desert is beautiful in it’s own right.  You just have to see it and sometimes look for it.  I get to see this mountain everyday.  I have hiked to the top and all through it.  And just yesterday, I discovered by accident a new trail behind this amazing, majestic mountain.  You never know what you are going to find, on the trail or in life.  It is how you look at it that makes the difference.  I choose to see the beauty in what is in front of me.  To some, they will only see ugly, prickly cactus and a ground full of dirt and sand.  But when you open your eyes, and I mean really open your eyes… You see so much more.

That is how I view life.  My eyes are wide open and I choose to enjoy the moments put in front of me and see the desert in all of it finery as a gift from God.

So I challenge you… open your eyes and see, really see, what is in front of you.

The peace and joy I get from wandering these desert trails only remind me of how grateful I am to be alive, to enjoy the trails I have been on, and the many more I will explore!

Enjoy my view below:)

As always…. Keep Hiking to the Top,

Kimberly Rae

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Single… Why????

On By Kimberly Rae Gerodimos/MarxIn Life's journeyLeave a comment

Why are so many of us still single? It doesn’t matter how old we are, how many times you have been married, we are single right now in this moment.  In my experience,  from people I have known and what has been done to me… I feel that people are not able to commit fully to one human being. They seem to have one foot in the relationship and one foot out. Because you know just maybe there could be somebody that might come along that appears to have greener grass than what you have in front of you. Really?? How about watering the grass that’s right in front of you.  how about nurturing that so that it can become all you  wanted it to be or could even imagine. When you can’t fully commit or work on the relationship that you’re in, then really is it going to go anywhere? I say no, it will eventually fizzle out.  one of you will end up cheating on the other, I know that all too well. I think it’s hard to find 2 people fully committed in a relationship. One usually is and the other is kinda halfway there,  as the other foot is dangling outside of the relationship.

Relationships take work. Whether you’re married or not, you are in a relationship with someone. You don’t have to be living with them but if you are dating and if you’ve dated for quite a while you are in a committed relationship. Sneaking around talking to other women on an intimate level is not being fully committed. If you can’t be that with the person you are with… then stop and think… reflect. am I in the right relationship?  How do I really feel about this person?   Or, what can I do to make this better?  I see so many relationships just thrown away because one or both people don’t want to take the time to work on it, to talk,  communicate.

I realize when you have been married to someone for a very long time or just even in a relationship with someone for a very long time, things can get stagnant. You get into a routine you do the same things all the time… that is when you need to change things up. You have to be able to recognize when your relationship is in that place. So change it up, go eat somewhere different, take a weekend road trip, do something you haven’t done in a long time.  think about what you did when you first met.  what made you happy, what was exciting. Bring more passion back into the bedroom. There are so many things you can do without dissolving the relationship, before you start  cheating on your partner that you supposedly still love but but yet you are looking for some other kind of excitement to keep you going. Find the excitement with the person you’re with now. And sometimes yes, relationships need to end but I still think as a society we do not put enough time and effort into the person that we are with. We let it go.  We just say, “oh there’s gotta be something better out there.”  Take the time working with what is right in front of you, because the grass is only greener where you water it. 

Don’t be the sprinkler that is watering a bunch of different plants. Be the hose that’s directly on the one in front of you,  and grow together :))

Keep hiking to the top,

Kimberly Rae

Here’s What I Know For Sure…

On By Kimberly Rae Gerodimos/MarxIn Life's journeyLeave a comment

I know that we have to create our own happiness and let others add to it.

I know that love in it’s purest form is all I need.

I know it isn’t our job to fix people; but to encourage and inspire.

I know that life can beat me down, but it’s how I get up and face it, that strengthens my character.

I know people come and go in my life, but I have learned something from each one of them, and I thank them for that.

I know that men and women can be just friends – and that is okay:)

I know that my life will never change unless I do something I have never done.

I know that living in the moment allows me to see things I might have missed.

I know  that a rose bud that has just opened is the most fragrant as is a new relationship  just beginning to bloom.

I know my children are the best part of me. I am so proud of who they have become.

I know the pain that comes from a love lost and the renewed person that comes from it.

I know that a few good friends out way many.

I know the beauty of the mountains and the quiet of the slow moving stream.

I know God’s love and that he believes in me.

I know that I’m happy and I love my life.

I know the depth of my soul is only as deep as the love I have for myself.

I know that true beauty lies within, not in the cover.

What I do know for sure is every ending has a new beginning – so no  matter where you are at in the circle of life; beginning, middle, or end, make it the best and truly live in each moment that crosses your path.

 

The Journey is the Reward!

Keep hiking to the top.

Kimberly Rae

The Unspoken Words are Felt the Most

On By Kimberly Rae Gerodimos/MarxIn Life's journey1 Comment

Did you every say or do something you wish you could take back?  That impulsive thought, action, that once given and received cannot be retrieved. Why do we do that?  Actually why do I do that?  I keep saying I won’t do that again.  I will give it a day before I respond or react.  But I don’t.  I’m not talking about something that would hurt someone or belittle them.  No… These are words of love and kindness that were not taken or interrupted correctly by the recipient.  Their response to me was like a knife being jabbed into my stomach and twisted  around. It reminded me of a time I don’t care to remember.   And then you begin to over think it and interrupt it many ways;  which is so asinine.   Words are just words; without action behind them, they don’t mean much.  But when you are a few thousand miles away, you find yourself attaching to every word, because that is all you have.

Being single for 3 years, has put me in a vulnerable place.  I long for that stimulating conversation with a male friend.  And I mean a friend.  Reconnecting with my old friend has helped me see some things in my life from a different perspective.  It has helped me let go of some things I didn’t realize I was holding on to.  So it saddens me that I may have lost this friend due to misinterpretation using social media.  But you know what…  If  we never speak again, I will always remember this past week.  He opened my eyes and helped rekindle my inner spirit and for that, I am grateful.  Sometimes people step into our lives for just a short while to get you on your new path.   I know I touched his life as well:)

 

“If  unspoken words are felt, then you have connected.”  ~ Kimberly Rae

 

Keep hiking to the top!

Kimberly Rae

 

Positive Thinking!!

On By Kimberly Rae Gerodimos/MarxIn Life's journeyLeave a comment

      My Wish for Today

 

As I sit here at the end of a long day, in the peace and quiet of my classroom, I think of you.  The moisture in the sky has provoked my students to act in a mysterious way throughout the day; which has left me drained and wishing I was on the road… with you.

The tranquility of the mountain air, the smell of the pine trees, and the aroma of the campfire beneath the openness of the twinkling blue sky, are all things I long for at this moment.   As the sun departs and the moon slowly rises, a chill fills the air; I snuggle up to you with your arms around me and I am loved and life is good.

 

I have come to a point in my life where being positive is all I know.  Not a bad thing:)  So…  I do not know who the “You” is in my poem, but knowing that he’s out there and knowing that he will come into my like one day, is thinking positively:)   I trust that God will lead him to me, or me to him:)   Life is a never ending journey.  I’m happy with mine:)

 

Keep Hiking to the top!

Kimberly Rae

Our Paths in Life

On By Kimberly Rae Gerodimos/MarxIn Life's journeyLeave a comment

The breeze is quiet as it catches a few strands of my long hair.  They wisp across my face; like the tickle of a soft feather as it brushes so gently over my face.  The birds are having their own social gathering as I sit peacefully in the old Green Adirondack chair.  The floor beneath my feet is damp from the rain, mixed with wood-chips, pine needles and remnants of hours of fun.

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I reflect upon my morning hike and parallel that journey with life…

The trail started out smooth; a gradual incline.  A 1300 foot elevation gain by the time I would make it to my destination. But nothing I couldn’t handle.  I stopped along the way to take in the beautiful surroundings.  I continued on, only to find myself on a rocky trail.  I had to watch my step.  My journey was beginning to be more challenging.  As I was adjusting to the new terrain – I came to a roadblock.  The large oak had fallen to its death, blocking the trail I was on.

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I had to make a choice, so I could keep moving forward.  At this point, I needed to tap into my patience, my faith, and my perseverance so I could make it over this hurdle without getting hurt.  I could have taken the easy way and made a path  around it.  But I decided I needed to take some risks and with that, the possibility of being hurt.  I had to start breaking down those walls.  I slowly rolled over the massive log and touched ground on the other side.  Not as hard as I thought:)  As I moved on, the terrain became very rocky.  But as I continued to take baby steps and appreciate my surroundings – my journey became manageable.  I soon found myself walking on smooth ground.

In life, we find ourselves somewhere on this trail.  We are all there at some point in our life.  How we move forward is a choice only we can make.  If we take the time, to make a choice, to make a change – the trail smooths out.

Where are you on your journey?

Keep Hiking to the top!!

Kimberly Rae

 

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A Love Lost… Where Did it Go??

On By Kimberly Rae Gerodimos/MarxIn Life's journeyLeave a comment

The cool breeze trickles through my window, as I sit staring off into the night.   It is an abnormally 65 degrees on a Wednesday, in sunny Arizona.  I’m relishing in the cool soft breeze as I know this will be the last for awhile.  I understand why it’s going away.  The earth has rotated.  The sun is in the right place for summer to begin. It’s going to be hot; very hot, here in Arizona.  We won’t see the coolness of the night for a very long time.  But I know it will return, with the falling of the leaves.

What I don’t know and what I don’t understand is why people who say they love us so much, hurt us the most.  They say they need space and then they leave, for something far less than you.   The love they had for us got lost somewhere.  What does that mean???

I dry my eyes from the tears that I shed moments ago.  My children are hurting.  I want to fix their pain; I want to take it away.  But I can’t.

What do you tell your six foot three son who is cradled in your arms crying because the woman he loved so much cheated on him?  You let him cry and you listen.  Because you know what it’s like to go through that.  You’ve been there.  And as you cry with him, that old hurt and pain begins to surface as he tells you the lies she has deceived him with.  You’ve heard them all before and you know she isn’t going to come back but you can’t tell him that, not yet anyway.  He will figure it out in his own time.  I, as all mothers would do, will continue to be there for him.

My daughter, who has struggled through life, found a man that she could truly love with all her being. She smiled and laughed with genuine sincerity.  I was so thrilled that this wonderful man loved my daughter so much.  But the happiness that radiated from her may not return with the falling of the leaves.   He too, needs his space and may have fallen to someone far less than the amazing woman, I call my daughter.  Again, the same words, the same stories, the same lies.  “He says, he just wants to work it out, but he still loves me.”  As I nod my head whispering to myself, I know, I know.  She cries some more and just doesn’t know how she is going to live without him.

I reacted.  Only within the confines of my 4 walls.  I screamed and cursed the 3 of them.  Those hurt feelings came back so quickly.  Does anyone work on relationships anymore or do they just walk away and take the easy way out?  No one puts any effort into love and all that should come with it.  They just try on another shoe.  And even if it doesn’t fit so well and is a little tattered they try to make it fit, because now its too late  to  take back the one they ignored and shoved in the closet.  The one that shined when they were around.  The one that was true and loyal and would have never left.  We shouldn’t take on the victim role. Because really, we are not the victims.  They are victims of their own stupidity and poor choices.  We, (my children) will pick up the pieces and move on.  I’m hoping that my healing can be an example for them to pick up the broken pieces of their lives and move forward.  I can only be there for them and continue to pray for the strength they will need to take the next step.

 

As always, keep hiking to the top!

Kimberly Rae