2014 vs 2015!

It is the time! 

We will be saying goodbye to 2014 and welcoming 2015. 

So I think we should first review last year and find what we did well and did not well so we can improve ourselves in those areas.,

It is the time to deep dive our inner sides and if we want to be our better version we should push our weak sides and make them improved.

So I am honestly sharing with you my challenging situations and failures of 2014. 

I am pleased to know which areas I need to overcome it. 

So why don’t we start a fresh page in our lives starting 2015?

So here is my 2014 review for myself! 

Hope to let’s get over all our weaknesses with knowing ourselves!

What did work this year?

Good areas (+)

Traveling 

• Oxford
• London
• Berlin

Hiking

• Kackar Mountains Summit 3937 mt and slept there in a tent

Running Races

• 7K Nike Run Race
• 11K Run New Balance Race
• 15K Istanbul Marathon
• International Darica Half Marathon

English Public Speaking

• Started Toastmasters and made first icebreaker speech

Self-Improvement

• Made an impossible list to achieve

• Started to write physcological posts in my blog (My post called “Sometimes you have to lose yourself to discover who you are” shared 48 times in Google +; it’s the highest share in my posts!)

• Done Cold shower therapy for 30 days

Language Improvement

• Took IELTS score

What did not work well this year?

Improvement areas (-)

• Mess up with relationships (Complicated!)

• Saving money (!)

*One little note Saturn left Scorpio as of today so as a scorpio I learned lots of things during these 2.5 years and and now time to action:) 

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND GOOD LUCK FOR ALL OF US!

My passion for running!

Today I would like to share with you my passion for running.

How did I start running? 

I was in my friend’s birthday party. I was talking with our mutual friend. She told me that she was going to start running the next morning. 

I just asked  “Can I join?” 

She kindly said yes and we agreed to meet at 7.00 am in the next morning. 

When we met she told me that she was not waiting me because it was too early. But I said you have my words and I am here so let’s start running.

So my running journey has started on March 2013 like this. 

We continued running every week. Even in sunny & rainy or cold days … 

After a while I continued running alone because I found out that it was a way to find myself. I was feeling nothing is impossible. I was challenging myself and trying to push my limits everytime. 

After these runs I also attended races like 7K, 10K, 15K and a Half Marathon. 

Running made me feel free and confident. 

I can easily tell you now what I want or don’t want. 

After I started running also I started hiking and traveled more than ever before. 

And when I traveled far far away I also ran every places I have seen. Because I noticed that it was a great way to explore a new city with running.

Also it is a very special time for me to stay alone with myself. Because I noticed that until that time I was always surrounded with people. But now I can listen myself and have a chance to ask “Are you all right?” or “Is that really you want?” So it makes me think logically with my inner voice.

Last days I read an article. It was about everyone should have a passion for something to be a happier person. I thought and yes I have a passion for running. It makes me feel great and day by day it improves me to be a better person.

I believe if we can find out what we have passion for then we can be happier people. 

So it is important for me to see other people who are caring themselves and listen themselves. 

If we know ourselves then we can be better people.

Story of a failure!

First of all sorry for not writing for a while because I was trying to handle my birthday depression. Haven’t you heard it? Then you should check it out! Please click here!

My last decision for birthdays they are not welcomed by me anymore. I can’t find any meaning to find it special. Not because of I feel depressed or anything else, I really thought and could not find any reason to celebrate if somebody is born. If I do something well then you can celebrate me but I didn’t show any success to be born so I think we should celebrate our moms.

Let’s come back to our subject today!

I have an impossible list that I have to complete in my entire life. Some of them are so impossible but I try to push myself to believe nothing is impossible.

I am going to confess you my failure about marathon running. 

Actually I was going well as you see below about my list. I completed nice races including a half marathon.

Fitness

• Run 7k race -Nike Run Istanbul (September 28, 2014)
• Run Half Marathon- Darica Half Marathon (October 12, 2014)
• Run 10k race- New Balance Run 11.2 km (November 2, 2014) 
• Run Istanbul Marathon- 15K  (November 16, 2014)
• Run in the New York Marathon

I was supposed to run a marathon. But one day before marathon, I changed my mind and changed the category to 15K. 

Why did I do it? Because after half marathon I realized that I was not very practised to run a marathon. I should run more often and increase my pace. So I decided to prepare for next year’s marathon.

I ran 15K in 1.41 minutes. My pace was 6.50 “/km. According to my previous runs, it improved.

But another part of me is also a little bit sad for not attending marathon. 

But time to prepare for future!

I experienced a disappointment but I should move on for my other targets. 

It is so interesting to race with myself. My struggle is with me. Sometimes I mess up everything, sometimes I can move forward so fastly. I surprise when I see my actions in different situations but I belive they make me stronger.

So time to go on now!

I should focus on what I want and think about new strategies to have it and let you know!

A Confession of My Mind!

Have you felt like that you are missing something outside? Or feeling that you should be more prepared for future and ready for what is waiting for you. I have been feeling like this now. I want to do more things but then I feel limited and stressed. How can I achieve what I want? Will it be possible or what should I do more? 

Last day one of my friend told me that I was thinking so deeply for everything maybe I just need to let them go. Most of people do like that. So I am again thinking that I am thinking so much! Is it a dilemma?

Or another day one of my friend told me that I was thinking what I really don’t want and I try to make a list of them. Why am I pushing myself? I told her that because it is the easiest way to find what I really want excluding what I don’t want. It really makes sense for me. This is another point that I should think about it deeply:)

Nowadays I try to push myself for an exam. But I remembered my university exam periods and it was an awful feeling to concentrate for study. I was feeling frustrated and stressed. Actually I remember until high school I was a pretty hard working student but when I decided to study science on high school, I started to unconcentrate to study. I was paniced about all complex formulas and I wasn’t sure that I am at the right place. I think those years my break point for school life. After that I was just having average scores. And just completing was enough for me not more.

So today I faced my fear again. I should work hard and pass an exam to prove myself that if I want something to be done then it should be done. 

I just realized that the most difficult part of to be successful in life is first you should have a power to push yourself to reach upper level. There is a tiny break point between resistance and to move on. If you pass that line you will move forward more than ever so when you are between that area you should know that you are frustrated because it is a transition period. So take a deep breath and with your last energy just push your limits. Sometimes we fail, sometimes we succeed so maybe we should just show the courage for the first step. 

That’s what I am also planning to do right now!

What I learned Running My First Half Marathon!

I started to run on March 2013. When in my first running, I said myself this is what I want. I felt really good and I wanted to continue. It made me feel free and clear my mind. 

So I put some items about running to my impossible list because it was my precious one:)

Run 7K, 10K, Half Marathon and a Marathon…

I did 7K before but Half Marathon was so crazy for me. 

Yesterday was the biggest day because I would run a half marathon.

Before the race I said to myself just keep going. So during the race I try to just move. I was angry to my phone that telling every miles because there were so miles ahead to go! Last few miles I was behind from all of the athletes but I said that you showed the courage to attend this race and you are moving. It is not important to go faster, just run and see the finish line. So I did, I moved and saw the amazing finish line:)

I couldn’t imagine myself if somebody told me 2 years ago: 

“You would run a half marathon, 21.5 km (13.1 Miles)!” 

But as of yesterday, yes I ran a half marathon!

So I really started to believe nothing is impossible. If you believe yourself and at least start what you really like and want why couldn’t it be realized? 

I am an example of it but believe me there are many examples achieved their dreams. 

I have to achieve many items on my impossible list. 

Sure somedays I feel “Ok Asli it is up to now, accept it that you will not be able to realize all of them”. 

Of course I have ups and downs like everybody. 

But at that time I try to focus my ups. I ask to myself why not, if nothing is impossible then I have to push myself. 

My first half marathon was the proof of my belief.

Surround Yourself with Those on the Same Mission as You!

What I noticed that people who are living their lives ‘normally’ look more unhappy to me. They are in their comfort zone and have no courage to go out and find a new path. They seem that they are always thinking something and look disappointed. Maybe you can say because of money problems mostly. But I don’t believe with money people can be more happy. To be happy is a choice. But when I look at the people who are looking for a new challange are more fun and happy. Let’s look at travellers. Have you seen an unhappy traveller or backpacker? They are travelling with a limited budget but look very enthuastic. They are very curious about everything and can join every group easily because they know that if they don’t take any risk, they won’t learn what is waiting for them. So they say more ‘why not’. 

We are reading that people quit their jobs and start travelling. They are happy because maybe first time in their lives they are doing something for their own lives not thinking anyone else. 

Living in a big city can be an disadvantage because if you look deeply to lots of people’s faces, you can notice their unhappiness for not catching their dreams. What I see that, they are so tired of their lives and have no hope for their future.

So what I am thinking now we should surround ourselves people who are thinking like us. Because to be effected by unhappy people is the biggest danger. They break our courage to reach our dreams. 

So why don’t we try to expand our overview to life? We should learn one more thing every second to move forward. So if we start to change something in our lives, the universe will help us to meet the right people. So let’s choose to be happy and have the mind ‘why not’!

Inspirational Words

This week, I have inspired from two different women. 

First one is Oscar-winning American actress Meryl Streep. 

Actually I have seen these words via e-mail, it was spreaded as Meryl Streep’s words but I have searched and found that I guess these words are belong to author José Micard Teixeira.

Anyway it doesn’t matter whose words these are because at this period of my life these are the right words that reflecting me.

“I no longer have patience for certain things, not because I’ve become arrogant, but simply because I reached a point in my life where I do not want to waste more time with what displeases me or hurts me. I have no patience for cynicism, excessive criticism and demands of any nature. I lost the will to please those who do not like me, to love those who do not love me and to smile at those who do not want to smile at me. I no longer spend a single minute on those who lie or want to manipulate. I decided not to coexist anymore with pretense, hypocrisy, dishonesty and cheap praise. I do not tolerate selective erudition nor academic arrogance. I do not adjust either to popular gossiping. I hate conflict and comparisons. I believe in a world of opposites and that’s why I avoid people with rigid and inflexible personalities. In friendship I dislike the lack of loyalty and betrayal. I do not get along with those who do not know how to give a compliment or a word of encouragement. Exaggerations bore me and I have difficulty accepting those who do not like animals. And on top of everything I have no patience for anyone who does not deserve my patience.” _ Meryl Streep

The second women is British actress Emma Watson.

I watched her speech as of being Goodwill Ambassador at UN Event regarding HeForShe Campaign. 

She did an impressive speech with her tremulous voice. 
She confessed that there is no country she knows that girls and boys are equal. 
She told it as being of a British citizen. 

So I think she did a great job to invite all men to help women to be equal with them. And she made them to think that this is not only women’s issue also men’s issue. 

So if you have not watched this video yet, please find below and watch it for all people’s rights, women and men….

https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/c9SUAcNlVQ4&source=uds

Be Yourself!

I have successfully completed Cold Shower Therapy. 30 days showered with cold water. So what happened? First of all, it is worth it to see other people’s face when you are telling to them that I prefer cold shower:) Second continuing your choice gives you more power. I feel more confident and powerful. 

I am in a different transition of my life. I am fastly moving to forward. I am trying to do it with my actions and thoughts. During this period, I only think myself. That I noticed I have not done it before. I always cared what other people think about me or I care about more their needs. But if I don’t find out my needs, I would not figure out who I am. So first I should be myself. Of course this could be found so selfish and arrogant for other people. 

But as a human being we have lots of periods in our life. During in this busy life we are living our lives as it is programmed. So I decided to stop and think about it. Hey where I am going to and what I really want to do? 

At my 20s ages, I was so unexperienced, I was so curious to learn everything. But I wasn’t feeling so powerful to change what I really want. I was in my comfort zone. And there were examples I have seen. So I was thinking that I should do and want those things…

But I realized now that in my 30s, I don’t want to have average people’s choices. I want something so different and challenging. Now I can say that I am on my way. Maybe I haven’t totally figured out yet but I feel that nothing is impossible. I can live anywhere or I can do anything. My dreams are not so far to me. I strongly believe and try to catch them. 

I think at 30s something special comes to us and says that stop and think, is it the life you are dreaming?

We have only one life as far as I know, so why don’t we think what we really want? I am reading some inspirations telling that I quit my job and I am traveling the world as a backpacker as I always dreamed or people after 40s started to write or draw that they discovered their skills.

It is never late to catch your dreams but first remember when you are child what were you dreaming? After that I know lots of things happened and we really forgot and scheduled as regular people but if we remember I think many things will come to the surface.

It is worth to try! Let’s be ourselves without caring negative thoughts and people!