10 years ago.

May 22, 2008

May 21, 2008

This past week we attended both the EGUSDs Coordinated School Health meeting and Valley High schools Health and Fitness expo.  At the expo we were fortunate to have the Cybex trazer as our main booth demonstration as we are always featuring new and fun innovations in fitness. Right now, I am creating the high school club program and preparing grants for its funding. Each day is a mixture of researching, writing, reading and mailing. Besides the nonprofit, I also have other projects each day that keep my mind occupied from the moment I wake to the second I fall asleep.

Last week I received my 10 year reunion invitation coming up later this year in November. Wow! I cant believe its already been 10 years since I graduated from Laguna Creek High school. In fact, when I was at Valley High School, one of the campus supervisors recognized me from many years ago. We laughably reminisced measuring the length of my skirts and detecting if my midriff was showing. High school was the most challenging period of my upbringing.  I got into 3 physical fights, was involved in numerous false, rumors and was given the reputation of being very conceited.  The truth was is that I never knew my offenders, I was an easy target to talk about and most people exchanged my shyness for self pride.

In those difficult moments I developed my internal strength and promised myself to never, ever allow any negative energy to seep into my soul and cause a wave of destructive consequences. I knew that every minute I thought about how much I was angry, anxious or annoyed by my opponents…I gave them a winning point, for nothing would satisfy them more than knowing I was wasting my life thinking about them. And so I didn’t.

Every time my mind became distracted by depressing thoughts, I worked out. I wrote. I read. I did anything that improved and progressed my lifes position.

Since high school I attended UC Davis and graduated with two majors and a minor. I became a part time personal trainer, then a manager, then a project coordinator. I moved to San Francisco, became Miss San Francisco Chinatown, Miss Philippines USA and Miss Bikini California. I began publishing articles, recording podcasts and writing columns. I studied in China, went on 5 cruises, visited 15 countries and backpacked alone around Europe. At the peak of my personal success, I became bulimic, started a website and began my spiritual journey. I followed my passion for fitness, I fulfilled my dream to start a nonprofit and I found an internal, curious, child who loved new people, new places and new possibilities.

These last 10 years have been all about possibilities.

So much happens in one year, let alone ten. Looking back, it looks more like a ton of hills and valleys than one straight shot upward. Regardless of what it seems, the momentum to achieve what I have stemmed from the years prior to the last ten. If it wasn’t for my personal hardship and internal confrontations faced during high school, I wouldn’t have had the fearlessness and fortitude to face my future wants.

As is often said: there is a reason for every season. I know everything works in its perfect time and correct cycle. I cannot control the world around me, but I can control the world within me. God Bless.


Journal Pictures: May 19, 2008

At the Valley High School Health and Fitness Expo. This is one of their campus supervisors. She remembers me over ten years ago when I attended Laguna Creek High school!


We were fortunate to have Cybex’s interactive fitness video game,
the Trazer, to showcase. The kids loved it!


David did the recruiting. That belt he is holding is called the ‘beacon’ – it tracks your body’s movements when you play.


There were over 40 vendors with cool stuff – check out the Army! I would’ve climbed this rock climbing wall but it was too, too hot outside.


We gathered over 50 contacts for the fitness club we will be starting next year! yay!


Thank you
Cybex for sponsoring our booth – special thanks to Mike Sullivan!


That’s us! It was awesome to be part of this event. However! It was very, very tiring.


On Sunday for this little boy’s 4th birthday. It was a “Pirates of the Caribbean” theme.


It was a pool party. It was ccrraazzy hot. 100 degrees! I was sitting indoors the entire time.


How cute!!