I Run With My Mommy! (Or, Why I'm Running Instead of Making a Real Fashion Resolution)

What are your 2012 Fashion Resolutions? How do you plan to feel great by looking your best this year?

Here's a bit of what ran through my head when I saw this Life Well Lived question in my email:

Crap. How am I supposed to answer that question? What's fashion? When was I supposed to make a resolution? Um, I'd like to wear clean clothes as much as possible and make sure my shirts aren't inside out. Does that count?  

I'm not good as making resolutions and I'm definitely not an authority on fashion. Fashion has never come naturally to me. When I became a mom any hope I had of ever being even remotely fashionable was left for dead in the back of my closet. How I look has been on the bottom of the priority list for a long time.

So, I procrastinated for several days and put off answering the question.

Now I've been thinking about it for a few days and I've gotten past the "fashion resolutions" part of the question. I'm going to skip ahead to the part of the question I like best. How do I plan to feel great by looking my best this year?

I'm not.

I'm going to look my best by feeling great. In that order.

What's my plan? I'm going to run.

Yes, you heard me right and no, I'm not running to lose weight. I'm not running so I can fit into a smaller size or "tone up". I'm not doing anything fancy. I'm not even running fast. Actually, I'm kind of slow.

I'm going to run so I feel great. When I run, I'm happier, I'm more relaxed, and I have more energy. Even if I don't feel like running, I'm always glad I did. Whether I run for ten minutes or an hour, walk half the distance or push my pace, getting outside is refreshing and a good run always gives me a better perspective on my day. And on my body.

Running doesn't make me look any different but it changes the way I see myself.

I don't weigh any less when I've been running but I feel like I do.

My clothes don't fit me any differently but I feel like they do.

I'm less likely to dig through my closet feeling dissatisfied with everything. It's really not about the clothes.

It's about how I feel. When I feel great, I look my best, regardless of what I'm wearing.

Last December I ran a 5k. I almost dropped out of the race. We'd been busy, had out of town guests, and I hadn't run in two weeks. I felt out of shape. I'd just started my period and didn't feel well. At the last minute I decided to run anyway. I figured even if I walked it would be good to get the exercise. Since my MIL was watching my daughter, I figured I shouldn't miss an opportunity to run without a big stroller.

I ran slowly and tried not to push myself too hard. I didn't feel as bad as I thought I would. I started enjoying myself.

Then I ran past my daughter and MIL. I couldn't help smiling as my daughter yelled, "Go mommy! Run mommy!"

The second time I passed their cheering spot I almost missed them. They'd gone to the potty and were hurrying to make it down to the road before I passed. My daughter was pulling my MIL along by her hand yelling, "Come on Mimi, come on! I run with my mommy!"

She was grinning and bursting with joy, running in the grass alongside the road, shouting at my MIL and pointing proudly at herself as she repeated, "I run with my mommy! Go mom, go!" in her sweet two-year-old voice.

I about burst with happiness at that moment. Those words will continue to get me out of the house and into my running shoes all year. Running makes me feel great and when I feel great, I look my best.

I'm not just running for myself anymore. It's important that I feel great and look my best because I'm setting an example for my daughter. I need to feel good about myself and be a healthy role model. I know that how I feel about myself will influence how she feels about herself as she gets older.

Finally, if I have to make a fashion resolution it is this: I'm going to get rid of the clothes I have that really don't fit me. If they don't fit me now, chances are they never will again. I'm going to donate them to charity or refashion them into clothes I like.

Yes, watch out world! I'm going to try my hand at refashioning clothes.

Because when I've been running, I have the energy and motivation to try things like that. I can only hope I remember to put my newly refashioned shirts on right side out.

If you want fashion advice from a real expert read Year-Round Fashion Resolutions and share how you're planning to feel great and look your best this year! And don't forget to enter the Life Well Lived Moments Sweepstakes for a chance to win a Kindle Fire and Amazon Gift Card!