It's been an interesting year...

Wow, what a difference a year makes.

Twelve months ago I left the safety of a good job and jumped into the unknown. Little did I know what that journey would entail or how it would change me in the process.

The best way to describe this past year is to say it's been like I've been in school. It's been an education on every level both professionally and personally.

Not one moment has it been easy. Yet it's been gratifying and I've done some of my best work. It's taken me outside of my comfort zone and then expanded it.

I now feel myself at the "gateway" to the next phase of my life.

Everything I had to face this past year is coming to an end and I'm soon going to be entering the doors to my next big adventure.

It's strange in that I already am starting to feel my mindset starting to shift. It knows I'll soon be out of the "unknown" and moving into the "known".

I'm a passionate and driven person. Once I get my focus on something I don't give up and by not giving up, other things in your life suffer. In my case this past year without question my diet and exercise has suffered.

The numbers on the scale speak for itself....up 20 lbs.

It's pretty amazing how things could change in 12 months. Up 20 lbs is pretty insane. That weight gain was caused by a "lot of being out of my comfort zone" and extreme passion to jump into what I'm doing 110%. Diet and exercise became secondary and having one two many beers became my relaxation. A triple whammy.

In my minds eye I'm right outside the doorway of the next phase of my life and before I walk in I'm trying to visualize what these next 12 months are going to look like? What am I going to be doing on a daily basis? What is the mindset I need to have to be most effective and successful? Before I walk through that new door how do I recharge myself fully?

The answer to all those questions come down to surrounding yourself with a great team, focusing with minimal distractions, and in my case, making diet and exercise a priority again.

The diet and exercise priority has begun. Yesterday was the first day in a LONG time that I did a double workout. I ran in the morning and I rode my bike in the evening.

The morning run was cold, it was -25C. I only went for 40 minutes but was over sweating and my neck was exposed because I had to open my jacket a couple times to answer my cell phone and by the time I got home my next was so cold it felt like it was burning. First time that ever happened to me on a run and I was in pain. I couldn't get in the house soon enough.

There is definitely something about exercise that gives me clarity, energy and optimism. Alice says I'm a different person when I exercise. It's true. There is no doubt in my mind that exercise is my first drug. I feel like the person I'm supposed to be when I train.

I also quit my Banting diet. To gimmicky. I like it because it's easy to follow. I don't like it because it just doesn't feel healthy. Instead I'm going back to how I used to eat. A basic mix of carbs and protein and fat and just keep it simple by not over eating, no junk food and no snacking past 8 pm.

Personally I'm very ready for this next phase.

Run - 43:45 / 6.97
Bike - 40:00 / 20 km
206.2 lbd