Life Lessons:
Erin Williams
Hi, Everyone! We are starting a pretty exciting time around here at Good Enough Mother. With Rene hosting the 2013 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration in Orlando, we wanted to try something a little different. We asked the moms and dads heading down to the conference May 8-12 to answer our Life Lessons questions with a Disney twist, of course. Like the GEMS they are, they took to the task. We will be running their answers in the regular Life Lessons slot. Oh, and don’t worry. You still have a chance to share. Just email Ella and she will get the information to you. Now, we present our Disney Social Media Mom of the day, Erin Williams.
Are you happy at the moment?
I am always happy when I am planning and I am almost always planning! I am a dreamer who jumpstarts my dreams with the endorphins I get from running. Running keeps me motivated and grounded all at the same time. So am I happy at this moment? Why yes I am…I am living a motivational runners dream!
If you could go back and say anything to your 16-year-old self now – what would it be?
You are doing a great job! I know you are going to stick with it and trust me it is going to pay off big! So keep on studying, rowing and having fun because with this start you are going places!
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned this year?
Put yourself out there and go for it! This is my year of the marathon. I did my first in May and finished my fifth in March. I know I can do anything I want to, so I assess the situation and attack. In life as in running all things are possible!
What do you most want to achieve in the next 12 months?
I want to inspire and motivate more people to enjoy themselves by encouraging them to embrace a healthy, active lifestyle where fun is major component and happiness is a byproduct! I am already achieving a level of success through my social media. Of course I would love to reach even more people this way, but I would also like to develop more personal relationships with people. It would be a luxury to have more face-to-face time with folks during the training season and on race weekends.
What’s your secret to happiness?
My secret to happiness is enjoying what I am doing in the moment and being a dreamer. The dreams I dream while running are amazing. Nothing holds a runner’s dreams back. There are no boundaries. They are limitless! Sometimes I wonder if my dreams have gone too far. Have I asked too much? Or is it just a crazy thought? But I always tell myself what is the harm in trying…in going after it…in making the leap? My comfort zone does not exist in my runner’s daydreams!
What one ritual or practice keeps you grounded?
Running both keeps me grounded and sets me soaring all at once. It brings peace and stability at the same time it sets me free. Without it I would feel unhealthy and miserable.
What’s your biggest regret?
I don’t have a biggest regret, small ones maybe. I could have jumped into social media sooner, but I did it when it was right for me, so no regret. I could have tracked a different direction in my career path, but I love what I am doing, so no regret. I could have finished my PhD rather than being ABD, but then I would be overqualified in a field I did not want to work in, so no regret. I am always moving forward. Learn from the past, yes, but not regretting choices I have made.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve taught your kid(s)?
Go after it, whatever it is for you! You are beautiful, smart, talented, loving individuals who can do whatever you want. They impress me in so many ways and are already the most amazing children, friends, contributors, students and athletes.
What bad habit would you most like to change about yourself?
I am already well on my way to becoming the outgoing person I want to be. I tend to be a loner, which is both bad and good. Everyone needs a little me time, but we also need to put ourselves out there, and for me that can be beyond my comfort zone. Running provides me the extra range I need, pushing the edges just a bit further to allow me to be a more social person.
Aside from motherhood and marriage what are you most proud of in your life?
I am proud of my success as an academic. I am a thinker, an analyzer, who enjoys working on a project, focusing on the details, finding the solution and discovering success.
Who is your favorite Disney princess and what has she taught you about parenting?
My favorite Disney princess is the runDisney Princess in all of us. She is a strong female who is not afraid of the months of training, she possesses a desire to persevere, and has a can do attitude. She knows how to have fun and expresses herself however she chooses. She marks her success by the feeling of satisfaction she gets every day including race day! I celebrate my favorite Disney characters through my homemade runDisney costumes! I have raced as Cinderella, Rapunzel, Tinker Bell, Minnie Mouse and Aurora! Minnie Mouse is ears up my favorite!
What ten words best describe you?
Motivated, inspired, athletic, marathoner, ambitions, compassionate, Disney-lover, critical-thinker, lifetime-student, motivator.
I found my motivation to jumpstart my athletic endeavors in “for the love of Disney running!” In high school and college I was a scholar athlete, two traits I have never lost. Now I am a motivational recreational athlete who loves sharing what I have learned. I excel at the mental challenges in life as in sports. I know how to push the envelope and reap the rewards: fun, happiness and health! But life is not all social media and recreation. I am happily married with two amazing daughters that astound me every day. My marriage is now mature enough to legally drink and my soccer star and ballerina are in elementary and middle school. I work in a museum at a culinary university where I manage the collection. I get to work with students and faculty in their academic pursuits and use my creativity planning exhibits and outreach. It is a wonderful balance that I enjoy every day.
