I Tried Life...Traveling To...Pittsburgh

“I TRIED LIFE!”

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I love to travel, sightsee and experience new things in life!  During the summer, I had the chance to explore the city I was in. I wanted to figure out how I could explore Pittsburgh in a only a few hours.  I was a few blocks away from the playing fields of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh Pirates, so I decided to venture on a tour.  Lucky for me there was a behind the scenes VIP tour for the Pirates at PNC Park, so I jumped on the opportunity.  It was so interesting to learn about the history of baseball through the eyes of this league!  After a great tour and grabbing a bite to eat, I wanted to discover more of this great city known for it's plethora of bridges and steel!    

The Pittsburgh Tour Company offers an awesome trip on an open double decker bus that travels throughout Pittsburgh!  This city has so much to offer and I wish that I had more time to explore.  I did have the chance to see the multitude of colleges in Pittsburgh, Heinz Field, Carnegie Science Center, Carnegie Mellon, Duquesne, Phipps Conservatory, University of Pittsburgh and more!

#pittsburgh #itriedlife #traveling #sports #pirates #doubledeckerbus #pncpark

21 Days To Make or Break a Habit!

“I TRIED LIFE!”

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Today is a day just like any other, but a day that allowed for a little more reflective time.  When we have a chance to slow down in life, we often have the chance to reflect on life.  I thought about all of the amazing people and wonderful things I have experienced in my life!  Some say it takes 21 days to create a habit and on day 21 my focus continues on my lifelong habits of being positive, loving people, loving life and Trying Life! 

On multiple occasions this month I have been asked, "How do you do it all?" or "You are everywhere and do a lot, especially for others, how do you have the time?"  To those questions I am often speechless (can you believe that) but quick to say, I enjoy life, like to try new things by trying life (#itriedlife) and just try to live life happy and fulfilled!  Occasionally my reply may reference a few accidents and medical mysteries that I experienced in the past, and even through those experiences I was determined to never lose focus on Living & Trying Life! Sometime I get the statement followed by the question, "Well not everyone wants others to be happy or don't negative people try to bring you down?"  

 To these questions above, my reply is, "I love living life, trying life and I wake up every day and go to bed every night with a clean heart and mind...that's what keeps me going!"  I never give up trying life! 

So on my Day 21, I challenge anyone to think about something you want to do in life, something you want to change or something you want to be a new habit for you and never give up TRYING LIFE!

#itriedlife #tryitall # positivity #inspiration #goodhabit

I Tried Life-I Made the Smart Choice!

“I TRIED LIFE!”

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Words can't describe what I experienced and the amazing people I met this summer at the SMART Center Institute sites in Norfolk, VA and Baltimore, MD.  I can now say that I can help even more people find their passions and careers in a whole new area of career pathways!  Check out the wealth of information at www.maritime-technology.org to learn more! If you work in education or industries in the STEM Fields you should check this out!

Who would have thought that I could have experienced being a welder through Tidewater Community College, or had a hands on experience steering and helping set sail to a sail boat on the water in Annapolis with the National Sailing Hall of Fame, learned about the many career pathways at AMSEC and BAE, or held a baby Terrapin at the Masonville Cove?  I learned about underwater related maritime and transportation related careers at Oceaneering, and got to try my hand at steering a ship through a real life simulator at the Mid Atlantic Maritime Academy!  There are so many different maritime and transportation careers that I had the opportunity to participate in during my experiences at the SMART Institutes.  With so many different career pathways, apprenticeship opportunities and options, I encourage you to check out the SMART Center for more information and check out the Career Pathways to see what opportunities are available!  My name is Tiffanie and I Tried Life..."I made the SMART Choice" by attending a SMART Institute!

#smartinstitute #1allstarsuccess1 #STEM #apprenticeship #oceaneering #bae systems #amsec #itriedlife

I Tried Life...As a Water Themed Volunteer!

“I TRIED LIFE!”

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I Tried Life...A Water Themed Volunteer!  A Tribute to the Summer of 2016!  

You can learn a lot by volunteering!   This was the second year of volunteering with Life Rolls On!  Life Rolls On allows individuals with spinal chord injuries the opportunity to experience life on a surf board and a chance to catch a few waves. Last year the winds were too strong and no one could get in the water, but this year was a different story. Having no experience with the program or surfing for that matter and being afraid that I couldn't really help much was weighing heavily on the mind. But then you think about The Circle of Giving.  Volunteers can help with anything and everything from registration, to in the water helping participants surf, athlete prep, general support and more! Check out this video produced by WAVY10 highlighting this event!

Another amazing event I enjoy volunteering for includes Surfer's Healing!  This event is similar to Life Rolls On, except the registered participants live life with a certain level of autism.  This event allows participants to experience the joy and freedom of being in the water and catching a wave or riding on a board.  Surfers Healing is supported by a strong group of parents, teachers and volunteers! The Virginia Beach chapter pours out their heart and soul every year to help provide an amazing and free experience to the children and their families!

Rounding out the Audacious August month of summer volunteering includes Wine, Women & Fishing.  This event weekend has raised over $450K for breast cancer research for the Eastern Virginia Medical School. Women have the opportunity to fish and raise money for a much needed and ongoing research cause. My volunteerism for this event includes the donation of time in helping to raise funds and support the individuals who spend the day fishing for the cause!

One day we will all have to depend on someone to do something for us as life goes on, either through age, an injury, an illness or disease...so why not try giving back.  Volunteering your time to help others can be life changing for everyone involved!

#itriedlife #volunteertime #liferollson #surfershealing #volunteer #volunteerism

Repost from 2014...Back to Blogging...Stay Tuned for More Blogs This Fall!

Repost from 2014...Back to Blogging...Stay Tuned for More Blogs This Fall!

“I TRIED LIFE!”

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I have to admit it has been a while, too long to mention of when I last blogged.  I won’t do what we all tend to do when we start something, but then get sidetracked or stop doing something. I’ll spare you my list of “well what had happened was…”, my excuses, my laziness or anything else that may come to your mind.  What I will do is continue to write about what I see as inspiration, hope, joy, change and continue TRYING LIFE!

After crying Niagara Falls tears, I was reminded a month ago from a good friend Susie Shupert who was visiting that I really needed to get back into blogging!  I drove home that night thinking about how I really enjoyed blogging and sharing about TRYING LIFE.  It was on that drive home I realized and what I think she was gently trying to say to me is that I wasn't really TRYING LIFE as much as I had been or should have been doing at the time.  We often don't listen or can't see the positive things that our closest friends are truly saying to us when our vision is blurred or cloudy from all the things not going the way we want in life.  But it is those friends who truly know us best who are always whispering, sometimes having to talk loudly to get us to get back to our senses.  The next epiphany happened before, during and after finishing my power walking/jog of the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February. I realized that I had only been half way, TRYING LIFE and training for this event!  Thank You Kimberly Allston for keeping me encouraged to not give up...no matter what!

Should we ever stop TRYING LIFE?  Absolutely not!  When the chips are down, when things aren’t going well, when we are feeling hopeless, we have to take some time to reflect.  Ask ourselves, “Why am I feeling this way?”  “What choices and decisions did I make (and only I can take responsibility for) that have led me to where I am?”  We all have free will and no one makes us do and no one makes us stay in situations that don’t make us happy.  Ask yourself, “Am I truly living my life authentically, happily and honestly?”  “Am I living a life filled with hope, joy, goals and success?”  If the answer is no, then we have to do something that helps us consider and make a plan for change and then we have to act upon the plan for change!

Take a look at yourself in the mirror!  Take a look at what you are posting on social media.  How do you dress?  What non-verbal or verbal cues and vibes do you give off?  What do people say about you in public or behind closed doors?  What do you hear or what do you let the voices and mental blocks tell you about yourself?  The best thing I have been able to do is to take a look at photos and allow the pictures to tell the thousand words.  In photos I am happy with the people I am with all the time, I am happy about the events or activities that I’ve been captured in and I am happy with TRYING LIFE! 

Is TRYING LIFE hard sometimes?  Absolutely!  Do the pictures have a smile, but deep inside there might be sorrow or hurt or sadness?  Sure, sometimes they do, because we are all human.  We are humans with the Right To Choose!  One of my favorite photo quotes I love to post is the one with the baby elephant running saying I choose to be 

healthy and happy!

So, I ask you friends, family, acquaintances and strangers…what do you need to do for yourself…not your parents, not your spouse, not your friends, family, co-workers or anyone else…but what do YOU NEED to Do or WANT to do to change the course or path you are on?  No one loses points or gets looked down upon when you TRY LIFE!  Even if things didn’t work the way you thought or wanted them to, you TRIED LIFE and that in it-self is the SUCCESS!  As my friend Tracey Caddy says, "Everything Happens for a Reason!" What people only remember is when YOU never TRIED LIFE or when you aren’t 

Living an Authentic Life! 

Today I choose to live a Life That Is...

HAPPY, AUTHENTIC, FILLED WITH JOY, HAPPINESS, LOVE & PEACE!  

What about you?  How will you CHOOSE to LIVE the REST of your life?  

I’ll choose to TRY LIFE every day, every week, every month & every year!

I want this blog to serve as a place to be a resource, recognize friends & businesses, share ideas, photos and stories of my journey in life as well as sharing the inspiring photos, fun and journeys of others!  I hope these will inspire EVERYONE to be able to say at the end of the day and at the end of life... 

“I TRIED LIFE!” 

Like I Tried Life on Facebook!

I TRIED LIFE...Finish What You Start...Haven't We Been Down This Road Before?

“I TRIED LIFE!”

Like I Tried Life on Facebook!

I have to admit it has been a while, too long to mention of when I last blogged.  I won’t do what we all tend to do when we start something, but then get sidetracked or stop doing something. I’ll spare you my list of “well what had happened was…”, my excuses, my laziness or anything else that may come to your mind.  What I will do is continue to write about what I see as inspiration, hope, joy, change and continue TRYING LIFE!

After crying Niagara Falls tears, I was reminded a month ago from a good friend Susie Shupert who was visiting that I really needed to get back into blogging!  I drove home that night thinking about how I really enjoyed blogging and sharing about TRYING LIFE.  It was on that drive home I realized and what I think she was gently trying to say to me is that I wasn't really TRYING LIFE as much as I had been or should have been doing at the time.  We often don't listen or can't see the positive things that our closest friends are truly saying to us when our vision is blurred or cloudy from all the things not going the way we want in life.  But it is those friends who truly know us best who are always whispering, sometimes having to talk loudly to get us to get back to our senses.  The next epiphany happened before, during and after finishing my power walking/jog of the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February. I realized that I had only been half way, TRYING LIFE and training for this event!  Thank You Kimberly Allston for keeping me encouraged to not give up...no matter what!

Should we ever stop TRYING LIFE?  Absolutely not!  When the chips are down, when things aren’t going well, when we are feeling hopeless, we have to take some time to reflect.  Ask ourselves, “Why am I feeling this way?”  “What choices and decisions did I make (and only I can take responsibility for) that have led me to where I am?”  We all have free will and no one makes us do and no one makes us stay in situations that don’t make us happy.  Ask yourself, “Am I truly living my life authentically, happily and honestly?”  “Am I living a life filled with hope, joy, goals and success?”  If the answer is no, then we have to do something that helps us consider and make a plan for change and then we have to act upon the plan for change!

Take a look at yourself in the mirror!  Take a look at what you are posting on social media.  How do you dress?  What non-verbal or verbal cues and vibes do you give off?  What do people say about you in public or behind closed doors?  What do you hear or what do you let the voices and mental blocks tell you about yourself?  The best thing I have been able to do is to take a look at photos and allow the pictures to tell the thousand words.  In photos I am happy with the people I am with all the time, I am happy about the events or activities that I’ve been captured in and I am happy with TRYING LIFE! 

Is TRYING LIFE hard sometimes?  Absolutely!  Do the pictures have a smile, but deep inside there might be sorrow or hurt or sadness?  Sure, sometimes they do, because we are all human.  We are humans with the Right To Choose!  One of my favorite photo quotes I love to post is the one with the baby elephant running saying I choose to be 

healthy and happy!

So, I ask you friends, family, acquaintances and strangers…what do you need to do for yourself…not your parents, not your spouse, not your friends, family, co-workers or anyone else…but what do YOU NEED to Do or WANT to do to change the course or path you are on?  No one loses points or gets looked down upon when you TRY LIFE!  Even if things didn’t work the way you thought or wanted them to, you TRIED LIFE and that in it-self is the SUCCESS!  As my friend Tracey Caddy says, "Everything Happens for a Reason!" What people only remember is when YOU never TRIED LIFE or when you aren’t 

Living an Authentic Life! 

Today I choose to live a Life That Is...

HAPPY, AUTHENTIC, FILLED WITH JOY, HAPPINESS, LOVE & PEACE!  

What about you?  How will you CHOOSE to LIVE the REST of your life?  

I’ll choose to TRY LIFE every day, every week, every month & every year!

I want this blog to serve as a place to be a resource, recognize friends & businesses, share ideas, photos and stories of my journey in life as well as sharing the inspiring photos, fun and journeys of others!  I hope these will inspire EVERYONE to be able to say at the end of the day and at the end of life... 

“I TRIED LIFE!” 

Like I Tried Life on Facebook!

I TRIED LIFE-Mind Over Matter-"What's SUP?"

“I TRIED LIFE!”

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So "What's SUP Anyway?"  It is kind of fun to use that as a catchy phrase/question.  

According to WIIKI, Paddleboarding is a surface water sport in which participants are propelled by a swimming motion using their arms while lying or kneeling on a paddleboard or surfboard in the ocean. This article refers to traditional prone or kneeling paddleboarding. A derivative of paddleboarding is stand up paddle surfing and stand up paddleboarding. Paddleboarding is usually performed in the open ocean, with the participant paddling and surfing unbroken swells to cross between islands or journey from one coastal area to another. Champion paddlers can stroke for hours and a twenty-mile race is only a warm-up for a well-trained waterman.

What's amazing is the craze and excitement around a sport that has been around for ages!  It is not only great exercise, but can be very relaxing or can be a rigorous adventure, depending on the type of water you SUP on.  As many of you know I LOVE the Ocean and I love to TRY new things!  My 1st experience involved SUP Englewood (941)234-4311 with our guide Nicole and with my God Daughter Kylie and her Best Friend, now my God Daughter #2 Shalomin!  We had a great time, but I was so nervous about falling off the board.  Were the dolphins going to jump over my head and knock me over?   Would the manatee think I was a new friend and tip me over my board?  Remember, I'm the one who is so afraid of these things, but I push hard to challenge myself to TRY new things!  I had so much lack of self confidence that I only knelt and sat the entire time.  At the end is when I decided to TRY to stand up and 3 times times I fell off the board.   Just before TRY number 4 I simply stated out loud to Nicole and myself, I did not come to FL to TRY to SUP and not Stand Up on this Board!  Amazingly that time I hopped on the board, stood up and paddle the last few minutes into the shore. 

Fast forward to July, my opportunity to TRY to SUP again, this time with Good Friends DeVonne Bruer and Tracey Caddy!  This time I was TRYING to think that I could stand up and not fall in the water and I was believing in my mind that I could make it happen and I was just letting my mind take over that I was going to be successful this time around...from the beginning!  With some core exercise training the night before from my Personal Trainer and Friend Tracey Caddy and the "Positivity, Direction and Encouragement" from SUP Guide Randy from Stand Up Paddle Demos  I was able to Stand Up and Paddle, Kneel and Paddle, Jump Off My Board to Cool Off, Hop Back on My Board and Paddle and Stand Up Again to Paddle Back to Shore!    

All of this I share with you because you can ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING YOU TRY!
As SUP Tour Guide Randy kept saying,
"Tiff, It Is All Simply Mind Over Matter...You Got This!"

If you are looking for a great place to TRY SUP for the 1st time or you are an Expert, then sign up to SUP with Randy!  You can contact him on the Facebook page at Stand Up Paddle Demos  or http://www.risupvb.com/ or call 757-343-3560!

I want this blog to serve as a place to be a resource, recognize friends & businesses, share ideas, photos and stories of my journey in life as well as sharing the inspiring photos, fun and journeys of others!  I hope these will inspire EVERYONE to be able to say at the end of the day and at the end of life... 

“I TRIED LIFE!” 

Like I Tried Life on Facebook!