"It is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual dimension of life opens up."
~ Eckhart Tolle ~
"The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness."
~ Abraham Maslow ~
Running Free and in the Moment
It has been a little while since my last blog post. I have
made a couple of decisions and with the New Year started and I am ready to
share some of them. First and foremost, I plan to write more and focus on the
present moment. I only need to take care of one moment at a time, because that
is the only moment that is guaranteed. If we always take care on the present moment the future is nothing other than a moment to be focused on when it
arrives. Therefore the past is a moment that is bygone and we can do nothing except
learn from it.
Like most people I have buried myself with expectations and
feeling that I need to prove myself. Ignoring the realization that each time I
am setting myself up for stress and frustration. Not so much because I cannot
accomplish whatever goal I set but because most where not my goals in the first
place and my heart was not in it. Goals are great and like most things have
their place in the big picture. Which brings me back around to the beginning
again. I like to run to relieve stress, so, what sense does it make to make
running stressful? Running and exercise are an instrumental tool for me when
dealing with anxiety and depression. So again, why would I continue to make the
activity anything less than enjoyable?
I kept a running journal of every mile I have run since Sept
2011 without fail. Plotted every route and how far I needed or should go,
always expecting more. It was a tremendous tool while I learned how to become a
runner and find out what worked and what did not. Seeing the miles build up to
my first half marathon which I unequivocally stated at the finish line “I will
never do this again!” Okay, so I did three more after that. I spent a year from
July 2012 to June 2013 running 1000 miles for the Wounded Warrior Project. I
liked that better than training for a race because I simply had to average
twenty miles a week for a year. My last race was a 25K which I finished dead
last, and mentally I feel better about it that most of the other races. I did
not care as long as I finished and had a good attitude.
I missed valuable messages from myself that began two years
ago in notes that said “after this race I run because I want to, not
because I have to”. Pretty tough code to crack, huh? I guess
I saw some of these notes as weak moments and ignored them. After all, our
society teaches us to always strive for more and the second we cross the finish
line to ask “What’s Next?” If it is truly
your goal I say, go for it! If not then leave it alone. Since making this
decision I have passed my Garmin off to my wife, closed my journal and I have
started 2015 be Running Free! Running
because I enjoy it and it helps to keep me centered and in the moment. No
races, no training schedules or stressful reasons to “have to” run. I have
proven to myself that I do not need a training schedule to get out and do it,
as a matter of fact it is actually a deterrent for me. I will still meet
friends for runs and help them train or by crewing or pacing them in their
races and volunteer at races.
Lastly, I enjoy serving others and plan to start volunteering at KC Pet Project but at the same time I need to focus on me a
little more. That does not come easy or naturally for me and it will not be
something that I will always feel good about, but it is important.
Until next time, remember that we are all part of this
universe and we more alike than different.
