Today I did something I never do. I guess you could say that's been part of my growth pattern lately. Trying new things just to see how they feel, to discover if they suit me.
Today, I ran.
My usual line about running is, "If you see me running, you better help because someone's chasing me!" I've never been a fan. I lift weights, take classes, teach PiYo, but cardio? Never my thing.
But today was different.
The breeze was cool enough to make being outside feel amazing. Last night's storm left everything smelling fresh and clean. It was quiet. Peaceful. I need more of that feeling.
I left the house feeling optimistic, telling myself, "I'm still in shape. No problem. I can do this."
But that first mile? I struggled. Really, really struggled. I couldn't catch my breath and kept having to stop. Run, walk, run a little more, walk. Sprint! Yeah! Wait, probably not smart since I never run.
Still, the longer I went, the better it felt. My lungs opened up, and I could finally breathe deeper. I ran almost two miles, then walked home. It felt amazing.
And it struck me. This is a pretty good comparison to my life.
My life has been in transition for a while now. Most of it feels like me figuring out who I really am and growing into the adult I should've been a long time ago. I take what I can from each situation and try to learn and grow from it.
Today was no different. Run, walk, run, walk, sprint, then walk home. As long as your priorities are aligned, it doesn't matter how you get there.
Most days, I want to crawl home and hibernate from this world. But today, I chose to notice the beautiful things. The misunderstood people, the blessings. Despite the ups and downs, the change of plans, the many reasons I could've chosen to be anything but positive, I chose not to grow weary. To appreciate the opportunities ahead instead of worrying about the future.
This is rare for a worrier like me.
We need to train ourselves to do this. Just like exercise and muscle memory. The more we do something, the more it becomes a habit. And when those habits are healthy ones, they feel good in the moment and down the road.
What healthy habits are you contemplating today? Not just physical. Mental? Emotional? Spiritual?
All I can say is there's no better time to start. Do something good for you.
I might just run again tomorrow :)
