It started out as a day to drag. I seemed to drag my feet all day and felt a sense of defeat. My biggest mistake was made when I allowed this failure syndrome to join me on the road. All I could dwell on during my first few miles was how I was at fault, and what I couldn’t seem to get right from the moment my feet hit the floor this morning. My mind seemed to grumble with each mile about all the wrongs – instead of celebrating the rights! Why do we find reasons to complain instead of cheer? We go through our mental replay of the day, and fuss over the do-over’s, instead of celebrating the successes.
I’m not sure of the exact point during my run when my mind decided to take a 180. I realized that I was accomplishing nothing but self-defeat while complaining about the shattered drinking glass while unloading my dishwasher this morning, the major financial mistake I made today, and all the other 100 ways that I gave myself jab after jab today. I now found myself finding fault in my poor form while running, and whining about my aching right knee.
Come on, I was a cheerleader in high school and in college. All those years of cheering, “Good Job, Good Job” surely were tucked deep down inside me. In my professional career, as a coach, and even as a mom – I find ways to pat others on the back, helping everyone else celebrate their successes. I think it is high-time that I start finding ways to cheer for ME. I know that I can find dozens of reasons, even small ones, to toast my achievements each day.
After wrapping up my run, I sat down to think of even the small “Way to Go Heather” cheers for the day. I choose to openly share with you my short list for today. (Hopefully tomorrow, my list of “GO ME’s” will continue with a little practice)!
1. Good job - I remembered to call my grandma today.
2. Way to go - I drank a smoothie for breakfast this morning, and did not touch my son’s piece of leftover bacon.
3. Keep it up - I think I parallel parked, perfectly, twice today.
4. You can do it - I finally sent an email that I was procrastinating to send.
5. You did it - I just ran 6 miles! (This is always a reason to Celebrate).
Fantastic, Heather!
ReplyDeleteI remember how my mind worked when running in college and for the military...my mind defeated me far before my body even started slow. I love that you are finding that focusing on the positives is the best way...I may not run anymore (and I'm okay with that...LOL!), but I find I'm in a better frame of mind to deal with whatever crosses my daily path when I focus on the positives...the blessings...in my life!
Go, Heather, go!