The other day, my neighbor came over for coffee. She seemed a bit down and told me she was thinking about running. She said she wanted to feel better about her body, and thought losing some weight might help her feel better about herself.
She had never run before and wanted to pick my brain.
I smiled and said, “Go put on some running shoes and run. Don’t overthink it. Just go. Don’t worry about how fast you are, how far you go, or how many times you stop to catch your breath. Just run.”
I remember when I couldn’t run a quarter mile without stopping. Now, I can run a full six miles without rest. And it didn’t happen because I downloaded the perfect training plan. I started simply—by putting one foot in front of the other.
But I also told her this: “It’s not the weight you lose from running that will change how you feel about yourself. Weight loss is an extrinsic motivator—and that’s the kind that makes people quit. Don’t run to be a size two. Run to be consistent. Dedicated. Persistent. That’s what will make you feel proud.”
Change your vernacular, and you can change your life.
Like yoga, running has become a form of moving meditation for me. It quiets my mind. I focus solely on my breath and let go of everything else. When I hit my stride, it’s like I could run forever. It’s the same feeling I get when I sink into a deep asana, like pigeon, and stay there for a while.
It’s the best feeling in the world.
Bad mood? Anxiety? Creative block? I run. Or I flow. And by the time I’m done, all is well again.
When I look back over the last year—hell, the last decade—I feel proud. I’ve accomplished things I never thought I could. I’ve gained and learned so much. I’ve lost things, too. I’ve watched certain dreams go up in smoke. But that’s life.
The “one foot in front of the other” mentality has served me well… until now.
Lately, I’ve felt fearful and uncertain about some big things. And the truth is, I’m not even sure why. My life hasn’t changed much. But maybe that’s exactly why.
The Buddha said, “There is no fear for one whose mind is not filled with desires.”
I get it. I want more.
But thinking about the future sometimes paralyzes me. The Buddha also said, “Overthinking is the greatest cause of unhappiness.”
So maybe the answer is silence.
Maybe I’ll slow down and give silent meditation a try.
Or maybe I’ll just go for a longer run. 😊
Either way—Happy New Year, and Happy New Decade.
May you be abundantly blessed, and may you get back all that you give.
Seek out joy—it’s always there, waiting for you.
Find peace in any given moment.
Do the hard, scary things.
Grow abundantly.
Namaste.