I got up yesterday and intentionally went on an 8K run. I never in a million years would have imagined myself as a runner. But here I am. And guess what, I love it! I'm in a place I never could have predicted, but it's exactly where I should be.
On this incredible journey, I've learned a few things that I thought I would share with you, in hopes that maybe you'll come to these realizations sooner than I did. I am sure some of you can relate; feel free to post comments if you have thoughts or stories to share of your own.
1. A day with nothing scheduled is a very good thing.
I'm a pretty ambitious person, and I often struggle to just relax. I feel like I am "wasting" time if I'm not doing something productive at home or working. And so many years of rushing from one thing to another has caused a lot of stress in my life. I've missed out on special, simple moments because of it. I've rushed through sunrises and sunsets, and extra hugs from my boys. And these places I was in such a rush to get to would still be there even if I had taken that extra two minutes to stop and just admire the beauty of the world around me.
I rarely have days when there is nothing on my schedule, but when I do, now I try to enjoy at least a few hours to just relax. I try to carve out four hours a week to just have me time, to write my blog, to organize my thoughts, to clean out my email box (yes, that's therapeutic for me). This helps me keep my life in a peaceful place.
Make time to relax, and always, always, take those extra two minutes!
2. The moments from your childhood that you think you will always remember will fade away.
Hopefully, we all have them. Those amazing, wonderful times when you were little where you were innocent and just truly, genuinely happy. Or the teenage years, passings notes in study hall, waiting anxiously for the bell to ring so you can hang out after school. Just being carefree and having fun. In the moment, those times are so vivid and real. But, 30 years later, they are faded and it's a struggle to remember them.
Take some time to reflect on your childhood and write down the things you remember. You'll be glad you have them when you are older to look back on.
3. The career path you thought you would be on isn't even what you actually like to do.
I went to college for marketing, and actually thought I would end up in advertising or sales. Turns out, I'm a terrible sales woman (just ask Chris about the pots and pans I sold him!). The career I have now has nothing to do with advertising or sales, and everything to do with the things I learned at my first job after college and the skills I have built since then.
College was a stepping stone for me and built a foundation of social, personal responsibility and basic business skills, but it's not really what got me where I am today. It's all about hard work, dedication and learning along the way.
4. It's okay to talk about your mistakes.
If you only take away one of these things from my blog today, take this one.
We all make mistakes. Every. Single. One. Of. Us. No one is exempt from being human. And it's okay to talk about them. In fact, it's healthy and you will feel so much better when you are honest and real with yourself and others about the things that you struggle with.
Over the past 6 years, since my divorce especially, I've really been able to embrace this. It's taken some counseling and a lot of boxes of tissues, but I've learned so much about myself. And my mistakes are what make me who I am and what help me learn and grow.
So, don't be afraid to admit when you are wrong, listen to those around you, and ask for help when you need it. The struggles we go through are what bond us together.
5. Being beautiful comes from the inside out.
I'll end with this one. There's truth in the fact that the more you love yourself, the more love other people will have for you.
Stop worrying about the physical shape of your body, the clothes that you wear and what other people think. Focus on how you feel and what you need to do to take the very best care of yourself.
For me, running and eating better isn't so much about making my body beautiful, it's about feeling like the best me I can be. I'm in the best shape of my life, better than I was 20 years ago, but it's from the inside out. My heart is healthy, my mind is so much more peaceful, and that is what makes me feel confident. Not the weight on the scale, or the clothes I can fit into. And I love who I am now.
Positivity is contagious, and now I spend more time with people who build me up, and the support we give each other makes us stronger people.
I'm grateful for these things I have learned and that I am finally in a place to see them in this perspective. And every day, I am still learning - about me, about my kids, and from every new mistake.
I think this is just how life is supposed to be. We were meant to be challenged and given the opportunity to learn and grow. It's up to us to determine how much we choose to embrace that and what we take away from it.
So, give yourself time to pause and enjoy the moment, capture those memories, laugh at your mistakes, follow your passions, and become the best you that you can be. I promise you will be glad you did!