THE LESSON OF LEARNING
What my therapist/yogi self would tell my younger runner self:
🔶 Get connected with your soul. Intentionally learn who you are, what lights you up, what breaks your spirit, what you stand for, etc .
🔷 Allow yourself to be grounded and centered. Replace the mantra of mind over matter with a sweet embrace of all the emotions you experience. This won't compromise your drive and dedication. You will become a better athlete by connecting with all pieces of yourself.
🔶 Eat balanced meals. Forego the mostly vegetables motto coaches tried to instill. Your body needs substance, tune into what makes your body excel and feel at it's best- and eat that!!
🔷 Be brave- stand up for yourself with people of authority. You know yourself best- say what you want to say, be an advocate for yourself, and in turn you will feel empowered.
🔶 Seek out change. If you don't like how you feel, what you are learning, who you are surrounded by- change it!! Trust your intuition!
🔷 Release yourself of shame and guilt. Shake off that negative dialogue in your head, that you are allowing to be reaffirmed by a bad workout, challenging exam or anything that went against your "plan." That voice is tricking you. You are so much more than a bad workout or that story in your head.
🔶 Don't compare your beginning to somebody else's middle. Embrace being a beginner or newbie. Soak up the knowledge of those more experienced, ask lots of questions.
🔷 Broaden your perspective- there is so much beyond the tiny running world. Break curfew despite your coaches wishes. The whole world keeps turning regardless of the the next days workout. Go on a late night adventure, or a concert or to a yoga class.
🔶 Replace the words I will try, with I will. Part ways with your superstitious self, at least meet it with skepticism. It's not arrogant to believe in yourself. You certainly are not going to jinx yourself by believing you are capable of your deepest desires.
🔷 Don't wish, set intentions instead. You have so much more control than it feels like.
🔶Trust your instincts- you know yourself better anybody else ever will. Leave when you want to leave, stay when you want to stay and fight for what you believe in, especially if its yourself.
🔷 Failure is a good thing. It's an opportunity to learn and further expand. Don't just fail, do it with a smile, pick yourself back up and grow from that experience.
My younger runner self was doing the best I could at that time. I'm sure my parents told me most of these things, if not all of them. I wasn't ready to hear it. I am grateful for what I learned along the way and for all that my younger runner self taught me and continues to teach me. Take time to reflect on what makes you, you and how we have become the way we are. Embrace your journey of self exploration. In this next stage of life I am being intentional as I learn more about myself, I am feeling my emotions and I am believing in myself every step of the way- Letting my intention meet my desires. In the wise words of Danielle LaPorte; "you're not chasing the goal itself- you're chasing the feelings that you hope attaining those goals will give you."