Last year an admin from one of the many groups that I am a part of asked a question that I soon regretted and savored answering. The question was, “If you hadn’t given up on IT, (whatever it is), where would you be today?” I was having a pretty bold and transparent moment, so I shared the following 7 things.
- I would be a licensed marriage and family therapist.
- I would know how to swim.
- I would have maintained my 4 pack.
- I would have finished writing my play.
- I would have submitted my pitch for a sitcom.
- I would have finished baby blankets for few people.
- I would have ran my first 5k last year. (2016)
When sharing my list of things, it never occurred to me that I would be challenged to go after my list and complete the tasks. The admin had the nerve to challenge each person to go after each goal and to complete them all by the end of the year. Ha! She had to be joking, right? All 7? Well she wasn’t joking. She challenged me to complete 6 out of the 7.
For the next few minutes, I cursed her for having the audacity to do what no one else in my circle had been able to do. Challenge me to finish. This challenge sparked something in me that I needed and had no idea that was there.
Not more than a week later I scheduled my training app for “beginning 10k.” In my crazy thinking, I figured if I had trained and quit the 5k training that I would do the 10k training. If I quit, I would be mostly ready??? No I didn’t realize this at the time but I suppose I trained to quit.
That following Sunday night I laid out my clothes that I would run in, set my alarm and went to sleep. Monday morning may have been the day that I hit the pavement but that Saturday, July 29, 2017 was the day that I made my mind up. I didn’t share my first day of training with anyone. Only my family was aware that my alarm went off at 5:00 am and walked to the park to begin my journey.
I was on to something and decided to share through video with my group the importance of keeping your commitments to yourself. I was careful not share my running journey because I wanted people to attach meaning to their commitment.
I don’t fully remember the moments after finishing my first run but I am pretty sure that I felt accomplished. I told myself that I would begin my journey and I did. Those weeks of training that followed were emotionally and physically grueling. There were days that I asked myself, “What the heck are you doing?” Well maybe, I said it with a little more color. I learned so many lessons along the way.
The biggest lesson that is echoed each time I hit the pavement is that I am worthy of keeping my own commitment for me. This journey to finish was not about anyone else but me. It doesn’t matter what was on my list. Some of those things, I am no longer interested in. Some, I am still interested in but it doesn’t matter. I chose me in this journey even when things weren’t going right in my life. I chose me.
Through challenges in my marriage, finances, business, personal and professional relationships I kept training. I kept running. I kept pushing for me. The pavement taught me that none of those things matter while I was out there. No matter how tough it was move to the next level, all of my challenges stayed the same. The only thing that changed while I was out there was my perspective.
I chose to fight through with tears in my eyes, pain in my side and a heavy heart to achieve my goal and it was worth it. I finished each time with a new lesson and sense of accomplishment that made my heart soar and ask for more. I am grateful for the challenge to finish and look forward to seeing what other lessons are on the pavement.
Here’s to more lessons and completed challenges! (Still no major edits ahhhhhh)
Just another day’s journey of challenge myself to finish what I started.
Just Another Day's Journey 