Something happened to me in the last couple of weeks. I had a bit of an existential crisis & came out the other end of the crisis with a new perspective. I really needed to step back, see what I was investing myself in & re-arrange things based on what I want to be invested in. Sometimes it feels like I'm in control of my life & sometimes it feels like life is dragging me where it pleases. I spent a good deal of time thinking & re-evaluating & I'm ready to move forward with renewed excitement & determination. There are some aspects of life that seem to always fall into place & there are some aspects that really require determination, planning, effort, time & energy. My faith, my loved ones and my health are absolutely central to how I handle the rest of life & how fulfilled I feel in life. If I'm serious about giving these things the amount of investment & attention they deserve, it is not going to happen in little chunks of time here & there - these central aspects of my life require day in and day out attention. With that, here are some recent thoughts on each & their affect on Fitness Health & Happiness:
1) Faith: I listen to podcasts by Alistair Begg at least a few times a week. Each sermon is about 20-25 minutes long and my drive to work is 30 minutes long so I usually get a sermon in on the way to work. This week I faced a real challenge. I listed to a sermon on called The Power of Proper Thinking & it really challenged me. In particular, the sermon centered around Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Hearing that made me stop & think about what it is that I put through my mind on a daily basis. Do I put in positive things? Do I think constructive thoughts? Do my thoughts expose envy instead of encouragement or hatred instead of understanding. In large part, we are the sum of our actions (how we treat ourselves and how we treat others) but the actions are all born in the mind. If we really want control over how we act, we need a good firm grip on the driving force, which is the mind. I spend silly amounts of time wasting mental energy on things that don't matter. I need to focus that mental energy into things that are for my benefit or for the benefit of others. I need to work on sowing the thoughts that will turn into positive action and good mental, physical, emotional & spiritual health.
2) Loved ones: I am married to a wonderful an amazing person. I am so thankful for the fact that I have a self-less & devoted husband. It exhausts me just thinking about all of the things that he does for me/for us. Although he would never complain to me about it or demand special treatment, he does not get the praise or attention that he deserves. Sometimes I just seem to forget that my best friend in the world is right here in the house with me & that I should get the most of it. I know my mom has told me this before, but sometimes it takes time for things to sink in. When Ryan invites me to do something with him, I need to do it. I need to recognize that I'm being invited into a shared experience & not turn down that invitation to do something else - especially when that something else ends up being something so silly like reading gossip websites and not something more constructive! I have a renewed focus on sharing experiences with Ryan. He has done so much to adopt my interests. He eats healthier because I'm here, he runs because I got him started on running. He actually has thrown himself into running so much that he walked 3 miles & ran 17.5 miles this week & is running the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving!! I am so incredibly proud of him & I am so happy that he has really integrated something that I enjoy so much into his lifestyle. want to reciprocate & show Ryan that he is worth the mutual effort by participating in his interests & by expressing my gratitude for the things he joins me in. I sometimes feel gratitude right there in my heart but I never tell him! I want him to know it.
3) Health: Overall health is always the goal. The desire for good health is a given. No one asks "why do you want to be happy" or "why do you want to be healthy". Although reasons may be given for wanting health, health is a thing to be desired in itself. If you get bogged down in the details when trying to be healthy, it is hard to ever be pleased with yourself. I love logging workouts because it reminds me that I am making that effort and that I am progressing. It is not the individual little workouts that are the real accomplishment, it is the fact that they add up to an overall picture of strength, endurance & efficiency that really matters. I fear that too many people never develop a love for their health. We crash diet. We injure ourselves by pushing too hard & not listening to our bodies' need for rest. We go to all sorts of extremes, fads & quick-fixes when what we really need to work on is building a huge composite of healthy choices that is built on determination, planning, effort, time & energy. Good health is an awesome reward but it requires a long-term consistent commitment.
I feel great after clearing my mind & focusing in on the essential things. I hope I don't soon forget this moment of mental clarity & that it carries over to the practical aspects of reaching my goals!
Week 11
Travelling chaos to New Orleans & Wisconsin. I will be better prepared next time I travel!
Week 12
Still no running but my leg finally feels better!
Walking - 11.9 miles (bam!)
Weight training - 2 hours (Less sessions but I really pushed myself with heavier weights!)
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