My Second Half Marathon

I ran my second half marathon this October and it was a fantastic as the first. One of the experiences I had before the race at the expo was purchasing new earphones. They are called yurbuds and I love them!  They are custom fit to my ear and the best part is they don’t fall out & block the cold air from my ear canal. I am prone to earaches. One the experiences I had after the race was the week following it.  I didn’t feel like running at all and didn’t have any running goals in mind, so I think I totally lost my runner’s high. Next year, I have a new plan. Run the half marathon again & plan another 10k race within the following month.

I didn’t realize how important it is to have a running goal. I am back on track and running with my yurbud free from earaches & restuffing them in my ears in the wind as I live in the Midwest.

Read the Book That’s Inside You

In my quest to become more spiritually connected to God and aware of the blessings around me, I read a lot of books, quotes, tweets, sign up for inspirational newsletters, thoughts of the day, listen to podcasts, etc. You name it, I’m signed up for it. However, I think I am on overload. Everything is starting to sound the same now.

Love
Meditation
Yoga
Exercise
Gratitude
Nature
Spirit
Soul
Perception
Openness
Forgiveness
Letting go
Intention
Positivity
Synchronicities
Coincidences

I was just realizing the need for a slow down period, when it occurred to me to “just read the book that’s inside me”. I came to this revelation while meditating one day as my thoughts drifted away from the quiet place (as they often do). I immediately stopped the guided meditation recording. I was so moved by the thought of it, that I had to write it down right away so I could develop the idea further after my meditation was done.

Here’s what I wrote on my notepaper exactly, ”Read the book that’s inside you. Write it down and share it. You have all the knowledge you need now to do it and do it well. You can take a break from reading everyone else’s books.” Well, ain’t that a how-do-ya-do? I have been pining away to become an author and inspirational/motivational speaker as a vehicle to serve God. It’s my ultimate dream, my goal of all goals. Guess now is as good a time as any to get started. You don’t get the word of God coming to you any clearer than that!

Earlier last week, I think I received a tangible message that may be related. Work with me here.

I went running for the first time in almost a week because I strained my calf muscle. I was itching to get back on the road even though it isn’t completely healed, so I thought I’d just go a couple of miles. I got about 1/3 of a mile out and found a shiny Craftsman wrench right in the middle of the street (13/16 to be exact). I looked around, there was no one to be found, so I picked it up and ran with it the rest of the way. Incidentally, I re-injured my calf muscle during that run and have been laid up since. But I digress.

I think the message is: that I already have the tools I need at this time, and that I can trust I am able to share them with others. I don’t have a need for that wrench right now, but I have it if anyone else does. It’s so shiny and new, it could really do the job well. Someone may see something shiny that catches the light in the middle of the pages I am able to write.

I was wondering what the heck that wrench was doing lying there. Since I am temporarily not getting my cherished running high while I heal, I can get that high by infusing God’s words into some writing and hopefully inspiring others. Guess that’s why my leg is taking it’s time to heal. Now I have time to do what God wants me to do. The irony of it all!

That was a fun puzzle to figure out though!

Yoga~The Perfect Combination

Meditation is something that I do to relax, calm down, get close to God, re-balance & recharge. It clears the clutter from my mind. I meditate twice a day for about 30 minutes each time. Without it, I become irritable, frazzled and disoriented. It is a spiritual re-centering for me.

Running or biking is something I do to get energized, release pent up tension, get close to God, rebalance & recharge. Without it, I become irritable, frazzled and disoriented. It is a spiriutal re-centering for me.

Yoga is something I do that blends the physical benefits of running or biking with the spiritual, mental exercise of meditating. Yoga is the all around good guy of spiritual wellness and wellbeing.

The after effects of meditation, exercise and yoga are like taking a time release magic pill for achieving happiness, peace and balance.

Unlocking the Door to Your Personal Prison

Depression, anxiety, helplessness, hopelessness, anger, frustration, dependence, rejection, loneliness, and more.

Everyone feels one or more of these feelings at one time or another.

You can’t wish them away. These feelings can make you feel like you’re in a prison or hell, and the door is locked tight. You can’t even think of a way out. There are no windows and the door has been shut for so long, you don’t even know if there’s a key to it anymore. If there is, you sure don’t remember where it is.

It is important to realize that this door to your personal prison locks from the inside. You walked right in, and you can walk right out anytime you want. No one put you there but you. Sure circumstances happened, but it is how you see those circumstances affect you, that will determine whether or not you cross the threshold of that doorway into darkness.

Further, there are 3 components to walking in or out through the prison door.

1-Freedom

2-Choice

3-Responsibility

We are free to choose to start looking for a way out
We are free to choose to stop looking for a way out
We are free to choose to try to make things different
We are free to choose to give up and accept what we perceive as our “lot” in life

Whatever we choose, it is our choice. We must be responsible for that choice.

It may not have been your choice that your loved one died
It may not have been your choice that you lost your job/house/car
It may not have been your choice that …….you fill in the blank

But it is your choice how you respond to that situation. And that my friend, is what you are responsible for. So you have the key to go in and you have the key to get out. Any time you wish.

This does not completely solve the problem of how you currently feel, but it is the first gigantic step in moving toward feeling something different. It is a huge relief to know that life isn’t just happening to you. That you can take your control back and make your life what you want it to be. You hold the key at all times.

You may not control all circumstances in life, but you control you. You control how you react and how you respond.

Locking yourself in prison or a personal hell is purely a personal decision. You may walk in by mistake, but if you don’t like how it feels, unlock the door and get out quick!