Making changes

I see friends and people around me racing to get from A to B, rushing to be promoted, anxious to know and predict the future or hurrying to be settled. What settles us is not a destination, but a way of being. Being truly present and daring to live this life fully is riding the current no matter what rocks and debris come along in our path, no matter what rapids and swirling eddies come our way.  Sometimes it feels like we don't have any control and life is just a series of chaotic events. There are a few things, however, that I know I can have control over such as my reactions and responses to situations and events.  I gain access to options when I am calm and centered versus racing to do something. I think clearer and breathe differently when I am centered.  When I stop mindlessly doing and start intentionally 'being', I create space for options. 

When I was diagnosed with Shingles in 2010 after a long period of stress at work and a break up of a relationship, I realized that I needed to take control of how I manage my stress.  In the past, I accessed strategies of eating too much to comfort myself or withdrawing from friends to cope with life's stresses.  Those didn't seem to work anymore, and I don't know if they ever did.

I chose to start running to get in shape and manage stress.  I was 90 pounds overweight and wasn't even sure how my body was going to react to running.  I remembered that I used to like running in high school, so why not try it again? Only this time, I wanted the more immediate goal to be, "I don't want to get injured."  Being 37 years old, I didn't think my body would respond or recover like it used to.

I downloaded a running schedule called the "Couch to 5K" from the Internet and decided to start training myself to run.  When I started, I could barely run 1 minute without being out of breath.  After about a month, I had worked up to running 5 minutes without stopping and needed something else to keep me motivated and to push me further.  So, I signed up for a Running 101 course through a local running store.

I kept a very slow pace and learned more about my body.  When I felt my stomach cramp up, I found out that I was pushing myself too hard.  When I hadn't had enough water during the day, I found that my body was stiff and lethargic.  When I got enough protein in my diet and sleep at night, I had more energy and could sustain my run longer. 

First 5K of 2011

At the end of the 101 class, I ran 24 minutes without stopping.  It was amazing!  How could someone 90 pounds overweight be able to change their endurance that quickly?  In only 3 months? I made another decision to enroll in 5K races in 2011.  Originally, I was intending to do one a month.  I ended up with 6 total for the year. I started to lose some weight, but my joints were hurting.  My left foot started cramping and feeling like I had strained my arch and my knees started feeling sore.  I slowed down and took it easy, but didn't give up on my journey.  Instead, I decided I needed to change my eating habits, so that I would lose weight quicker and be better to my joints.  I joined Weight Watchers in October 2011.

The pounds started coming off and I was cross training in the gym--lifting weights and riding the stationary bike. By March 2012, I have lost 50 pounds.  I ran my first full 5K in February without walking or stopping.  I have another 40 pounds to lose, so I'm over 1/2 way there. 

February 2012

What control can you have in your life?  What would create a lifestyle change and give you access to new choices and options?  What can release you from the rushing and anxiety even if it's for only a few minutes a day?