Tag: motivation

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motivation

No Victim of Circumstance!

Cartoon of a mom and two boys

The new year and decade is almost upon us! I am thinking of new goals and plans for the coming year. There will be a lot going on, including a wedding for my daughter, a new career for my wife, and a new book or two from my pen/word processor (hold me to this one!)

The other day, I read a great article by Melissa Chu entitled, 8 ways you’re making life harder than it has to be. It had some great nuggets of wisdom. I encourage you to read all eight. One that stuck out to me was the last one; pouring your energy into something outside of your control. Chu wrote,

When you wait for someone to choose you, or for a chance event to transform your life, you’re essentially pouring your energy into unproductive emotions and thoughts.

Melissa Chu

I’ve done this to myself several times. So often, I’ve heard a great sermon and what do I do? I think of someone else that needs to change instead of considering what I need to do. There have been times in my life when I have been down and expected someone to come to my rescue or something that would happen to change everything. the problem with that attitude is I start sounding like Curly from the Three Stooges.

I’m a victim of circumstance… not!

Chu’s article is a good reminder for me that I need to focus on my Internal Locus of Control instead of the External Locus of Control. I can’t control others, nor should I. Who am I to control another person?

This coming year, I’ll pray for others instead of trying to control them. And I’ll focus on the things I can control, like my attitude, my decisions, and my resolve to learn and grow.

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motivation

Hiding in the Balcony

Cartoon: Roosting in the balcony

The first time I saw a balcony, I was enamored. I was about seven. We were seeing a kids’ movie in an old theater. I thought of how cool it would be to be above everyone else and see not only the movie but what was going on in the audience. 

I figured you didn’t have to behave yourself up there. If the movie was boring, you could chat with your friends. You could even run between the seats… as long as you were quiet. I saw the balcony as a place with freedom and without commitment. I could be anonymous.

Cartoon: Roosting in the balcony

I now know that freedom comes with a price. If I have no commitment to what is going on in front of me,

  • I miss out
  • My attention is divided
  • I do not affect the outcome
  • That’s where the critters hang out

I can’t be a leader from the balcony. I am not really a participant. I have found it to be more fulfilling and I have a better time when I am in the front row. The balcony offers freedom. The front row is where life change happens.

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motivation Running

Thoughts on a Winter Solstice Run

Winter Solstice Sunrise in Southwest Ohio
Winter Solstice Sunrise in Southwest Ohio

After a couple of very cold days, this morning was a perfect time for a winter morning run. The temperature was hovering around the freezing mark. Most of the snow had melted on the asphalt trail, though there were some snowy and icy spots where trees have kept the sun at bay.

  • Winter scene along the Wolf Creek Recreational trail, Brookville, Ohio
    Winter Along the Wolf Creek Recreational Trail
  • Winter Solstice Sunrise in Southwest Ohio
    Winter Solstice Sunrise in Southwest Ohio
  • Early winter morning along the Wolf Creek Recreational Trail
    Early Winter Morning Along the Wolf Creek Recreational Trail
  • Winter farm field near US 40, Brookville, Ohio
    Winter Farm Field Near US 40, Brookville, Ohio

I noticed a few things on my morning run:

  • The sun was shining through the clouds. Frequently this time of year, the sun shines in the morning and it becomes overcast later. If I want to see the sun, I need to get up for it.
  • No one else was on the trail. Yet there were scores of human footprints, bike tracks, and animal tracks. I don’t always realize that though I am alone, many have come before me.
  • I rarely notice when the wind is at my back, but I know when I am heading into it. I need to remember to take the time to thank those that have given me a tailwind instead of focusing on the headwinds.
  • Sore, tight muscles come when I’ve taken a few days off. But after a couple of miles, I forget they were aching. It reminds me to push through and know that things will get easier.

Winter officially arrives tonight. Seasons come and go. Each has their good times and challenges. May you have a great Christmas and new year. Let’s welcome the new decade, be positive and do the things that lead to success.

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motivation Running

Observations on a Snowy, Morning Run

snowy, nighttime trail in Ohio
Wolf Creek Recreational Trail, Brookville Ohio 12/16/19

This morning, I grabbed my ice cleats and went for my run. The scenery was quite different than the same route on Saturday. There were a few tracks on the sidewalk. Some human, some four-legged. Otherwise, there wasn’t much activity on a Monday morning.

snowy, nighttime trail in Ohio
Wolf Creek Recreational Trail, Brookville Ohio, 12/16/19

There were a few things I observed as I jogged down the trail.

  • Environments change quickly. Be prepared when you make a journey.
    • If it’s cold, take a coat.
    • If it’s slippery, wear the right gear to keep you safe.
  • Even in the common, everyday places, there is something new to discover.
  • Some of the best moments are when you are the first to venture out.
    • Embrace the morning.
    • Be a trailblazer.
    • Give yourself time to think.
  • Talk yourself into something instead of out of it.
    • The journey is worth it.
    • It’s rarely as bad as our imagination makes it out to be.

May you have a great day. And whatever your journey this morning, embrace it and look for beauty in unexpected places.

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Exercise motivation Running

No One Wants to be Just a Number… or do They?

Man running into a sunrise

Man running into a sunrise

This morning, I did something I know most guys my age don’t do. I ran eight miles. I don’t say this to brag, because I don’t consider myself an athlete. I didn’t run in high school or college. I only picked it up in my thirties when my weight was creeping up on me and my father-in-law poked my doughboy’s belly!

I say it because it is possible to be active in your fifties and beyond. This came to my mind when I read this Runner’s World article the other day:

5 Runners who Prove Age is Just a Number

In this article, it quotes a study that claims people felt they were too old to start exercising after they turned forty-one years old. Yet the article had five runners who began to run between the ages of fifty and eighty-four. Let that sink in! An eighty-four-year-old decided it was time to start running!

We put too many limits on ourselves. We’d like to start something but we make all kinds of excuses like:

  • I’m too old
  • I’m too young
  • I don’t have the money
  • I don’t have the time
  • I don’t have any talent
  • I don’t know anybody
  • The timing isn’t right

We claim we don’t want to be a number, yet do we allow numbers to limit ourselves? Do we give in to society’s expectations that are neither correct nor fulfilling?

Check with your doctor. If he or she gives you the okay, I encourage you to start exercising. It’s made a big difference in my life since I began this good habit.