Meditate

Hi all!

I did a very rare thing this week. I went out for an "easy" run. It was my route from the club to the top of Walnut Hollow and back, but I didn't bother with a watch. I just ran, took in the scenery, and used the run as a means of meditation. Meditation is something I desperately need more of. As most of you know, I have a very hard time "relaxing". I can't sit still and have to always feel I am being productive by doing a million things at once. At times, that leads to being ineffective and drained of energy for the things that do matter. "Busy" doesn't mean productive or effective. That counts for running, working, or just plain living. Some people believe that working "long" is working "hard". I believe working hard is working hard. I thrive on working "hard". When I managed health clubs years ago I never wanted to manage a small club. I almost craved the chaos of dozens of employees and thousands of members. I didn't have time to look at a clock and 14 hour days would go by in a blur. I wasn't required to work that much. Heck, the company even made it mandatory that club managers take 2 hours to workout each day. That never worked. So why did I do that for so long? Money? Awards? Recognition? Who knows..........I didn't run. I didn't see my family. I didn't even know who I was. I defined myself by my job and stayed very "busy". A lot of people do that. Some do it to "feel" important. Some do it to run from something, towards something, or simply because they don't know what else to do. A member reminded me this week that some people stay "busy" to keep from looking within because they don't want the challenge/discomfort of dealing with whats there. We were talking about Tai Chi. He said the best room to do it is the racquetball court because the walls are bare and its completely empty. He observed that most people find places like that uncomfortable because they are uncomfortable with themselves. Many people have the same problem with running. They need music or...........(gasp...), a book to read while on the treadmill. People ask me all of the time how I could run for hours at a time with no music. "Aren't you bored?" The answer is "No, I don't find myself a boring person." Its an absolutely wonderful time with myself, God, and nature. If I have a problem that I can't solve, sometimes I go for a run and don't stop until I've figured it out.

One of the reasons for moving to Brevard was to slow the pace down and find some balance. This club was almost like stepping back in time and its slower than any club I've stepped foot in. Its what I wanted, but it drove me a bit crazy at first because I missed the fast pace. Thats why I crave training clients. It provides me the intensity I'm used to and makes me feel a little more normal. I simply traded one source of insanity for another and at times I forget that I need to slow down. If we're not careful, we'll burn ourselves right out and be of no use to anyone, including ourselves. Like a popular quote I often hear, "Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life." We all have to take the time to breathe, time to relax, and time to focus on the moment we are in. Stop doing things just to be doing things and start doing things with a specific purpose. Do things that will actually make an impact. Start working, running, living smarter, more efficiently, and effectively.

I came back from that run rejuvenated vs. exhausted. I came back at peace vs. stressed. I wasn't thinking about what I had to do after the run or how I could have done something better yesterday. I was in the moment. I am vowing to leave my watch on my desk for at least two runs a week and enjoy the moment of "freedom" instead of focusing on the intensity of my effort.

Christmas can also be like that with the rushing from one place to another and the stress of packing twice as much into the same 24 hour day for a few weeks. For a lot of people, this time of the year can be REALLY stressful and "busy". Don't get so "busy" with the "holiday" that you forget what its all about. Its about peace, hope, love, and giving. Isn't that what it should be about all year? Merry Christmas!