Archive for April, 2011

“Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going to fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.” – Eddie Cantor

I have plans to start jogging again soon. My ankle is still a bit weak, but I have healed nicely from my surgery. As I plan my return to the track, I remind myself what my biggest weakness will be: pacing. I purposely jog with James because he reminds me to recognize my limits. I often run too fast, just hoping to reach my target sooner… and we all know how that story goes. Honestly, this has been a weakness in most areas of my life. As a young adult, I barreled through my life at an alarming pace, never wanting to miss an opportunity. I am training myself to slow down a bit, fighting my nature as it tempts me to go harder, do more, and push myself to exhaustion. Balancing work, family, art, community, and a need to nurture my own soul, I have learned that slow(er) and steady really do produce the most satisfying results. I understand that sometimes sprints are required, but I’m curious who else has found themselves overconfident in how long they can keep that up? Also, I have to watch out for the opposite extreme, where I slow to the point of stopping. Where I meander instead of deciding ahead of time how far or how long I want to train, with no clear motivation. I discuss this time and time again, but balance is oh so important. I’m sure this guy agrees with me.
Without realistic pacing, I may never reach my destination, or if I do, chances are I will arrive injured, stressed, and without an appreciation for the process.  I feel I am continually learning to evaluate my priorities as I balance simplifying life while still challenging myself. I know I am not alone in this.  What priorities or plans have you found make your life a success? How do you define success? Beyond the sparkle & fantasy that frequently (and equally) distracts and drives you, what do you want? There are big changes on the horizon, both personally and professionally, and I’m quickly realizing that my hyper-meticulous planning will only be beneficial if I answer those larger questions first.  I feel that I’m rambling a bit. I wish I could be more precise, could have all of the answers, and could share all of my exact thoughts with you clearly, right now… but I can’t.  I guess that’s the point of this post.

So here we go. Deep breath. Big Picture. Focus. Find some clear direction. Soon enough I’ll take that first. calculated step. And then another. And then another. Likely a bit wheezy, but hopefully at just the right stride, and surely with many of you right there with me.