I was talking about myself to someone I had just met and heard myself say, “I used to be a runner.”
Those words came out of my mouth and it felt like someone had punched me in the gut.
Before kids, and navigating work-life balance, and the pandemic and all the “adulting” I do, I was a runner. Short runs, serious milage runs, trail runs, rainy runs, wake up at 4:30 in the morning to beat the heat runs… all of the running. I loved it. I felt alive and strong (and the bragging rights of running 10 miles before most people even woke up was a nice perk!)
When I uttered those words, “ I used to be a runner,” I couldn’t even remember the last time I had run. How did this happen??? I thought about all the excuses I had made. Silly things, really.
For example, it’s too cold, it’s too hot, my shoes are dusty… That last one was my favorite. But with all these excuses a part of me had gotten lost and I was really sad when I realized I put everyone’s needs in front of my own.
Unfortunately, my story of losing myself is not uncommon. I am hearing from so many of my friends and clients that they too feel lost. At times not even recognizing the person they see in the mirror. Each person’s story is a little different, but the parts that are the same are “I have taken on too much, my kids need X, my spouse needs Y, I have to do A, B and C for work, and there is not enough time in the day to do it all.” The other common part of the story is “I am just not motivated. I am waiting until I feel that motivation.”
Ok, here is the cold hard truth. Motivation is somewhat of a myth. Its not something you “find” like a lost sock hidden under your bed. It is something we need to build.
If we just sit and wait to feel motivated to do something, there is a good chance we will be waiting a LONG time. Building motivation means getting up and doing the thing.
Building motivation means finding the reasons to say, “YES.” Building motivation means taking inventory of how the “thing” makes you feel and saying to yourself, “I want and deserve more of that.”
Just doing the “thing” is hard and you may not want to. I am sure you have some really great excuses.
All I can tell you is lace up your sneakers (real or proverbal) and do the “thing.” Whatever that thing may be. Just do it!
And one step at a time, you will start to remember those things that make you feel good and that make you feel like you.
You DESERVE to feel good.
You DESERVE to have things that bring you joy.
And you DESERVE to have something that is just for you.
Find your reason to say, “yes” because rediscovering those lost parts of yourself feels amazing will make your spirit come alive… time after time.
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