Lessons from Running

Anytime I take the time to get out on a trail, road or path somewhere and run I make sure I take the time to appreciate it. Appreciate what my body can do and the solitude. Just me and the road in front of me.
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Yesterdays run was special. I ran the blue ridge parkway here in Asheville ( it was closed for car traffic because of weather) and as I ran up the mountain I kept my focus on the road ahead of me and the mountain view in the background. I'd focus on the turn a quarter mile ahead while reminding myself to just keep my legs moving. Don't worry about how fast, how long it'll take just keep them moving. Keep breathing and know you will get there. Embrace this feeling, the cold mountain air and burning legs. Its teaching you to be strong. You haven't done this consistently for a long time but that's ok because you're doing it now. Id get to where I could see the overlook to the mountain and take in the view. After a few moments I'd look ahead and see the next curve. Feeling accomplished and winded I thought "better check out the next one, because that one will look and feel even more rewarding." So i'd run a little further, check out the next view. Push harder and harder until I got there and then i'd take the view in. It got better and better each time.
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The views got better and better in large part because I pushed harder and harder to see them.
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Our life as a whole isn't much different. You don't have to suffer for what you want in your life or health but you do have to push yourself. Each time you do I promise you it'll come with amazing new insights and lessons (in this case views.) It will come with resistance (just like running up the mountain adds resistance), it will come with difficulty ( just as the harder I pushed the harder the run became), but the key is to keep going. The payoff is always right in front of you.
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What are you working towards right now that seems so far away? I promise you that it probably isn't as far away as it seems. It likely right within your sight.