I finally got to run this week after an unwanted and unplanned 4-week break. Somehow, I badly pulled my Piriformis muscle at the gym, and along with the accompanying Sciatic nerve pain, walking, sitting, standing, and laying down were a bit interesting, and running was a definite no-go. Running is definitely one of my favorite things to do, and by “favorite,” I don’t mean favorite in the traditional sense of the word, like I jump out of bed and yell, “Yay! I get to go running! Woohoo!” It’s so not like that. Running helps save my sanity, relieve my stress, and get those creative juices flowing (I basically “wrote” this post while running—thank you, voice recording app!), and it’s a time when I can think things through and solve the problems in my world. It’s like Shakespeare said: “Bid me run, and I will strive with things impossible.” And no, not every run is one of those magical, runners’ high-types of runs, but no matter how tough it gets, I so love the feeling of accomplishment when it’s over, and it really does make my days go way better in so many ways.
About the title of this post. I first heard this simple, but powerful phrase several years ago when I was taking my nutrition class for my Personal Trainer Certification. My teacher was talking about how many people have such a difficult time choosing to eat healthy foods, and she said something that totally changed the way I think about things—things I want to do but am afraid to do, need to do, don’t want to do, don’t want to do but know I need to do, etc.: “Healthy eating is a get to, not a have to.”
So…when applied to my life, running is a get to, not a have to. Laundry is a get to, not a have to, although I really don’t mind laundry too much. Cleaning my house is a get to, not a have to. Going to the grocery store is a get to, not a have to. Paying bills is a get to, not a have to. And so on…
When I make this little two-word change in my thought process—from “have” to “get”—my perspective almost instantly changes, and so many of the humdrum, everyday, repetitive, or not-so-fun things take on a whole different meaning:
- I’m so thankful I can run because many people cannot run for whatever reasons, and this would be devastating for me!
- I’m so thankful I can go to the grocery store because that means we have the money to buy the things we need and even some things we don’t need.
- I’m so thankful I can clean my house because that means we have a house to clean.
- I’m so thankful I can pay our bills because that means we have the money to do so.
I’ve had a few surgeries over the past few years where I’ve not been able to do the things I’m used to doing for awhile, and during the recovery process, I can remember thinking to myself, “Gosh, I’d love to be able to clean my house…run…do the laundry…walk up and down the stairs….” You know, all those things we’re so used to doing every day that we really don’t even think about, and it’s so easy to take the ability to do these things for granted. And these experiences have also given me a whole new level of empathy and compassion for those who are dealing with similar issues on a more permanent basis.
This morning I checked the weather before I got ready to go run, and it said there was a 0% chance of rain. I walked outside, and there was spitting rain. I guess no one told those rain clouds that filled the sky about that 0% chance of rain. 😉 And while I do not run in full-blown rain, there was no way I was skipping this run due to a tiny bit of water falling from the sky. Oh no. I can remember all those days the past month when I couldn’t run and so badly wanted to, so I changed into a long-sleeved shirt (I do not like the feeling of rain hitting my arms), and I ran.
And it was an awesome run!
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