Replacing Negative Self Talk and Judgmental Thinking, Running Again, and Random

Learning is what we are meant to do.  It is our birthright as humans.  If we stop learning, we stop growing and our minds become stagnant.  If you don't use it, you'll lose it.  --Chi Running

Watch for phrases like "I should" or "I can't" or "I'm not" or "I have to."  Any negative or judgmental thinking creates static on the line.  And who needs that when you're trying to get clear reception?  --Chi Running

This could end up being the shortest or the longest post I've ever written....it all depends on how fast I type.  I haven't sat down all day and I finally have maybe fifteen minutes to steal to myself while my oldest is reading, my youngest is surprisingly self-content, and my middle daughter is at soccer smiling from ear to ear that her daddy is the assistant coach tonight.  So after having what seems like a pretty decent mom day mom day with attending a field trip to the pumpkin patch, painting pumpkins, waking my kids up cheerfully instead of with the grumpy grey cloud I've seemed to have over my head too much lately, I am allowing encouraging myself to take a little slice of me here before continuing the rest of the motherhood "to-dos" that I still have to cross of my list for the day.  So, how about some bullets:

• What an awesome weekend for marathons.  I've read about several PRs and one of them was set by a very dear friend of mine.  She smashed her old marathon PR and reached her goal that she set out to do. Inspiring.  Exciting.  Highlight of my Sunday!  
• Another highlight of this weekend was being in Leavenworth, WA with some of our best friends.  What a gorgeous place to spend a weekend!  

A picture I took on my trail run on Saturday morning along the Leavenworth Marathon course.  

This marathon or half marathon is surely on my list of marathons to do someday. It was fun to cheer.

• I'm feeling more like myself the last week than I have in quite awhile.  Feels good.  And I know that a lot of it has to do with running again and being healthy.  Knocking on wood here but I feel darn near injury free.  Now, I know my feet are not 100% and I'm still getting treated for my left hammy that I hurt way back in January.  I also still have pelvic pain that comes from who knows what but always seems to feel better after getting adjusted.  Anyway, mostly just Thankful to be feeling strong again! 
• Running makes me happy.  I'd rather run slow for the rest of my life and still be able to run injury free than chase down big goals and always be injured trying to do so.  Running gives me balance and JOY for everything else that is so much more important.  
• I'm running but I'm being really smart as I start to build up my mileage.  Yesterday's 8 miles was the longest I've run since mid August maybe?  It felt glorious.  8 miles in 8:25 average = nice easy run on a sunny blue sky day.  And let me tell you, we are having an absolutely beautiful fall here in the Pacific Northwest.  
• The lack of running has meant just a little bit of weight gain.  Ha!  I tried putting on my jeans today...the ones that are always the jeans that tell you where you're at.  They are the jeans that only fit when I'm in my tip top shape.  Ha!  And let me tell you (with a smile on my face) that I wast nowhere NEAR Close to getting those babies buttoned.  I did feel like it was funny enough to send one of my best friends a photo of this joke of a jean try on.  I'd post it for you too but I'm really much too vain.  
• I'm really not too concerned with this weight gain.  It isn't like I'm crying myself to sleep over it.  In fact, pass the cookies...marathon training will come SOON ENOUGH.  I'm going to enjoy the extra junk in the trunk.  AND at least 2 of the 6 or 7 pounds (9 with my coat and boots today at the doc) has gone to my boobs.  I'll take it.  And so will my husband.  He's liking the extra cush for a change.  Goodness knows that in marathon training I get too skinny and I wish for more cushion.  And I did kind of ask for this with all the beer, late night snacks and going out with friends for dinners I did this summer.  It was worth it.  

• I'm keeping my goal of reading more books again.  It has been hard to make myself sit down and focus but having a long car ride this weekend and a husband that likes me to read running books to him was nice.  I read several chapters from Chi Running and we had some great discussions.  Two lines that jumped out to me from my reading:  

Learning is what we are meant to do.  It is our birthright as humans.  If we stop learning, we stop growing and our minds become stagnant.  If you don't use it, you'll lose it.  --Chi Running

Watch for phrases like "I should" or "I can't" or "I'm not" or "I have to."  Any negative or judgmental thinking creates static on the line.  And who needs that when you're trying to get clear reception?  --Chi Running

• The second quote above was in context with a section on Body Sensing and getting to the point where we can sense how our bodies are moving...without having to think too much.  Anyway, without having anything to do with body sensing, these words just about jumped off the page and slapped me around....like they were meant just for me at this time.  I've read these words again and again since then and they continue to run through my mind. And I will write them down and put them where I can see them.  I spend way too much of my life starting messages to myself with these phrases.  My self talk is constantly filled with "I should....."  "I'm not...."  I have to......"  I didn't realize just how much I fill my life expecting myself to be doing something more or different or better. Now a little bit of this is GREAT!  In fact, this type of thinking is what helps us continue to keep improving and being better and climbing higher...indeed!  But too much of this thinking can make us feel like we are doing NOTHING right when in reality we are doing lots right.   I'm really glad for this part of the book that made me more aware of this.  Changes and improvements all start with awareness.  Now that I'm aware that I do this, I can REphrase things so that I can spend more time telling myself things like "I am doing..."  " I might like to try..."  "I did...."  "I can..."  "I'm okay just as I am right now."  "I will...."  "I'd love to...."  

My time is so far from up!  Time to grill some Salmon and make it look like I've slaving away around here.  :)

Amanda
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