cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by Architopher
I have lost a once strong passion that I used to have for running. The monotony of exploring the same places, or continuously pounding on a treadmill has made this an activity I now find somewhat boring. I really believe though that there is a strong connection between mental and physical health, even during the activity.
Being so close to an amazing beach, only steps away from where we are currently staying in Sydney, Australia, I have enjoyed the opportunity to actually run and explore the beauty of the city. Being able to be visually stimulated during exercise makes it that much more enjoyable. Although I have gone for a run on a few days while I have been visiting this beautiful country, today was different. The other mornings I was on a schedule and had to be working by a certain time, which obviously did not give me the time to explore as I would have liked. On these runs, I would carefully plot out where I was going and stay close to that plan. Although I did see some neat places, I was more focused on simply getting home safely. Today was different though. I decided to channel my inner Robert Frost and just get lost in my run. Having a terrible sense of direction, this can actually be intimidating, yet it seems so exhilarating at the same time.
As I decided to just start going wherever the road and my thoughts took me, I suddenly realized I was lost. Quickly, I started to become anxious and nervous about how I would get back to my destination. Having some knowledge of the city, I knew that I was relatively in the same area, but I knew that I would need some direction about how to get back home. That is when I decided to ask for help. In the situation of asking a stranger for help, I am always nervous about how they will react, but every time I have stopped and asked for direction, I have been treated with kindness and consideration. My belief in people is that most people who are new to me and would be considered “strangers” are good people and willing to help, just as I would for someone else.
WhenI asked for some guidance to get home, I was offered a few different options. I decided based on my experience which option would best suit me, and I carried on. The pace of the run, as I realized I was getting close to my destination, started to pick up and gain momentum. Anxiety started to turn into exhilaration as I knew I was almost home.
Knowing that I was now going to accomplish what I had set out to do, I actually decided to pass by the house and go a little further. I went to the top of a cliff overlooking the ocean and I decided to just stand there and soak in the beauty of the place at that moment. The opportunity to just look out, appreciate, and reflect upon what I was seeing was both awesome and overwhelming. I need to do that more.
Opportunities where I challenge myself and find that flow, help me to renew and rejuvenate my love for old passions. As I arrived back home, I realized that the opportunity to simply have time to explore, be able to ask for help, know my own abilities, go beyond my limits, and be able to sit back and reflect is something that should be happening both in and out of schools; always in learning.
I really need to go running more 🙂
