Posted by Geri on January 26, 2012I am reminded of my daughter’s second grade Junior Achievement lesson, when I spent 4 weeks teaching the kids about the difference between wants and needs. I had one hour each week with them and together we learned that a new video game is not a NEED. We learned that most of what we wanted Santa to bring was a WANT and not a NEED. It was fun to reminisce about that lesson, and in doing so I realized that the balance of wants and needs is way out of whack in my life.
I want to this, but I have to do that.
I want to go here, but I have to go there.
I have to get this done. I have to get that done.
I want to do that, but there is no time.
Maybe another day. Maybe later.
have to….have to… have to….. There are SO many ‘have to’ dos, that I think I might go insane! I have recently realized my dilemma may be self imposed. If I’m honest, my dilemma IS self-imposed. Sometime along the way I have taken on the role of Super Woman. Over the years I have taken on problems that don’t really belong to me, but I’m happy to go solve them, because that’s what I do. I have to help.
have to…have to.. have to…
I’m sure you do it too. You over commit, over schedule, over plan and over think. We must stop. We must step back and decide if what we are doing is what we WANT to do, or more dreadfully, is what we HAVE to do. There must be a better balance. Of course the day is filled with things that have to get done. But, the day should also be sprinkled with things that you want to get done.
What makes you smile? Do it. Do it more often.
What fills your heart with happiness? Do it. Do it more often.
Super woman is make believe. Time to get real.
Posted by Geri on January 14, 2012Wellness focuses on physical, emotional and spiritual health, and all three aspects should be considered part of your wellness plan.
Physical pain is obvious and can usually be relieved with pain medication. Emotional pain is harder to conquer and is often not obvious to the outside world. Statistics show that nearly 10% of the adult population suffers from depression or anxiety, two of the most common forms of emotional pain.
In a recent discussion with a friend of mine who is putting together a new course for a local community college on How Training for a Marathon is Like Training for Life, we discovered that many of the keys to success in marathon training can be directly applied to life. Of course this is meant to be a metaphorical comparison and in no way discounts the emotional pain you may be experiencing.
Lean into the Pain. When we are exercising and feel the first twinge of pain we pull away. We withdraw from that level of exertion and move down the scale to something ‘a little easier’. That is exactly what we shouldn’t be doing. Our brains instinctively tell us to avoid pain. However, in marathon training, as in life, it is impossible to achieve mastery without pain–sometimes for a long time. Though counter-intuitive, we should be LEANING INTO the pain of effort–not away. To escape the pain, you must push through this roadblock and get to the other side. Stand strong to the pain and don’t back down.
For me, this lesson applies directly to my life (I am NOT training for a marathon). Whether it’s growing my small business or dealing with a plethora of other ‘life issues’, pushing through the pain allows me to carry the hope that ‘this won’t last forever’ and ‘there’s light on the other side’.
We often avoid the rain, but rain cleanses, it makes things GROW–just like the pain of effort makes us grow. It is okay to put on a raincoat when it rains, but it’s not okay to stay inside and AVOID the rain..and the pain…lest we deny ourselves the joy of victory.
So, go buy a raincoat. You can do this. Push through the pain and celebrate what’s on the other side!
