Don’t Do It.

What are you thinking on?

Have you ever gone through trials, and thought if only you had someone else’s life?

Don’t do it.

It’s easy enough see the good things in another person’s life…. But remember, you can’t see all the bad. You can’t see the heartache. You can’t see the trials. You can’t see the broken relationships. You can’t see the disease. You can’t see the addictions. You can’t see what’s lacking. You can’t see the stress. You can’t see the tears. You can’t see the pain inflicted. You can’t see the pain received. You may see some. But not all.

The other night a friend compared it to “the Facebook picture”. On Facebook many people have happy pictures, and comment about the amazing things going on in their lives. But most people don’t share everything. Our friend said someone she knows has a profile that makes it look like they have the perfect life:  A loving spouse, children, fun and exciting trips and activities. But if you could see behind the scenes, you would see the anxiety, depression, tears, and strained and broken relationships.

Everyone has trials. The trials we bear may cause us, or those we love, to suffer so much. But so far, we have survived. Is it possible that if we did experience someone else’s life…. experienced someone else’s trials…. we would not be able to stand up under what they’re going through? Would we not survive? People may try to weigh the severity of trials in different ways, but we are all different people. What one person may be able to handle, another would crumble under.

Trials would be truly devastating if nothing good could come from them. But I believe in a God who loves us, and takes the worst of times and uses it toward good. Even if you don’t believe in God, good can come out of trials. We can learn appreciation for things or others. Relationships can be healed or made stronger. Connections may develop or opportunities presented. We can become better people:  more patient, kind, loving, understanding, forgiving, smarter, empathetic, etc.

I’m not saying trials are easy, or that we should be thrilled to have them. Seeing people suffer, I just don’t want them to lose out on what can come from trials. Wishing for another person’s life can easily distract us from the good that comes in our own. There is always something to hold on to.

What Will You Do?

There always have been and always will be obstacles and challenges in life. They surround us. It’s how we react to them that determines where and how far we go.

What’s your breaking point? At what point do you resign yourself to the “inevitable”? What has to happen for you to consider a goal in life not worth it anymore?

Too many people give up way too easily:  It’s too far to drive. I don’t want to give up my daily Starbucks for that financial goal. I don’t have time, I need to relax…in front of the TV. Still, there are fighters!

In fact, I saw a fighter tonight. She was running toward me. Usually I make eye contact with other runners and say “hey”, but she didn’t look my direction. That’s when I noticed she was missing a leg. In place of her leg was a prosthetic. Later, we passed again. This time I said, “Hey, you’re an inspiration!” She replied, “Thank you.”

How many people would have taken up running, without a leg? How many people would have even thought of the possibility? What about areas in our own lives? Things we have no control over…Things we may be missing….Things that make us different… Are we willing to think outside the box? Are we willing to commit the hard work? Are we willing to go a different route? Are we willing to push through the pain?

Are we willing to do what it takes to achieve dreams others label as impossible?

Do what you need to do to achieve your dreams!

You are defined in life by the way you respond to defeat.

Do you ever reach a point where you don’t want to pick yourself up, and try again? How tempting is it to just pause for a moment…..and think, if only? If only I didn’t have to go on. If only I didn’t have to face that fear again. If only I didn’t have to face that hurt again. If only…

That mental struggle, when facing life’s challenges and disappointments, is one of the reasons I love physical challenges. And one of the reasons I love this video I found on YouTube:

Last Saturday I ran sixteen miles, in rain. That is the farthest I have ever gone. And I learned that running in a steady rain for three and a half hours can feel very different from running a rainy 5k. By the time I had gone four miles, my shoes had become sponges. Long before I was done, every part of me was drenched. Because of the weather, I unintentionally tensed my muscles the entire way. I always leave an extra mile at the end of my long runs, to cool down with a walk. As soon as I started walking, pain shot through my entire body. It felt like metal rods were going straight through my legs from every direction. And I was very cold. I hate to admit it, but I whimpered home.

Now why do I love physical challenges? Two reasons.

First, the physical challenge reminds me if I can make it through, I can make it through challenges in other areas of my life. It reminds me we are much more flexible and stronger than we think we are. Second, persevering through physical challenges toughens me up for future situations or events, like races. It enables me to feel better as I attack those future challenges. The same applies to other areas of life. If we grow through life’s challenges and disappointments, we can better handle what life will throw at us in the future.

I attribute persevering through difficulties, in both running and life, to a relationship with God. I know if he was not in my life, I would not have gone on.