Five Life Lessons Running Taught Me

Want a life less than ordinary? Be less than ordinary

I used to be the kind of person who just let life happen to her. I did the same thing, day in and day out, and had the gall to complain about how bored I was. Then a friend suggested to me to run a half marathon with her. It was ludicrous! I’d never run more than two miles in my life. But I said yes. I took a leap and everything changed. The world’s most uncoordinated girl became a runner, and it encouraged me to seek out more strange opportunities to grow and expand myself. Now, I look back and see that, like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, I had the power all along to change my circumstances. See, you just have to leave your comfort zone, and it’s easier than it sounds. All it takes is simply saying, “Yes.”

You truly can do anything you set your mind to

I know it sounds cliché, but the day these words sink into your soul, you will never be the same. We limit ourselves with our words (“I can’t… I won’t… I shouldn’t…”). We limit ourselves with our actions by existing as a slave to the routine. And, mostly, it’s all in our heads. Your mind is the most important tool you have, and if you break free from what you think you can and cannot do, not even the sky is the limit.

In the spirit of runners everywhere, I hope you know that you have no idea what you’re capable of. You are brave and strong. So, get active on the journey of your life. It has trails and dreams that you never imagined.