Sometimes you have to get out of your head and go with your gut. Your brain’s decisions can be influenced by numerous factors including your past, your beliefs, your mood, etc. It’s easy to “change your mind” or worse yet, perhaps, to stick with one idea – kind of digging your heels in and not being able to entertain other possibilities.

I am going to talk about my recent trek across Tennessee again (maybe it’s just that I like to try to spell Tennessee each time) but I learned so much from that ten days that my life completely changed because of it.

I had absolutely NO idea why I wanted to participate in a grueling 314 mile race in Tennessee in July where the three H’s rule (hot, humid, hilly). I first tried it last year but didn’t make it beyond 104 miles.  So, it kind of follows that I wanted to not be a quitter and complete it this year. But why did I want to do it even last year? I couldn’t tell you UNTIL I finished it this year.  I just knew that it had grown on me since I first heard about it in 2013 and followed everyone’s experiences – it was during that time that I decided i was going to sign up for it in 2014. If I had had to put down a reason for doing it, I would not have been able to.  People kept asking why I wanted to do such an insane thing. I didn’t think it was insane. I don’t think I really “thought” about it at all. I just “felt” about it. And that feeling was simply a burning desire.

As I trudged along especially after the first five days when my stress fractures manifested themselves, I wondered what the heck I was doing to myself. But, I just knew that I would continue on  no matter how much pain I had. I was not about quitting – not until mile 298 that is. And I think that it was that period of time – those last 16 miles – that the reason for my doing the race became evident. It was not clear to me at that time because I was in such pain and so exhausted but it definitely was evident by the time I got home to Texas.

There was so much love, so much strength, so much companionship, so much fun, so much of everything good in that last 16 miles. From bawling my eyes out for 2 miles prior to that point, to trying to sleep for a few hours in the hotel room, to having to cover the 3 miles before I met up with the three most wonderful people in the world (Dorothy, The Tin Man and The Scarecrow), my crew (Marv) kept pushing me to the edge. It seemed no one would believe that I had anything more than just the pain that everyone else has (none of us knew I had developed 4-5 stress fractures in my feet – I just knew that every step was agony).

Once I met up with the Wizard of Oz gang and they welcomed me (Toto) into their ranks with loving and open arms, I felt as if I might be able to do it. It was wonderful to have companionship even when we weren’t speaking much. We knew that the others were there and we would NOT let anything happen to anyone.

All the inner strength I realized, all the lessons about myself and my life that I had discovered during that time were surpassed by the experiences of those last several hours.  What I experienced was total and complete love and acceptance – there is nothing more in live than love. It was all around me and made all the pain and problems worth it.

The point to all this is that if I had followed my brain, I would never have participated in this run and I would also have probably quit at 298 miles (I knew there was more going on than the usual pains of a race this long and was very concerned that there was irreparable damage).  I was at peace with a decision to stop (not quit) but those around me wouldn’t let me. Had I allowed my brain to rule, I would not have learned those lessons or experienced that love and acceptance of the last 16 miles (it doesn’t sound like much to you but after 9 1/2 days and 298 miles, 16 miles seems insurmountable).

I trusted my gut – in signing up for the race in the first place, in trying it in 2014 and then being determined to return no matter all that was stacked against me in 2015 and then in finishing. It was all intuition and gut based. The brain decisions were totally opposite.

Trust your gut, open your heart, let the Universe bring you what you’re supposed to have. Don’t resist. If you detect a conflict between your head and your gut, take some deep breaths, relax into the moment and allow Divine Wisdom to come to you. Go with the vibrations and feelings you have inside. Go with what you feel. Don’t try to analyze anything and everything. You’ll never get anywhere. You’ll never take a step forward if you do that.

Remember that everything always works out for you!

Terrie

In life? In Relationships? In Family? In Love? In Your Job?

Can you answer this question in the context of the above subjects? Can you do it quickly or will it require much thought? Maybe you can’t even answer the question at all.

People often look at crossing the finish line and receiving a medal or a score or a “congratulations”, or a kiss from a loved one – any of these – as the reward.

However, it really is your just toeing the starting line that is the real reward. Reward for what? Well, I suppose it will depend on your definition of ‘reward’ but if you examine your life and see that you have trained hard (worked hard) for some event (race), then your being able to participate in the race is actually the reward – REGARDLESS of the outcome!

I have to remind myself of this repeatedly, especially this year. Even last year as I had to drop out of the run across Tennessee I had to continue to think that at least I made it to the ‘ferry’ as we say and began the race. I could have dropped out 2 weeks before when I got injured but I didn’t. My reward was being there with everyone and enjoying their company and commiserating together (that’s always fun) about the heat and humidity. We were having a ball even though conditions were rough. It wasn’t about “winning” the overall race at that point. We had already won by having the courage to make it there. And then we were hoping to have a “win” in our own way as we progressed through the days and across the miles. I had a mini-win even though I didn’t complete the 314 miles. I made it 1/3 of the way and loved seeing Tennessee and meeting such wonderful people along the way. The 104 miles I made were additional rewards for me after I reached the start.

You can look at each day’s awakening as a reward and probably should be blessing it as you wake up. Think about the good that will come during the day. Think about how your life will evolve today. Vow to make it the best possible day you can. That is not the Pollyanna way of saying “I will make this the best day of my life” – you don’t have to do that. You can simply profess that you will make it the best you can. I heard something this morning that I am going to try. Every time you meet up with someone say “I love you” to yourself. This is a way of acknowledging that that person is doing the best they can no matter what comes out of their mouth that might have irritated you had you not realized that is not their intent. It’s making a conscious effort to change how I look at everyone and how I interpret what they do or say. Should be interesting. So what will be my reward for that experience? Observing what happens when I use this technique. Sound stupid? Maybe – but it helped this one person and I like trying new things that make me feel better.

What else can you consider to be your reward? Would it have to be finishing a project? Or could it be just starting it? What about meetings you have to attend even if you don’t enjoy  them. Make them your reward for having your position. Often, people think of a meeting as a punishment but would they be at the meeting if someone had not put them into a higher position – rewarded them with more pay, more power? So, instead of being down about having to attend a meeting, look at it as a symbol of your worth and look to either contribute something special or at least take away something special.

Trying using this different frame of mind as  way to reframe your life and thought pattern.  Journal about it. See what ideas or concepts come out of this process. Find your fears, find your courage areas, find yourself.

Let me know how it goes. Try the “I love you” with everyone you talk to!

Terrie