The loudest and most meaningful cheer that you will ever hear comes from within yourself .
-A. Johnson
(p.s...I googled it and it seems I may be the first to think of this one...if I'm wrong let me know...if I am correct -get me a copyright lawyer!!lol)
I did my first long run after not running for 6 weeks. It was difficult and reminded me of how much mental strength running calls for. As I hit the trail part of my run, I started telling my runner friends some of my thoughts...ha ha! Now, these thoughts can be uplifting, crazy, spontaneous, awkward, unusual or funny. Running kind of unleashes the thoughts....bystanders beware! In all seriousness though, many of the thoughts and ideas are things that I just wouldn't be able to think of in a day because there is so much clutter, so much going on. Running frees me of my clutter and helps me to think more clearly, it gives me more focus, it allows me to tap into the part of myself that I love the most.
The quote above is what I said to myself when I heard my friends giving me 'inspirational words' to keep moving and not to quit. I loved them for doing it but I knew the most important words were going to come from myself. I needed my cheer to be louder. I couldn't believe how 6 weeks could dull my cheer for myself as much as it did. It takes practice over a consistent period of time doing the things that make you your best AND being able to acknowledge and accept having to get rid of those things that don't. That is what I feel makes your own cheer louder and this is my blog so tough if you don't agree. Many things can muffle it, some things mute it totally. The question is what will you allow and how will you get your cheer back?
- What makes you feel your best? Being organized, running, laughing, and spending 'quality' time with my family. I hate feeling rushed and cluttered. I feel the running is always first because it allows me to clear my head so I have the patience and ability to spend the 'quality' time with them. Otherwise, I am running around like a chicken without a head.
- What tests your 'cheer' or confidence in your self? New things, scary things...getting back into running, speaking up to someone that I'm afraid to confront, raising my kids and being confident with how I am doing it because you don't get a rewind button...I could go on and on. These things are why I keep forcing myself into those types of situations. I feel if you don't, you won't know your potential....it would make Annette a dull girl...and I'm not to fond of dull. ;)
- What things get in the way of what you truly want or muffles your cheer? Okay for me...not enough sleep, not being organized, not getting enough sleep (can you tell I'm tired?), being around people that aren't positive for me, not eating my best.
What about you??
I feel my best when I am well-rested, have allowed myself adequate time to prepare for things (and have taken advantage of that time), eat healthy, stay on schedule, etc.
ReplyDeleteLately my confidence has definitely been tested because I am stressed and have so many BIG projects due :( blah. Getting there though.
So glad you are running again :)
Love the quote!!
ReplyDeleteI always have my best thoughts while running too, sometimes I wish I could just turn my thoughts straight into a blog post bc somehow it always hard for me to convey them coherently when it comes to writing them down.
I am trying to do things that scare me (most things) everyday so I can reach my full potential :D
I feel my best after a great run, sleeping in on the weekend, hanging out with friends...basically doing anything that makes me happy!
ReplyDeleteI can be a major self doubter, while running and just in life in general. When running I sometimes focus too much on the faster, stronger runners who are passing me instead of just focusing on how I can make myself a faster, stroner runner. It's amazing how a positive midset from the get go can make a potentially awful run so much better!
Love the quote!
ReplyDeletehttp://beboldrunwild.blogspot.com/
I think your quote is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI feel my best when I am exercising, eating yummy food, and spending time with the hubs.
I could really understand what you meant when the cheers from friends are GREAT, but it has to come from you. They can motivate me to not give up maybe, but it's me that has to decide to dig deeper, push harder, run faster. I'll be listening for that voice on my next run.
Glad you're back to running!
:)
Great quote. And great post! I can totally relate to the people who aren't positive for me. It's crazy how much that can affect me! But running, ahh how sweet it is!
ReplyDeleteGreat post and great quote.
ReplyDelete1. What makes me feel my best when it comes to running is when I have confidence. When I'm running either speedwork or some longer distance that may seem challenging, as long as I go into the race with confidence things usually go well. What gives me confidence? Lots of things, but some wells I draw from are my previous race experiences and my weight loss. I think those two are never-ending pools of confidence.
2. When I try to do something that might not be in the works for me, such as shooting for a certain time or maybe trying to do too much. For instance, I recently made it a goal to try and reach the 40-mile per week mark and kind of stay there but I wasn't coming close to that and it started to get to me. Maybe that was unrealistic to begin with and I could have avoided it but still, it made me feel like I was a bit foolish to even think I could attempt it. Now anyway, I think that could be a good mark in the fall when I'll have more time to run.
3. When I don't prepare properly, I lose my cheer/confidence. If I give half-hearted efforts both with my nutrition and workouts or if I do things I know are bad for me (like eat too many treats or just too much in general) I feel it during my runs. It weighs on me.
Such a great quote! I feel my best when I start the day in a productive way, meaning getting stuff done and not procrastinating!
ReplyDeleteThat quote is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI feel my best when I rested ---really well-rested.
When my children are not testing me, my job is. Almost every day at work and at home I feel inadequate because often the pat on the back or the confirmation that you did a good job is delayed (or never confirmed).
I am my worst enemy and critic and I'm working on that.
(Good grief! Reading this over, it's pretty obvious that I'm not well-rested! (LOL)
I emailed you my address and I tried to leave another comment on one of your posts, but was unable to do so. Hopefully this one will go through.
That`s a really great quote and nice to read this post. Thanks for this blog.
ReplyDelete