Resolutions are not my thing.

I wrote in an earlier blog post, that I find lasting change is more about focusing on adding the positive than putting energy into taking away the negative.

Exercise, for example, is an integral part of my health and well-being. Neither of which I have done much of the last 6 months. Rather than figure out the “hows and whys” of it, In November I signed up for The Color Run 5K being held in Arizona this weekend.

There are teams but you don’t have to finish together, You can run, walk…or, crawl, but, the race is not timed…and, the only real rule is WEAR WHITE, ’cause you are gonna look like a tie-dye by the time you cross the finish line!

 

Having signed up six weeks ago, I thought I’d start running again…but, I haven’t.  So, my mind started to minimize the difficulty. It’s only a 5K (three miles), I’m planning on run/walking, my body is strong, I just want to have fun! I completely backed off from what I set out to do!

Clearly, I had a stream of rationalizations that had taken over….which can truly serve to make me feel guilty, and in turn, can be motivation of sorts. But, it wasn’t.

Then a friend and teammate mentioned her fibromyalgia is acting up, and that she decided to walk it. The same day she let me know this, someone else mentioned to me that there’s a Hindu Festival of Color every year where they throw color on each other much like The Color Run.

This peaked my interest...

When I looked it up I found a Wikepedia definition about the color festival, — officially called Holi . What resonated with me was that one of it’s biggest customs “...is the loosening strictness of social structures, which normally include age, sex, status, and caste...Together, the rich and poor, women and men, enjoy each other’s presence on this joyous day. Additionally, Holi lowers the strictness of social norms. No one expects polite behavior; as a result, the atmosphere is filled with excitement and joy.”

How beautiful is that!?

It made me think about how much “expectations” can diminish the excitement and joy of our day to day life…Wanting and needing ourselves, others and circumstance to be a certain way so that we can feel safe, secure and happy. I know I’ve wasted more energy than I’ve gained with that approach.

I’m not saying we should abandon values and standards, but how often do we miss out on precious moments because we are focused on how things “should” be?

Did signing up for the Color Run motivate me as I had planned? Not in the way I expected.

Should I feel myself a failure as a result? I guess we’ll see. But at the moment, I am reminded that life has a way of unfolding that is often better than I plan or expect!

Perhaps, I signed up because I needed to learn about the meaning behind the Holi Festival. Or, perhaps it’s because my friend will need companionship when she walks 3 miles through her aches and pains.... Maybe it’s about being wiling to have bags of powdered color explode on me every kilometer...or, have loads of laughs…or support the Children’s Hospital in the area…  And, it could be that it is all of these things...

I’m guessing it’s less important that I know “why” I signed up, than getting out there and participating in my life and community...

I can’t wait to see what unfolds!

Who knows…maybe it will get me to start running again.

Whatever the case, I, once again, sense the most important aspect is the building of my spirit and sharing my path with you along the way!

How are your expectations limiting your experience of excitement and joy in life?

What have you planned on that turned out totally different…for the better?

What are you not participating in that may be a bit of a healthy stretch?

I look forward to hearing from you!

And as always, I’m in your corner…

Love,
Thais

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