Last night I ran in the dark, through a forest. No street lights, no moonlight, just my feet navigating a rather soggy, uneven path. It was hard to see the way ahead, and there were potential hazards all around – fallen branches, puddles, pot holes, werewolves and vampires. Sometimes our imagination runs ahead of us faster than we do.
Is your life sometimes like that? Maybe this describes an average day at work. Low visibility and high uncertainty. Unpredictable threats and dangers. The risk of losing your way and falling into a ditch. Maybe a few scary monsters.
Perhaps it’s your unreasonable boss, impossible deadlines, an unpredictable colleague or partner, the risk of losing our job, or your sanity. You feel stressed, tired and miserable, and you just can’t see a way ahead.
How do we respond? Maybe we decide to stop and turn back. The challenge is too hard, it’s time to escape. Maybe we freeze, shut down, give up. More likely, we simply try to run faster and get it over with more quickly. Either way, it can be a lonely and stressful existence.
So, here’s the truth. I very much enjoyed my run last night. I wasn’t scared. I didn’t freeze, get lost, fall over, turn back or get eaten!
Three reasons:-
1. I ran with friends – we watched out for each other, warned of puddles and provided mutual encouragement. We slowed down when one of us was struggling. Between us, we worked out the way home.
If you are struggling, don’t turn in on yourself, don’t feel the need to be a hero. Find some trusted friends to go with.
2. We wore lights – those bright new LED lights, which we had remembered to charge up. We could see a few meters ahead at least and circumvent the immediate hazards.
Life is like the weather – variable and unpredictable. Don’t expect to be able to see miles ahead. But get sufficient illumination, and don’t have your head down so much that you cant see what’s in front of you. One meter at a time. One day at a time.
3. We ran at a comfortable pace. We didn’t set out to break records or win prizes. We set out to enjoy the run.
If we are busy and stressed, the temptation is to try to speed up. The faster we go the sooner we will get there. Well yes, so long as we don’t trip up, take the wrong turn or collapse with exhaustion . . .
Take your time, it’s a run, not a race.
Half way round, in an open field we stopped, exhilarated after a smooth downhill stretch. We watched as our breath condensed into the cold air. Looking around we could see the lights of the road, the expanse of fields, the silhouette of a folly on the hill, the shifting clouds and even the glimmer of a few stars.
If we stop and breathe, look around, and look up, we can see quite a long way and everything falls into perspective.
The last stretch was alongside a road on a wide, even pavement. It was uphill and we were tired. But it’s always easier when the end is in sight. We were amongst friends, and we were on our way home.
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Last night I ran in the dark, through a forest. No street lights, no moonlight, just my feet navigating a rather soggy, uneven path. It was hard to see the way ahead, and there were potential hazards all around – fallen branches, puddles, pot holes, werewolves and vampires. Sometimes our imagination runs ahead of us faster than we do.
Is your life sometimes like that? Maybe this describes an average day at work. Low visibility and high uncertainty. Unpredictable threats and dangers. The risk of losing your way and falling into a ditch. Maybe a few scary monsters.
Perhaps it’s your unreasonable boss, impossible deadlines, an unpredictable colleague or partner, the risk of losing our job, or your sanity. You feel stressed, tired and miserable, and you just can’t see a way ahead.
How do we respond? Maybe we decide to stop and turn back. The challenge is too hard, it’s time to escape. Maybe we freeze, shut down, give up. More likely, we simply try to run faster and get it over with more quickly. Either way, it can be a lonely and stressful existence.
So, here’s the truth. I very much enjoyed my run last night. I wasn’t scared. I didn’t freeze, get lost, fall over, turn back or get eaten!
Three reasons:-
1. I ran with friends – we watched out for each other, warned of puddles and provided mutual encouragement. We slowed down when one of us was struggling. Between us, we worked out the way home.
If you are struggling, don’t turn in on yourself, don’t feel the need to be a hero. Find some trusted friends to go with.
2. We wore lights – those bright new LED lights, which we had remembered to charge up. We could see a few meters ahead at least and circumvent the immediate hazards.
Life is like the weather – variable and unpredictable. Don’t expect to be able to see miles ahead. But get sufficient illumination, and don’t have your head down so much that you cant see what’s in front of you. One meter at a time. One day at a time.
3. We ran at a comfortable pace. We didn’t set out to break records or win prizes. We set out to enjoy the run.
If we are busy and stressed, the temptation is to try to speed up. The faster we go the sooner we will get there. Well yes, so long as we don’t trip up, take the wrong turn or collapse with exhaustion . . .
Take your time, it’s a run, not a race.
Half way round, in an open field we stopped, exhilarated after a smooth downhill stretch. We watched as our breath condensed into the cold air. Looking around we could see the lights of the road, the expanse of fields, the silhouette of a folly on the hill, the shifting clouds and even the glimmer of a few stars.
If we stop and breathe, look around, and look up, we can see quite a long way and everything falls into perspective.
The last stretch was alongside a road on a wide, even pavement. It was uphill and we were tired. But it’s always easier when the end is in sight. We were amongst friends, and we were on our way home.
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Unwrapping The World 