How Far We've Come

I am a big fan of reflection.  By this point you could probably tell by my “lifestyle blog” that has become more of a reflective and hopefully inspirational/motivational blog.

I was on a jog/walk/mosey one day when I was feeling really inadequate to be able to run a marathon this coming December. I was struggling at about mile 4 and desperately trying to wrap my head around being able to complete 26.2 miles.

Then randomly Matchbox 20 started playing in my head. 

“Let’s see how far we’ve come.

Let’s see how far we’ve come.” *

My long distance running dreams began even before I met my marathon running husband.  I have never liked to run.  I think my motivation came from being able to say that I had completed long distance runs.  In the beginning, I couldn’t imagine doing 5 miles on a “short run” day.  The thought of 13.1 seemed completely unfathomable and 26.2 felt slightly more tangible in an odd way like in school when 20 minutes seemed like it would pass more quickly than 15. 

On the days where you feel super overwhelmed and underprepared – take a minute and review your history.  It may be relationship history, work history, parenting history, etc.  Skip over the bad times for a few minutes and focus on the positive.  

How have you grown in this area over the months or years?  

Do you know more now than you did at the beginning?  

Would you consider yourself more experienced?  

Do you know how to handle situations now that you had no idea how to handle in the past? 

LOOK HOW FAR YOU’VE COME!

It takes a lot of steps to complete a marathon.  When I am training and struggling to keep running, I remind myself that every single step I take I am closer to the finish than I have ever been before.  At times the process is slow (especially the first few miles), but it seems the closer I get to that goal, the miles start to pass a little more quickly.  By the later miles, your body starts to tire and your mind becomes your muscle.  It is in those miles that your mind reminds you of your training.  Your mind reflects on how far you have come focusing on where you were in the beginning and where you are now.  In the future you may be even more prepared for those miles, but right now you are more prepared than you have ever been before.

Yes, you still have many miles left, but look how far you’ve come!

Keep going!

Buzz Ya Later,

Whit

*This may/may not have been the message that Matchbox 20 was trying to deliver in their song, but it’s what I took from it. :)