ultrarunningmom

We all have unexpected things happen in our lives. It’s just the way the world works. Unexpected things are not always negative. They can be full of joy and excitement too. We just don’t hear about the positive ones as often as the negative. 

It’s easy to take the things in our lives, that are going well, for granted and that position begins an easy slid down the mountain. One that’s so fast, we can’t slow down to cherish the unexpected positive things that happen in our lives, let alone the day to day “mundane” gifts. 

When things are going really well for us and everything is falling into place, an unexpected bump can seem an insurmountable mountain. Even when we’ve overcome more difficult things in the past. We forget our successes and our strengths so easily. 

We stop and take a good long look at the negative, many times we pick them up and permanently attach them to ourselves. But we speed past the positive? If we think about it from the point of evolution, since it seems to be woven so deep within us to be instinctual, I can see some value in slowing for the negative. You want to notice dangers in your environment, if you intend to survive. The slowing isn’t the core of the problem. It’s the counter effect that we should all be concerned about because like imbalances in opposing muscles and tendons, this imbalance also leads to a self imposed injury cycle. 

As an ultra runner I’m very aware of the impact my mental state can have on a race. It can mean failure.  I know when things get tough, and they will, I have to hold onto the memories of me being strong. I have to conjure the images of the sun rising from behind the peaks sending its rays through the rustling leaves to warm my skin. I have to believe things will get better and the key to that belief is slowing down enough to notice the positive things in our lives. 

Don’t leave the positive things behind; not even the little ones. Positive memories, images and experiences are not only weightless, they can carry you into the finish line. 

Think about how our perspective would change if we could reverse the notice the negative-forget the positive response.