Running in the rain!
Yesterday I went for a run in the pouring rain!
In the past I’d have used the weather as an excuse not to run, I mean, who wants to knowingly get drenched first thing in the morning as a way to start their day?
In the last few years though I’ve changed. I’ve noticed how much thoughts about something impact my experience of it.
‘Ugh, it’s raining, I can’t run in that’ ‘If I run in the rain, I’ll be miserable’ ‘I can’t believe it’s raining again, I hate it’ etc.
Thoughts really affect my emotions (despair, dread, disappointment, frustration) and my actions (not running) and those actions in turn impact my emotions again (guilt, stress, regret). That’s a cycle of events that’s most definitely not the best way to start my day!
Mindfulness has helped me to notice those thoughts for what they are – thoughts, the stories I tell myself about what’s going on. There’s always another perspective and other stories to tell instead.
So now, when I’ve planned on running and the rain is pouring, I still run. Those thoughts will still pop in my head but instead of believing them, letting them define what I do, I simply notice them, let them be and when I can, let them go. By noticing the thoughts and pausing, instead of reacting automatically, I have learnt to take action that helps me to connect and engage with my life in a way that’s better for me.
Yesterday’s run was one of the best I’ve had! Yes, it was uncomfortable running in wet clothes and shoes, but when I allowed that discomfort to be there instead of bracing against it, my tension fell away, and my enjoyment increased. It felt liberating and freeing! I still, at times, tensed up again, shoulders raised, brow furrowed, jaw clenched, but when I noticed that I softened my body, allowed the rain to hit me, and again I felt a boost and a joy for the run.
It was also a perfect reminder about noticing what we can control in life (our response to the weather and the actions we take) and what we can’t control (the weather).
When we focus on the things we have some control over, instead of spending most of our time in despair at the things we can’t, then we are more likely to take positive action to move forward in whatever way helps us to achieve what we want to, whether that’s running in the rain, succeeding in meeting a goal in work or finding a solution to a problem we’re facing. The benefits are huge!
