The Gratitude Run

 I had an amazing experience last night.

Before I begin this post, I'd like to state that this is not a "boast post". This is not a "EVERYBODY COME SEE HOW GOOD I LOOK!". This is not a "I'm better than you, suckers!" post.

But last night, I went for a run.

Let me add - I enjoy running. I run and I enjoy it. But for the most part I usually find the actual running pretty tough. I try to run as often as I can - but it's never too far. When I (rarely) hit the 5km mark - I'm pretty chuffed.

So last night when Warr (who knows how good exercise is for my soul) was working late and messaged me to say I should go for a short run (his message read 3.9km exactly) I was all like "meh" but eventually laced up my shoes and dragged myself out the door.

Around the 3km mark - (and realising I only had 0.9km to go to reach "the goal") something inside me shifted. It was as if something in my mind said to me, "If Warren asks for a 3.9km run. Then that's what you should give him. In fact, you should always give him what he asks of you, and everything else you've got." 4kms came and went. 5kms came.

It could have been the new music playlist (or Warren's earphones that I'd swiped off the bedside table), but something felt different. And - strangely, not in my feet, not in my muscles, not in my legs, and not in my shoes. The difference was in my mind.

5.5kms came and 5.5kms went.

Something in my mind clicked over to the beat of the music and I began to think of all the things I am grateful for: I am grateful for my husband, I am grateful for this air on my face, I am grateful for this run, right now. And the list of gratefulness became a mantra:

I am grateful for the lighter evenings
I am grateful that it's getting warmer
I am grateful for my family
I am grateful for my father who is so loving and magnanimous
I am grateful for my mother for her strong mind and for being so caring
I am grateful for my brother  - for his witty chirps and his generous spirit
I am grateful that I am young
I am grateful that I am healthy
I am grateful that I get to wake up to my dream man every day
I am grateful for the talents that I have
I am grateful for my wit and my humour
I am grateful for the power in my legs that are carrying me through this run
I am grateful for a roof over my head
I am grateful for food to eat
I am grateful for a husband who believes in me through everything
I am grateful for having the most beautiful wedding
6kms
I am grateful for being able to pursue my dreams
I am grateful for yoga
I am grateful for meditation and the world it's opened for me
I am grateful for friends like Lulu who introduced me to yoga
I am grateful for friends like Bobbi who taught me to crochet
I am grateful for the success of The Photo Hunt
I am grateful for all my friends named Kerry, Kerry, Keri
I am grateful for being able to hear
I am grateful for the music in my ears
I am grateful for our trip to Tomorrowland
I am grateful for our trip home in two weeks
I am grateful for my parents coming to visit in June
I am grateful for our trip with them to Portugal
I am grateful to have such amazing parents-in-law who love me so much
I am grateful to have such amazing sisters-in-law
I am grateful to have such wonderful aunts and uncles
I am grateful to have such awesome nieces and nephews and cousins
7kms
I am grateful to have a man who treats me with nothing but love and respect
I am grateful to have dated someone who did not treat me very well - because it taught me a lot about myself
I am grateful for the growth I have seen in myself this year
I am grateful for puppies (I don't even own a puppy - what?)
I am grateful for my friend Angie who loves puppies
I am grateful for my friends Ings and Kristi who have recently lost their puppies :(
I am grateful for good books
I am grateful that I've stopped thinking about puppies
I am grateful for good literature, good poetry, good music
I am grateful for my blog and all the opportunities it has brought me
I am grateful for all the readers and people I have met through blogging
I am grateful to be able to make people laugh
I am grateful to be able to share my thoughts, words, pictures, cartoons with the world
I am grateful for all the things I have achieved in my life
8kms

At the 8km mark - I ran right passed our house.
Let me say that again  -
After 8 kilometres of running, I intentionally ran RIGHT PASSED our house.
Yes, my knees were screaming and my legs were tired, but my mind had so many more things to be grateful for - and - when your mind is happy - your body is too. So I kept running.

I am grateful that I am not in a wheelchair
I am grateful that I have legs that are strong and a heart that pumps blood
I am grateful for nature, for the things around us that we overlook every day
I am grateful for my husband and how hard he works for us
I am grateful for our future - and whatever lies ahead
I am grateful for weekends
I am grateful for any special time or ordinary time that we spend together
I am grateful for the love I have for him
I am grateful that we live right next to a beautiful park
I am grateful for my friends Shelly and Noo and how much I admire them
I am grateful that we live on the doorstep of one of the most vibrant cities in the world
I am grateful for all the cool places to go and the things to see and the stuff to do
I am grateful for the Summer time coming soon
I am grateful for our Sunday traditions
I am grateful for red wine and couch days
I am grateful for the way I was brought up
I am grateful for the school I went to
I am grateful that I went on an international exchange
I am grateful for all the traveling that I have done
I am grateful for all the experiences I have had
I am grateful that I am living my dream and for the husband who encourages me to pursue it
I am grateful for friendships
I am grateful for my family
I am grateful for love
I am grateful for Warren

I am grateful for life.

I will be honest with you - somewhere around the 7km mark - 

I noticed tears streaming down my face.
Not from my aching knees or my tired muscles - but from the complete overwhelming gratitude I have for being alive.

And it felt amazing.

(by "fastest 10km - it really means "pretty much the only 10km")

(and just so you know - this run was completely out the blue. I have not been "training" or on any special program or anything like that.)


What my newfound LOVE for yoga/meditation/gratitude is teaching me - is that the most powerful thing in your life - is your mind. And you have no idea how far it will take you, until you allow it to. And not in the way of, "YOU WILL RUN SEVENTY-THOUSAND-KILOMETRES-BECAUSE-I-SAID-SO" but rather, in being open, being accepting. Taking a step back, being calmer, being more peaceful - and simply letting your mind into that new gentle space and just letting it do it's thing.

So my challenge for you, if you would like it, 

is to let gratefulness be your running mantra and then
 Run until you run out of things to be grateful for.

and just see what happens

* * * * * 

And then I poured my soup directly on the counter

Because you can't win everything.

lol.

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!
any exciting plans?

x