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Running side by side friend.
Run the Hill by guest blogger Michele Risser
Run the hill is a phrase I use when things get hard. Run the hill is focus. Run the hill is determination. Run the hill is tenacity, strength and endurance. Running the hill is the thing you have to do to become a better runner.
On a long stretch of highway you can see the hill, ahead in the distance waiting for your arrival. There are certain things you must do as you approach it. You must unclench your fists and relax your shoulders. You must straighten your back and expand your chest. You must raise your head. Most importantly, you must turn up your music.
Stay focused.
As you begin the ascent, you must find a point just ahead of you to become your mini goal. It may be a crack in the road, a sign or a post, a tree or a flower. All you aim for is that next little goal. It is very important not to look, glance at, or focus on the top of the hill, it is overwhelming.
You must stay focused on your mini goal until you pass it and then hone in on the next crack, tree, post or flower until again you must select a new one.
As your music keeps your pace, as your eyes look forward, as your chest expands to receive oxygen and your head is held up to supply that oxygen, you begin to realize you are running the hill. Little by little, breath by breath, one leg and then the other stepping up, up, up. You are running the hill.
Jumping over obstacles.
Those things in life which are the hardest to do are the things we must do. They make us stronger, more patient, compassionate, they improve us.
They give us the experiences in life which require focus, determination, tenacity and perseverance.
Doing hard things helps us to grow. At times those hard things may seem overwhelming and so you set a mini-goal.
Perhaps solving one problem at a time, improving a fault little by little, mending a relationship, gaining knowledge, overcoming pain, hurt, anger, depression or addiction. One hour at a time, one day at a time, one lesson at a time, one achievement at a time.
Triumph
When you reach the crest of a hill and you know within a minute you are will be at the top, you must push with that one last burst of energy that is hidden deep inside of you, but is always there.
For a brief second, just an instant, you are able to see the view from the top of the hill. The view is glorious, spectacular, breath taking and not because of what you may see, but because of what you feel ~ your moment of triumph.
You will feel your strength, your determination, tenacity and endurance, all of the those characteristics that helped get you to the top of the hill.
You can do it. I believe in you.
Then, you begin to run, down, down. No longer is a mini goal needed. Your breath begins to relax, no need to concentrate on the song to keep pace.
For a moment you have a repose, a rest from the intensity of pushing yourself, from doing something physically and mentally challenging.
Even though you know that there will always be another hill, you immerse yourself in the glory of running without effort. You feel light, you are floating, you are free from the burden of climbing the hill and all you can do is look in wonder and gratitude at what is around you.
You feel like you can fly.
Becoming a stronger you.
We cannot avoid running the hill, we must run it when it is there before us. We must not be discouraged if it not our best run, or our strongest, or fastest or our most successful. Running the hill will be different every time, because all hills are different. The constant lies in us and the tools we use from experience, to make the run bearable, to finish. Remember that each time you run the hill, you become a stronger you.
Run the hill, run the hill, run the hill. It is what I repeat over and over in my mind as I make the climb, both in running and in life.
If you’d like more information about Michele and running you can leave a message here below, contact her on twitter, or contact her on facebook.
To blog or not to blog? That is my silly question.
Before even publishing a blog I had in mind what I what I thought a cool blog would be like. I think the first time I had ever even read was one that seemed like a Portland Oregon Taxi Driver Conversations blog. I thought, I bet that’s interesting or funny and it was.
I don’t have the link. It was like six years ago.
Then, I thought about what I liked in a blog. I thought, I want to make sure it has an order, chronological, or whatever, and a coolish design. I mean easy on the eye.
I thought one of the most important things on a blog was a place that people could comment.
Then, I thought, Gosh, if I were to ever publish a blog, I want a bunch of those comments that you see on the back of the book. You do know what I am talking about, right? Like when you read Best Book Ever or I just couldn’t put it down.
Or
Five times on the NY Times Best Seller List.
I’m not sure if it is true or not but I’m quite certain that that last comment is on every book out there. At least it seems to me it is.
In my humble opinion, a good blog should have a nice design, easy user interaction by means of comments and easy navigation.
I’m not so certain if it should have self promoting comments like the ones I have in my right side bar that I hear I should update now and again.
To blog or not to blog?
A positive aspect of blogging is having a creative outlet to share my thoughts that people can comment on.
A negative aspect of blogging is having a creative outlet to share my thoughts that people can comment on.
That begs the question if it’s good idea to have a blog. I know I love reading about people’s lives around the world and have become friends with many bloggers.
My eyes have been open to friends’ lives in New York, in Seattle, in Japan, in Singapore, basically, EVERYWHERE there is internet.
Figure it out. If you can't just figure it out, then figure it out.
Bloggers are the friendliest community I’ve ever hung out with. They are sort of like computer hacks in my opinion in a little way because you have to understand some basics like how to type and how to do some silly coding stuff called widgets and things and html. Fun fun stuff. I actually love it.
Bloggers are also super great at helping each other, like when we exchange ways of adding links known as a blog roll, or graphics, or recipes. You know, exchanging information. I remember one nice lady who helped me out with my five tabs I have at the top of my blog. Just ask, they say.
I will never forget the kindness of people who have sent me gifts and encouraged me. That’s just way too nice. Thank you again if I haven’t said it lately. I also got so many nice REAL Christmas cards too saying things like thank you for giving me a glimpse into your life in Italy. That’s encouraging.
Then of course, my facebook account got totally out of hand. I accepted friend requests from all kinds of friends. When I had like only 100 friends on facebook I remember looking at people who had like 500 friends and thinking, wow, how could they know all of those people?
In fact, I even wrote a friend and asked, How do you know all of those people?
The reply I got back was I just do.
Ha ha.
Ask a silly question, get the answer.
I used to love sharing pictures. Now I just like feel like wow, everyone can see my pictures. But the problem is that I want to share pictures but not all the time. I want to share pictures when I feel like it and not all pictures with everybody.
Also, once I add a friend I feel guilty removing them. I think, well, I could just leave that persons picture on my account. What difference could it make? Then I think, you don’t know that person. Just remove them. Then I think, well, what if I hurt someone’s feelings. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
Then I think of the brave friends who have just deleted their entire accounts. It’s kind of like stopping smoking I’d imagine if I smoked. I don’t.
Then there are the true friends who I couldn’t live without having in my facebook account. I get excited and happy when I see your lives, when you joke with me, when you like my silly quotes, when you share a link, when you tell stories about your lives. I like that.
What’s your take?
1. What do you think are the aspects of a good blog?
2. Is it quality writing, quantity writing or both?
3. Do you like more pictures, less pictures, or something in the middle?
4. If you have a blog, what kinds of things do you like to write about?
5. Have you ever deleted your facebook account? Are you glad you did?
6. What do you think about people who have way too many friends on facebook? Do you think that is just getting out of hand, like an unkept closet?
Thanks for leaving your comments. You know I love them.
Hope this post reaches you with love, luck and happiness.
Julie
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