Sunday, October 30, 2011

Attitude Determines Altitude

When you wake up in the morning what are your first thoughts? Do you groan, roll over, and just pray for more sleep? Do you jump out of bed, embracing the new day and all of it's opportunities and sing "Oh what a Beautiful Morning" to your children as you throw open their bedroom doors? (Oh wait, no one on earth does that other than my father????) Or is it a mixture? Do you groan, roll over, and then think of everything you have to do and calculate the time needed to do them? I'm normally in the latter of those camps. Once I'm awake, I can pray, wish, and try for more sleep but the list that is constantly running and being revised and reviewed in my mind is on auto-start and there's no turning it off. In fact, as my mind goes through this mental list, I begin getting exhausted just thinking about getting it all completed. Today was quite refreshing. I woke up and there was only one thing on my mental to do list. I have added a few more since getting up, but to only have one thought of something to do for the day upon waking up was good. My thought was, "I bet we have time to go to the gym today." That may seem like an odd thought to have upon waking up, but I can't help what my first thoughts are...they just are there....that's all.

I'm excited because I've started running again. I know that I have mentioned my issues with running, the mental block I have had about it in past posts. It has taken some time to believe that yes, I can do this. When I first start running, I always think that death is fast approaching, but as I get into my stride (about 5 minutes in) I feel like I can take on anything. When I finish the run I feel like I've climbed Mt Everest. It's an amazing and wonderful feeling. Not to mention, the health and diet benefits that it offers.

It's fall in Michigan. We had our first hard frost yesterday and this morning it was 26 degrees when I woke. This will be my fourth winter here and I can honestly say, that even though there are reports of it being even more bitterly cold this year and that there will be more snow than usual, I'm not dreading it as I have every other year. I'm accepting it as part of what life here is all about. Every other year I have sunk into a depression as summer has faded and fall has quickly moved into winter. This year I'm feeling much better about it and for that I'm grateful.

I've noticed that my attitude truly does determine what I accomplish. Today, I'm going to run and feel as if I've reached the apex of Mt. Everest. And I will embrace this beautiful fall day and enjoy it's beauty and let tomorrow (winter) worry about itself. Attitude determines altitude whether it be 45 minutes on the treadmill or a positive outlook toward winter.

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