This is not a post about running as a physical activity, running is a metaphor for the way in which our life unfolds. We can run the course of our life in different ways, we can run from something, we can run in circles, or we can run to something. These are different activities carried out with different mindsets that produce different outcomes.
Sometimes we run from something, we usually do this because there is an aspect of our life that we want to avoid. Perhaps we have a strong dislike or fear, or we may carry an old trauma with us. Running from something is a race of avoidance. We may be aware what we are running from, for example a caustic supervisor. But sometimes we may not even know what we are running from, for example a traumatic event that we have pushed away. When we run from something, the start line recedes in the distance, but we don’t reach a destination. In fact, we may not even know what the destination is.
At other times we run in circles. We may not be aware that we are doing this, this happened to Winnie the Pooh when he followed his circular track in the snow and was amazed that more and more tracks joined the track that he was on. We run in circles when we have repetitive behaviors that do not serve us. We might have recurring conflicts, relations that repeatedly fall apart, a habit of overwork that we cannot shake, or we may procrastinate and not finish what we have set out to do. And as we do so we may wonder whether this race will ever end.
When running towards something we know where we are heading. Even though we know our goal or destination, the movement may still be hard. We may feel uncomfortable doing something new, we may be tired or discouraged at times, the road may be lonely, but we have a vision and are heading toward a destination that we desire.
So what are you doing? Do you run from something, run in circles, or run towards something? If you are running from something or if your life runs in circles, are you aware of what is happening? Are you puzzled by the course that your life is taking? Does this behavior make you happy and does it fulfill you? If it does not, you could consider getting help, because it is often difficult to single-handedly break out of behavior that has become habitual.
Here are some other thoughts that both refer to the image. As I was running with my running buddy—not the burro—and described this newsletter, he asked me “what if you just like running?” He made a great point, we don’t always need to head for a destination. There is real value in doing something because we just enjoy doing it; being in the process and in the flow can be immensely rewarding. And here is a last question to ponder: are you running alone or are you part of a team? Some races are best run alone, while some roads are best traversed in the company of others.