Talking about the cleansing act, I realized another activity that acts as a great cleanser for me. It is the act of running. I love to run. The challenge I have is I can never find a good time to run. Now this might seem like an excuse and as I hear it myself it does sound like an excuse. But the reality is that on any given working day I have anywhere between two hours at night and 15 minutes in the morning that are purely mine. I am not complaining. I am blessed to have a child in my life that takes on a lot of hours. And I’m also aware that as this child grows up she will need little of me. With that said the act of running is one of my favorite cleansers. I often reach peak performance in running alongside a peak state of awareness. I sometimes feel that what people get out of meditation, I get out of running.

I don’t run to achieve a goal of a certain weight or a certain dimension. I run to achieve that state of mind where abstract thoughts form into plans and goals. I begin to visualize that which has been a thought. This state of mind is addictive. I don’t achieve it every time I run. But the times that I do, I feel grateful.

In 2020 I ran quite a lot in comparison to the year before, but not enough. My favorite song while running was Alicia Keys Underdog. It’s a great song that resonates really well with me. I often feel like I need an anthem to run to. One Day by Matisyahu was a favorite for a while before this.

What I learned about running in 2020 was that even 20 minutes is better than none. And taking those 20 minutes structures my morning in a better way. I also learnt that I don’t need the most perfect conditions to exist in order to change in to my running clothes. I just need the right attitude.

Ironically it is that state of mind with that attitude that is the gateway to my desired state of mind, the one that is addictive. And to fall into this rhythm, you need to love yourself enough. Just enough to distance yourself from what you ought to do, to do what you want to do in those 20 minutes.

Running helps me love myself. And I need to love myself a lot more in 2021 than I have ever done.

On to my next run !