What used to define you, that doesn’t anymore?

This is a growth question.  It’s a question that we can use to look back and think about the events, people, attitudes or weaknesses that for a time we let define us.   Then we can think about how we changed and be thankful for growth! What used to define you, that doesn’t anymore? Define means how you describe yourself.  Is there a way that you used to describe yourself that you don’t use anymore?   What does the change in the way that you describe yourself tell you about your growth? What does it tell you about your journey?   What does it tell you about your priorities?  “As long as we define ourselves by our pain and our problems, we will never be free of them.” -Eckhart Tolle I ran my first marathon in 2001.  Prior to training to run that 26.2 miles I had only run 2 miles (if that) at one time.  I defined myself very clearly as “not a runner.”  It wasn’t just me, my lack of athletic ability was well documented and acknowledged growing up in a small town where athletics were a major part of what defined success.  Sure I could write things that made people laugh or be recognized as a leader, but could I play basketball? (No, a definite and strong no!) It’s only been in the past couple of years that I started to define myself as a runner.  I realized after I ran my second marathon in 2016 that, someone who has run two marathons and 24 half-marathons is probably, by every definition of the word, a runner.   It is silly really, but how I let myself be defined in high school as “not an athlete” followed me and subconsciously defined me for years, even when my actions clearly showed that I was in fact (gasp!) athletic.  In 2016 when I finally owned that after running pretty consistently for the better part of 15 years, covering hundreds, probably thousands of miles, wearing out more running shoes that I can count that I AM A RUNNER, not a lot changed. BUT a few subtle things did shift. Instead of apologizing, or downplaying the practice and act of running in my life, I owned it.  The result of that was when I started calling myself and owning my “running” running became less of a chore and more of a joy.   I ran out of obligation for years. The past three years I have run most days because I am a runner and runners run. The energy of running shifted for me; from exercise for exercise sake and something that I “should do” to something that I do because it’s part of who I am and I enjoy it.   What used to define you that doesn’t define you now? There is power in the definitions that we hold.  What do you define yourself as, or not as, that you could look at? What might change for you if you change how you define or describe yourself, your skills, abilities or talents?   “Regardless, the way we define or see ourselves informs what we do and how we do it.  We define ourselves by the best that is in us, not the worst that has been done to us.”  Edward B. Lewis Enter your email to subscribe– It’s only ever used to notify you of new questions from The Art of Powering Down.

The post What used to define you, that doesn’t anymore? appeared first on The art of powering down.