Get Empowered

I have a confession to make. I have been cheating on my Origins novel series by spending a decent chunk of my free time this year training for a triathlon, which I ran this last Sunday on Father’s Day. I bring this up not to brag, though I am very proud that I did it, but more as a public service announcement.

At the risk of sounding like a self-help guru, stepping out of your comfort zone to do something you think is impossible is VERY empowering; life altering even. In recent years there have been numerous friends of mine whose lives have basically come crashing down around them: divorce, death of a child, death of a parent or friend, recent empty nesters, terminal illness diagnosis, obesity, and so on. Each of these resulted in very real bouts of depression for these friends of mine until they made the powerful choice to get their mind off of things and challenge themselves.

For some it was training for a 5K run/walk. Others it was a half or full marathon (lots of people just walk them you know). I am an avid runner so for me, after my father passed away, it was training for a triathlon. In the beginning I could not swim more than 50 feet and had not ridden a bike in over 15 years. I had no business thinking in 4 months time I could swim 500 meters, ride 21 miles and run 5 miles all back to back.

I didn’t win of course, but it’s not about taking first place, or even last place. It’s about the process. It’s about dealing with situations that are beyond your control by doing something you can control. You can go and prove to yourself that the impossible is possible. Every bit of anger, frustration, or sadness you have buried inside can come out in those training walks or runs or rides.

If you want to really be inspired, watch a YouTube video showing the end of an IronMan race. Skip the professionals finishing in 8 or 9 hours and watch the people crossing the line just before midnight, when the course closes. See the elation of finishing a task previously deemed impossible and the affect it has on everyday people like you and me (have some tissues handy).

That’s it; climbing down off my soapbox now - only to sign up for the next triathlon though, because last Sunday was one of the greatest days of my life.