A Short Run - Day 17 of running streak, day 14 of SFC*

I only ran a mile today.

There have been times in the past where I would have said, "Wow!  I ran a mile today!" Now, it's disappointing.

I know as the miles add up, I'll be having to throw these short runs in.  And my legs felt like lead today.  Didn't get enough sleep; late phone call from the daughter woke us up.  I couldn't get back to sleep for a while.  All is well, I was just restless.

Today's entry is about being tired but doing it anyway.

Another excuse that we give ourselves is "I don't feel like it today."

"I don't feel like running, or going to the gym."   "I don't feel like making another phone call at work."   "I just don't feel like cooking today."

Are you sick?  Are you tired? Are you physically unable?

"No.  I just don't feel like it."

This is the same as saying, "I'm okay with failing today.". Or, "My health/job/family just isn't that important to me." Worst one:  "It's okay for me to not take care of myself or others today."

If you're suffering from depression, please see a doctor or counselor.  I'm not making fun; I'm totally serious.  Because depression can make you feel like not doing anything, including living.

I didn't feel like running today.  But I did it anyway.  I felt obligated to myself to exercise, and I felt obligated to you to write about it.

Not feeling like doing something is just an excuse most of the time.  We're afraid to try, or we've had a bad day and just want to wallow.  Or we're mad about something.  Or 100 other stupid reasons.

Feelings are often a smoke screen for insecurities.  They often hide or distort reality.

So when you get a dose of the "I don't feel like its", recognize it for what it is.  Nothing.

It's nothing.  It's not sickness, injury, or depression.  We've covered those bases.

If it's nothing, then there's no reason to even think about it.  Just go do what you need to do.

I have had to battle "I don't feel like it" thousands and thousands of times.  It used to win every time.

Now I beat it almost every time.  You can too.

Go do what you want and need to do.  Get the most out of your day, your moments.  Go to bed tonight knowing that you were fully present today, that you wrung everything you could out of this day.

Now I've got to go do some things I don't feel like doing.

Today's run:  1.05 miles, verified by the Nike + running app.