Focusing on what's good - Day 24 of running streak, Day 21 of Sugar Free Challenge*

Great run this morning!  Got in bed a little late after picking up the oldest kid from a concert, so I slept in an hour.  Not my best time, but my longest distance so far during the streak.

I remembered something interesting this morning from my previous times I ran.

Running gives you time by yourself, time to think about things.  That's good and bad.  Great thoughts pop into your mind, like the boys' soccer season getting started this past week.  I love it when that happens, my favorite time of year.

But then bad thoughts come in. Like bills to pay, and things that you have to do today that you don't want to.

I felt myself starting at a pretty decent pace this morning.  Thoughts were positive and happy.

Then I started thinking about bills and obligations, and I felt myself start to drag a little.  A lot.  I was, to use a word I hate, jogging.

And I remembered from before:  when I think positive or neutral thoughts, I tend to go at a quicker pace and feel better about my run.  When I'm thinking about difficult stuff, I slow down.

I've said many times that I'm not a fast runner.  I'm not trying to beat times out there, not at this point anyway.

But I am trying to go just a little farther every day, at a decent pace. 

We can't and shouldn't ignore unpleasant things.  We have to face them and deal with them as they come along.  Otherwise the stress can manifest itself in comfort eating, depression, alcoholism and/or drug addiction, smoking, or health problems.  Like heart disease.

We absolutely need to be responsible for ourselves.

But when we're doing something we love, or have really been looking forward to, we need to focus on what's good about what we're doing.  Sure we still have all those monsters waiting on us later.  But they can wait a little while longer while I read this book.  Or go running.  Or call a friend, or write in my blog.

When you do something for yourself, let your mind go.  Be in that moment.  Let yourself be.  It's a little treasure that you give yourself.

When I realized that I was thinking negatively, I simply let those thoughts go and didn't think about anything.  My running became more purposeful and I felt myself begin to move faster.

I ended the run at a quicker pace than my 1 mile pace.  No records broken, but my bad thought cycle was broken.  And they're only thoughts anyway, right?  Can't wait to see what happens today.

Today's run:  2.27 miles, verified by the Nike + running app.