Brand Director at Scott Auto Group | Customer Experience, Brand Builder, Marketer, Strategist, Organizational Culture
Run hills! Or hike them. Or walk them. However you do it, find some hills and CLIMB 'em with a speed that leaves you utterly breathless at the crest. Then pause at the top, look up at the expansive sky, SMILE, and say, "Well done. Really, really well done!" Say it out loud! Say it until you feel calmness, and maybe joy enters your being. 😌 * * * * * * That's how I took on epilepsy. You see, sometimes, our efforts to help our son didn't work at all, and despair would creep into my thoughts. I knew that allowing distress to linger would be a huge disadvantage to our son. He didn't have time for me to wallow or feel sorry for us, so I'd lace up and head out my front door for a run. That's what I could do at that moment. One step in front of the other. And repeat. Left. Right. Breathe. Left. Right. Breathe. That's how I endured those formidable days. I'd start down the street teary-eyed, with a tightness in my chest and a brain jumbled with complicated thoughts. I wanted to run. away. Away from the circumstances. Away from myself, outrun my feelings … helpless. sad. overwhelmed. inadequate. unprepared. frustrated. powerless. frightened. lonely. exhausted. But mostly exhausted by the constant battle (in between my ears) with fear, negativity, or other people's opinions. The leisurely macadam walking path wasn't gonna cut it in those instances. I needed hills. Steep ones. My logic… I found it nearly impossible to sob and run a hill, so I'd route myself through the neighborhood to the doozy climbs. Why? Because I had to train my emotions and my response to very difficult circumstances. My son depended on it. That's why. Made perfect sense to me… Was I gonna get the hill done, push past my stinging eyes and heavy heart, and conquer it, despite myself? Could I get out of my head and get the necessary work accomplished? Handle what was in front of me? Or was I gonna allow myself to fall apart and bonk...Catastrophizing the future instead of dealing with the NOW, the hill in front of me. Staying in this moment, remaining in THIS day. Training. For emotional control. Training. To grab a win. I needed to mentally swap out my opponent. I swapped epilepsy for hills. 🥊 Some of those hills beat me up and nearly killed me, except they didn't. Cause here I am. Still running hills! 😁 So, whatever you may be going through professionally or personally, I wanted to share my story. Find some hills and start climbing. Sometimes, it's the right move to swap out one opponent for another so you can GET a WIN… Get in those wins! Reach a crest. Overcome. And congratulate yourself out loud and often. 🏆 Mostly KEEP GOING! 🏃♀️ And remember that today is a gift. 🎁 Because it most certainly is. 🕊️
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Yes yes and more F-ing yes
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I run for many of the same reasons - it is significantly more mental for me than physical and where I find my time to take on the biggest challenges, create my best ideas, and move through life with the most grace I can. I hope we can get together for a run one day! Looking forward to running with you this year in our Engage Women group!
Love it!
You continue to amaze and surprise me. Keep it up Jean Reitelbach!
Such a gift of a post!!! KEEP GOING. Love it 💗 you’re such an inspiration!
I love this so much! Thank you for sharing your story. I remember those days! And look at you all now. Amazing. xo
Love this Jean you are a true inspiration ! Love the way you break it down.
Unlocking hidden Profits in Parts Departments | NADA Speaker | Podcast Host: Trailblaze Your Path & The Parts Management Podcast | Passionate about Creativity, Organization & Branding
1moI am inspired by you! I remember you sharing this story with me. This is exactly why I started running, for the mental release. Although, I listen to rage against machine and tool. Am I releasing anger? 🤷🏼♀️ either way it helps.