Remember Your Blessings
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There are times in my life when I get frustrated with things not going my way. I let myself become stressed by trivial things. I brood, I pout, I retreat into myself and shut others out. I let myself only see the negative, living under a dark cloud that is of my own making. Sometimes just pulling myself out of bed in the morning takes an incredible effort. I can let depression pull me under and spiral out of control.
Then there are moments, rare but special, where I remember how truly blessed I am in life. I am married to a beautiful, smart, amazing woman who beyond all reason loves me just the same. I have an incredible, smart, funny and energetic son who just lights up my life. We have a roof over our head, food in our stomach, and clothes on our back. I drive my car, with over 180K miles and stories to last a lifetime, to my job each morning which provides the money and insurance to keep my family secure. We have health and happiness and more blessings (both small and big) than any one of us truly deserves.
In these moments I also remember the beauty I have been blessed to see in this world. I have explored inside the pyramids at Giza and sailed up the Nile river. I have hiked the Andes mountains to see the sunrise over Machu Picchu. I have swum with sea lions and have seen blue footed Boobies in the Galapagos Islands. I have experienced the peaceful feeling of exploring the temples of Angkor Wat at sunrise. I have shared a Sunday morning church service with locals in Fiji and snorkeled in the South Pacific. I have spent time with travel companions watching the sunset over a valley in Vietnam. I have swum on a secluded beach in Costa Rica, with monkeys dancing in the trees above and the love of my life by my side.
Sometimes I get frustrated with my life, that things are not going as I planned. But on those rare occasions, when I am lucky, I remember the beauty I have seen and the beautiful things I have yet to see and realize how truly blessed I really am.
So the next time you are feeling stressed by the small or even big things in your life, remember to take time to ponder all the good you have seen and all the good you have done, and remember that despite it all, this too shall pass and there are still many beautiful things in your life that are yet to come.
Hey Matt, i share the same feelings… at the moment I am trying to restart my goals of getting fit and healthy but my happiness is sometimes my biggest conquest. I am big on self hate, and I am my own worst critic but sometimes its good to remember the great things that have happened in your life and truly ponder the good. You are an inspiration to me, and would love you to check out my blog as I continue to grow and figure out myself: http://getfithappyhealthy.wordpress.com
Hey Megan. Thanks for checking out the site. I’m glad you were able to find some inspiration in today’s post. Thanks for sharing your blog as well…I’ll definitely check it out!
Hey Matt- I totally relate to this post. It’s so good to appreciate your blessings. We all get caught up in life and sometimes need to be reminded of just how lucky we truly are. I am blessed with the most supportive, loving, and trust worthy husband I could ever imagine. I have an incredible son- after years of oraying for a child, I was blessed with the best. My family is so incredibly kind and always there for me. As are my friends and fellow runners. I get paid to do what I am passionate about- literally chasing dreams. I am so lucky and blessed in life, thanks for reminding me of that today. -Kara
Kara thanks so much for sharing. It really is a blessing to be surrounded by supportive and loving family…and being a parent really multiplies those blessings 10 fold. You are definitely living the dream by chasing your dreams (and getting paid to do it)…a dream many runners share, including myself.
Best of luck in training and racing this year!