Last summer, without getting into messy specifics, I found my world turned upside down. Or, more accurately, I chose to turn my world upside down. Unfortunately, knowing I had done what would ultimately be best for me didn’t make transitioning into my new day-to-day any easier. Fortunately, my oh-so-wise sister had just found a new meditation app (called Calm) and strongly suggested I try it. Initially, I resisted. Then, after acknowledging I did indeed want to improve my life, I indulged her.
I’ve always known meditation offers a host of amazing benefits, but it’s never felt like a priority. Every time I decided to give it a go in the past, I’d do it for two or three days, and then stop. But something about this app made it easy to stick with, and I’ve been a devoted fan ever since.
Within days I felt a shift toward more positive thinking. Within a few weeks, I began noticing a renewed interest in creative projects I had given up years before. Life began to feel more exciting and joyful than it had in over a decade. And just when I thought the benefits couldn’t get any better, I caught a glimpse of what meditation could do for my mental game. One hour into a 10-hour road trip, with nothing but sagebrush and a straight stretch of road to look forward to, I actually felt eager to take on the monotonous challenge. There was always something on the horizon to move toward, and I felt calm knowing that if I just kept breathing and staying relaxed, getting there would be no big deal.
Then, wonder of wonders, I caught meditation similarly impacting my runs. Cold feet? Tired legs? Just about anything that didn’t signal an injury or serious problem was no longer a big deal. If I just kept breathing and moving, I’d ultimately get to where I was going. That’s not to say that all runs suddenly became easy, but the more challenging ones certainly felt more manageable.
Things got even cooler when I realized how meditation was affecting my stretching. (That’s right, stretching – every runner’s favorite pastime.) On a day when my muscles felt about as pliable as cement, I stayed with a stretch instead of coming out of it. Realizing that wasn’t normal for me, I questioned why, on this day, things were different. That’s when I realized that under the random thoughts in my head, there was an inner dialogue running that kept repeating, “Just relax and breathe – the muscles will release…” And weirdly, they did.
As someone who isn’t terribly new-age-y, it was an odd moment; however, it was also the most in tune I’ve ever felt with my body. Not a bad return on investment for 15 minutes a day of quiet time…