On Sunday, I was in a really bad mood. I couldn't think of anything I wanted to do at all. So, I thought to myself: what is the best way to deal with this? I thought, it would be nice to go for a run.
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I haven't been running in a really long time - over 6 months. My knee issues took all the fun out of it. But on Sunday, it felt like the right thing to do, so I did it. I left my gadgets, except my music, behind. No HRM. No timer to measure my walking and running intervals. No plotted route.
It was hard and uncomfortable. I felt like my heart was coming out of my chest, my stomach was exploding, and my skin was so itchy. But, it felt good to sweat out all that bad mood.
I just ran until it was too much and then walked until I felt like I could run again. I ran down which ever street looked interesting. I made my way back home.
It was a very different experience listening to my body rather than pushing it one way or another because my training plan says so. Or because the treadmill speed says so. Or because my watch says so.
The more I thought about the difference in the experience, the more it became clear how "measurement" thinking is prevalent throughout our lives.
Grades/Test Scores vs. Real Learning
Resume vs. Capability
Home Size/Price vs. Home Character/Function (who needs all that space anyway!)
All those measurements become just a way to compare yourself to the Joneses or to stress out about.
In my own life I have stressed so much on my numbers:
Scale Weight vs. How I Feel in My Skin
Calories/points/grams vs. Fullness or Taste
Miles/Minutes/Calories Burned vs. the Feeling of Movement
Clothing Size vs. How the Clothing Looks
Even though numbers can be important, if you fill your life with them to the point that you can't see or feel life itself, then there is a problem. Sometimes you just have to get out of your head and take things as they are - no over-thinking required.
5 comments:
agreed, on all points! i was just thinking today how many times i've squeezed into a size only to leave the house looking horrible, instead of wearing clothes that fit. i was/am so desperately hung up over numbers. same goes for the scale. i'm working on it, that's all i can say for now!
and i love your comparison of weight-related numbers to "capability" numbers. they have been an equally distressing part of my life.
I spent way too many years being plagued by measurement thinking - in everything from my weight to my grades. You're so right that while numbers/measurements can be useful at times, it's all too easy to let them take over. Great reminder to live life by the way it FEELS rather than by the way it adds up. :)
Thank you both so much for your comments! :)
I think this goes hand in hand with living in the moment and enjoying life as it is - and not stressing out about comparing, etc.
I just found your blog and this is a really great post. I really like calories vs. fullness/taste; clothing size vs.how clothing looks, etc. I struggled with many of these things for many years--"measuring" takes so much away from actually living :)
Samantha - thank you!! It can be so hard because there is something about numbers that just sticks in our brains - but in reality - it doesn't even matter! :)
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