I had the opportunity recently to take some time away from my everyday for a little R and R. I made a few local trips last year but none that weren't related to a show, and none for me. So, this was the first time I had actually gotten out in over a year. I decided earlier in the year that this was necessary and one day just booked a trip. I saw a few ticket prices to Miami and I have never been to Florida. Those that know me know that Miami is not really my speed for 'relaxing', so I booked the trip instead, to Ft Lauderdale with the thinking that if I wanted to get into something crazy, I would take the short drive to Miami. The trip came faster than I knew but immediately after my first show of the year, so I was excited to be able to get away.
During this time, relaxing was the main thing but I also wanted to reflect on things in my life, where I was, and just reset emotionally, mentally, etc. There were two main things I wanted to share that left the most impact on me during those few days.
THE SUN RISES for EVERYONE
I went running every morning on the beach before breakfast. There was one morning I went to the beach right across the street from my hotel. Another morning, I biked further south, at least 5-7 miles first, before I began my run. When I entered the beach in both instances, the sun looked the same. It was centered in the background shining on the long expansion of sand to my left and right. I know how the universe works, but for some reason, I was expecting it to be further up or out of my view because I had moved further along the beach. lol.
Sometimes, we get hung up on feeling badly because we don't have what we need or we don't think we have enough. Most of the time we have what we need. We just decide to 'sleep in' and with your hustle from day to day, you miss the basic things that are always there for you. Take the time to reflect on the quiet and the people, friends, family, situations, etc that have always been there for you. The people and situations that are your rock don't usually change, because they ARE consistent. Don't establish your base with people or things that don't have roots. When you need to come back to them, they need to be there, unconditionally and ready to rejuvenate you. Choose who falls into this bucket wisely.
LETTING GO does not mean GIVING UP
I love being outdoors, and I love the sun. I can put good use into a pair of sneakers when the weather is right. Last summer, I bought my first pair of Brooks, which is a really great brand of running shoe. I did an impulse purchase actually, because I was supposed to go to boot camp outdoors with one of my trainers, and I forgot to pack my sneakers. I stopped off at the first running store I found but it was a great store. They tested my running pattern on a treadmill to determine which sneaker would work best. I found that I have a neutral gait but apparently a choosy color selection because every color I chose, they did not have. lol. So, LITERALLY 7 pairs later, I found a color I could wear every day.
Now, you are supposed to change out your sneakers almost as often as you change your oil in your car depending on how much you run. Every 3000 miles or every 3 months. During the summer, I can run at least 4 days a week. By August, I should have been ready for new shoes. THEY WERE SO COMFORTABLE. I even had someone send me new ones for Christmas, but I continued to wear my old shoes. One day, someone in class says, ' Are those your socks?' I looked down at my shoes, and sure enough, my toe was poking out of the side. lol. Ah, I think it's really time to let go.
While I was in FL, I took one last picture, posted above, as a final farewell. I knew I wouldn't NOT wear them unless I didn't have them. What better place to bury my shoes than the sunny state of Florida. We do this in life too, right? Sometimes, you outgrow things, people, situations. Sometimes, things in your life just need to be replaced. You've had them too long, or they are no longer useful to you in the capacity you had originally intended. No longer GOOD for you, no matter how USED to them you have gotten. But we hang on to it, because we're used to it. It still feels ok, for the most part. It feels ok because we're used to the feeling and we are afraid the 'new pair' will hurt our feet.
When I finally put on the new pair, my ankles hurt and my shins were sore. NOT because these were bad shoes, but because I wore the OLD shoes too long. The new shoes had to correct what bad posture I had established in a pair of shoes I should have let go of a long time ago. There will be growing pains. There is PAIN when you have GROWTH, but you have to move forward, let go, and sometimes, go through a little discomfort to finally come to a better place.
These are my sneakers by the trash at the hotel. Even looking at this makes me a little sad.
Courage is a choice. Choose courage over fear.
.jpg)
