Life is not a race, Give yourself Grace!

I thought I would have accomplished X by now….

What if I would have said No instead of YES……

I am behind ….

It’s too late….

The year is almost over, I need to hurry up…..

It’s the last quarter it has to happen soon or else……

Why me……..

Why not me….

I need a change …..

And the list goes on of the stinking thinking that comes along with a season change.  A shift in weather, regimen and responsibilities oftentimes cause people to spiral. Spiraling down a rabbit hole of what ifs and why nots when nothing really changed but the day of the week and the month at hand.  The sun begins to rise and set a bit earlier, the wind becomes a bit brisk and all the signs lead to a different season being on the horizon, yet we somehow treat it as a sign of the times. Can we stop? Just for a minute to regroup, recalibrate and reflect on the beautiful season that is transitioning out. The memories of warm summer days, laughter, food on the grill and for some travel that seemed never-ending but worth it. Can we celebrate the season we are walking out of before we overwhelm ourselves with the weight of the one that has yet to begin?

From social media posts, quick chats with family and friends and in some moment’s conversations with myself, things became extremely overwhelming this week and that’s when I realized it was me.

 It was my relationship with new seasons and what they mean to me personally that needed to be addressed at the root.

In sports 4^th quarter means gametime and in LIFE I treat it the same. That means that I must make it count, finish knocking things off list and being honest about where I managed my time well and the areas that I did not. I picked up the playbook to see which plays I fumbled and the areas where I did not follow the coaches lead. I am starting to replay the tape so that I can make up this quarter and win the final game and I am sure many of you can relate.

Can I be honest?

I want you to WIN, but I prefer that you win well not burned out.

Sometimes we spin our wheels attempting to finish strong when the goal should be finishing well. Finishing well spiritually, physically and emotionally. Now I don’t want anyone to take this as a sign to take your foot off the gas, but I do want you to consider why you are rushing and how far you really need to go with the time you have left this year. I urge you not to start something that you can’t finish for the sake of time to only be disappointed…

I urge you to ask yourself if this win is going to lead you to the championship or have you already been removed from running? If the answer is NO, then you are better off safely preparing to win the game in the future rather than losing sleep, overworking your bones, sacrificing your family, friends, joy and happiness to close out this quarter and life season hurting with no trophy in hand.

The race to the end is in your head and there is no reward or medal for that.

The real reward was making it this far, this year. Alive, in your right mind, healthy and whole while the rest of the world has been on fire. To read this entry today is a blessing, to be writing it for me, is a blessing!!

Keep these things in mind as you drink your pumpkin spice latte and burn your cinnamon candles to usher in the Fall Season:

• Slow down – If you can breathe, you can achieve….

  
  

• Check your pace – It’s a marathon, not a sprint, most 200–400-meter races take place in the spring (Take your time, what’s the rush?)

  
  

•  Perfect your Form – You waited too long to do it wrong, get the form right, not perfect but precise and this also prevents you from getting hurt in the process!

  
  

• · Re-evaluate your regimen – Are you on the best path for you, or because somebody else said it worked for them? These questions need answers.

• · Remain consistent – Consistency is key, slow, steady and repetitive yields the results

 Life is not a race, Give yourself Grace! (Please)

I can say this as a recovering expert in finishing strong, now I just focus and finish WELL.

I hope this encourages you to do the same.

Respectfully,

RR xoxo