Run

Why run? Why physically exert yourself, why use mental and physical energy, why put yourself through pain and struggle to end up back where you started, to get nowhere, to accomplish nothing except travel a certain amount of distance in a shorter amount of time than is natural for your body?

​Running is self-compassion.

Changing out of comfortable sweatpants and a hoodie and putting on athletic shirt, shorts, and shoes is self-compassion.

Taking time to plan out a reasonable route based on your energy level and appetite for exploration is self-compassion.

Deciding you're not feeling it today and returning to the sweatpants and Netflix show is self-compassion.

Stepping outside the door after second-guessing your motivation is self-compassion.

Letting out all pent-up energy with a full-on sprint to start out is self-compassion.

Thinking about how far you're planning to run and starting out slow but steady is self-compassion.

Setting a steady breathing pattern early on is self-compassion.

Remembering to focus on your breathing half-way into the run is self-compassion.

Listening to music to brighten your spirits and give you energy while you run is self-compassion.

Allowing yourself to be able to focus on your thoughts and your surroundings and giving your ears more relaxation by not wearing earbuds is self-compassion.

Stopping half-way through your planned run to walk for a bit or take a drink is self-compassion.

Turning down a conversation with a friend you'd like to talk to who's passing by to run the best time you can is self-compassion.

Running slower or faster than normal to be able to have a conversation with a fellow runner is self-compassion.

Running without a route just following your energy and curiosity is self-compassion.

Setting a running schedule to reach a distance and time goal and sticking to in for a few weeks or an entire summer is self-compassion.

Allowing yourself to skip a few scheduled runs or give-up half-way through a planned run is self-compassion.

Walking when you realize you haven't eaten or drank enough or you just don't feel like continuing to run is self-compassion.

Timing yourself, pushing yourself through pain and all the cells in your body telling you to stop, trying to beat your previous times, completing a planned run without stopping is self-compassion.

Sprinting the last 50 metres every time you go for a run to finish strong is self-compassion.

Taking time to relax, to cool off, to stretch, to drink, to eat some unhealthy food to reward yourself afterwards is self-compassion.

Eating healthy, sticking to a strict diet to be in the best physical shape you can be is self-compassion.

Running among other things, is self-compassion among other things.