365 Miles

It feels so good to complete an ambitious goal!  There is no way that I would have believed, a year ago, that I would have the satisfaction of running 365 miles this year.  Becoming a runner wasn't on my list of 2012 goals.  However, once I started running, it was only natural to establish a goal and track my progress.  Heat, cold, rain, snow, injury and early morning meetings provided ample excuses not to run.  And, attaining 95% of my goal would have been pretty good.  However, the 365 mile goal kept me motivated and moving.

It's day 365 of 2012 and I just finished mile 365!

Life Lessons from Scrabble

Scrabble has always been one of my favorite board games.  And it was great to play Words with Friends on our long road trip to and from Arkansas.  Beyond the fun, playing Scrabble offers five important life lessons:

• Make the best of what you have been given
• Build on the foundations of others
• Plan ahead
• Be a good sport
• Think creatively

Averages

A friend was relating a conversation with a Californian about their 60 degree average days.  He was quick to point out that our Houston fall average has also been 60 degrees, but we've arrived at that average with swings from 40 to 80 degrees.  In this case, averages yield entirely different wardrobe needs.  This was just another reminder that when we are making decisions, we often need to know the supporting data, rather than just the average of the numbers.

Perspective

The newest terrific book I've read, is The Noticer by Andy Andrews.  This birthday present, from a dear friend, is so rich with life lessons that I can't quit touting it to friends. It is a quick 156 page read featuring a wise old man who appears, just as needed, to provide "perspective" to young and old.
His life lessons include:

• Other people's experience is the best teacher.
• Whatever you focus on, increases.
• A true friend brings out the best in you.
• We communicate and receive indications of love as puppies, cats, goldfish or canaries.
• Only 8% of the things most of us worry about are legitimate concerns.
• By examining a single leaf in a forest, you can determine the season and the type of tree.  
• Tiny differences can have huge impacts.
• When you need to accomplish something great, you need an idea and action.
• There is no power in intention, only in doing.
• Choices have far greater consequences than mere mistakes.

'Tis the Season!

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‘Tis

The season to

be grateful, generous,

and connected to those

who make our lives special.

Wishing you a very Merry

Christmas and joyous New Year!

Celebrate, reflect, love, laugh, express

thanks, surprise, visit, entertain, be entertained,

create, remember, plan, rest, energize and enjoy

!!!!!

Gifts of Christmas

Two dear friends and I walked and talked early this morning.  One friend recently lost her husband to cancer and she is now recovering from an accident that has impaired her mobility.  She confided that she wasn't in the Christmas spirit.  As much for myself, as for her, I shared that she had the true gift of Christmas in her faith, love and positive outlook.  Most importantly, she has the true gifts of Christmas, despite the reality that she is not enthusiastic about the external trappings of the Christmas season. And sharing those would be gift enough for those who matter!

It's Too...

Though Houston is blessed with mild winters, the rapid change in temperature from the 80s to the 40s makes early mornings seem especially cold.  It would have been easy to opt out of running this week, but I didn't.  Each sequential cold day, I made additional appropriate clothing adjustments to make the experience more positive.

Change of any sort always gives us an excuse to suspend our positive activities.  Instead of deciding that it is too (insert any obstacle) to achieve our objectives, it often helps to overcome the excuses by focusing on the positive outcome/feeling/accomplishment achieved by powering through any initial discomfort.

Decorate the Dust

It's easy to let windows of opportunity pass when we don't have the perfect solution.  As a dear friend and I were visiting about the status of our Christmas decorations, she shared a priceless tidbit.  One of her friends had realistically assessed that she was not going to complete the deep cleaning that would ideally precede decorating for the holidays.  She declared that she was going to "decorate her dust".  I applaud her spirit and action!

Executing a plan imperfectly is usually far better than planning perfectly without action.