From time to time, everyone has his or her “here and there” spark of inspiration. My latest flicker of a flame did not come from friendly words of inspiration or a movie pertinent to my current state of being. It came from a memoir written by Haruki Murakami. The title of the book is What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. He runs for exercise, but it is more than merely running. He runs to think, he runs to get rid of the daily exhaustion the cubicle generates, and in essence, he simply runs to get away from it all. When he is frustrated about something going on his life, he burns away the emotional or mental state he is currently in into physical exhaustion. Murakami believes at this state of physical exhaustion is best for implementing change with coherent meditation. At this point, the runner is broken down and cannot go any longer. And this is the ideal moment for change.
Yes, the book is about running. However, as I dug deeper into the text I could tell there is something more than just his words. There is desire, curiosity, and determination, among other feelings hidden within the words. Running is this man’s medication. It is his attempt to get his life in order and order is what every individual yearns for, whether it may be with a relationship, your boss, or city traffic.
I challenge you to try something new. It could be an improved strategy to relieve the struggles of life or if you feel complacent with your current situation and feel trapped. There is always a way out of every situation, you just have to look in the right place. God does not place anyone into a situation he or she cannot handle. Last week, a friend told me, “I wish God didn’t trust me so much”. It was a joke, but most of the time the classic saying is right on, when it rains it pours.
We only truly change when we are at our weakest point. We can only get to our weakest point by failing. And we fail when attempting something new.
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