RUNderful Wednesday & Story Time

The middle of the week is here, WOOHOO!!!! We've made it this far guys, so SMILE (even if the track is rained out like it is today). 

YOU are responsible for your own happiness; no one else can do it for you. 😊😊 I love reading funny or inspirational things, whatever makes me smile or think about something in a different way. My pick of the week is: (keep reading below for the story time)

NO JUDGEMENTS 😃

I feel like I'm still recovering from my last trip over Labor Day weekend, flying to Kansas City to spend some time with my boyfriend and his friends. We had so much fun just hanging out, finding a new (to me) Dim Sum place to try, watching football (or in my case, playing with the tiny Pug because no me gusta) with his friends and running all around downtown KC. But for all that fun, Labor Day was a rainy day in the Houston area, and I rested up and spent most of it binge watching the rest of Orange Is the New Black. Ahh, good memories. 

The reason I like this quote so much has nothing to do with this weekend though and everything to do with a recent unexpected encounter with an old friend (I won't say her name here). I was out running a few weeks ago at one of my favorite park trails when I ran into (yep, pun intended 😈) someone who until this year had been one of my good friends. I had distanced myself from her for very good reason, and until that day a few weeks ago thought I'd never see her again, ever. 

She hates apologizing for something and prefers to 1.) pretend that whatever it is never happened and when that won't work 2.) leave and make new friends. 

Aside from feeling really awkward, our conversation standing there off to the side of the trail was a nice one, and I was glad to see that she looked a lot happier. She told me about how great she was doing and what new high end brand names she had purchased (I didn't ask, but she has always really loved name brands). 

She asked why I was at that park, a strange question considering it's in my home city. She then told me that she isn't competitive about running anymore and that she only runs for fun. This is when it got (more) awkward. She tried to sneak a peek at my paused Garmin, and finally asked me what mile time I was at. All this from someone "non-competitive" concern from someone who had chosen not to be a friend for over a year. 

I was shocked and sort of stammered my time, then she began asking about another friend of mine, J's, time as well. I should have made something up and said that J was now racking up 7 minute miles during marathons and ultra marathons, but I was so taken back by her sudden need to measure herself up to not only myself, but another girl who wasn't even with me that day, that I hardly said much. All this from someone who, 5 minutes prior, was going on and on about how non-competitive she is. 

We said our goodbye's and continued running our opposite ways. I genuinely am glad she seems so much happier than she was. After a bit more thinking and running I realized that she hadn't changed much from the person I'd known, among other things being super competitive and always comparing herself to others, needing to feel the prettiest, or the fastest, or whatever. Being competitive for me doesn't mean I am comparing myself to others. Runners are runners. Of course I try to get faster, but faster for me and MY time, not anyone else's. There is always going to be someone faster or stronger or more whatever than you are, but it doesn't mean you aren't fast, or strong, or smart, or pretty...

SO to the three people out there who probably read this blog: 

Never compare yourself with anyone else, just do your best to be your BEST self, because you're AWESOME and you ROCK! Also, surround yourself with people who do the same. Life is way too short to compare yourself to others.👌😺