Categories: fear, friends, goals, intention, intuition, love, risk, willingness

Picture it. Portland, Oregon. February 2, 2008. It’s cold and snowing. Why, oh why, am I putting on tennis shoes and heading out the door? I’m starting Foot Traffic’s University, a training program for running or walking a half marathon. And I am willing.

Exactly 33 days ago, at the beginning of the year, I ran and walked a 5K race called First Run. You can see me almost finished with that race here. And there I decided that I would really try running with the support of this program.

Training began today. There I met Rachel, Graham, Amy, and Denise. They were among the few hundred participating in the program this morning and really welcomed me. I not only felt comfortable, but also challenged, befriended, connected, and supported. This is a great group of people to be around.

As I was talking I found myself saying, “I’m not a runner.” The more I said that the less I believed it. Did I run? Yes. What I am telling myself when I say, “I’m not a runner.”? And in a few changes of language I became a runner today because I decided to say, “I am willing to begin running.” One last change in that sentence to, “I am willing to run.” There you go. It’s simple.

Homework:

Who are you willing to be? An artist? A business owner? A home owner? A non-smoker? A lover? Try on the sentence, “I am willing to blank“. Replace blank with that thing you want to do. How does that sound to you? If it’s uncomfortable, is that your intuition or is it fear talking?

Trust me, my biggest fears came up today. Fear that I look stupid. Fear that I don’t belong. Fear that I won’t stay committed to training. And I listened to the fear and chose my intention - my willingness - today.

Truly Yours,

Joseph Lyons

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