Better Slow than Never

The Lesson Learned

You don’t have to wait for January 1st, or when you feel motivated (spoiler: you won’t), or after you’ve achieved a certain milestone to make a change. You can choose to move forward, to change your outlook, to create your own joy — today and every day.

I am sharing about this particular run — my worst run in my worst year — in hopes that it inspires someone else to move, to change, to choose joy.

The Journey

The photo above was taken from the slowest run of my adult life. It was also my best.

It was a reminder that I can still do hard things, that my body and mind are still capable and strong, that optimism can coexist with fear and frustration. And that hope still reigns.

This was my first run since March 2021, when I began my IVF journey. At first, I wasn’t allowed to (infertility treatments and exercise are a story for another time), then I was afraid to, and at some point, I didn’t feel like I deserved the endorphins anymore.

And then one day I decided to make a change.

Because I can.

Because I can move. I believe movement is critical to physical and mental health — and we have to prioritize it.

Because I am open to change — the idea that people and outcomes can improve — and that striving to be better is the most important thing we can do each day.

Because I choose joy. I believe we ultimately have the power to change our outlook — and a positive mindset is sometimes the only thing that gets you through a negative experience.

Looking for a simple way to do these three things? I highly recommend doing the Nike Run Club “celebration run” (a free guided run by a stellar coach in the NRC app) . I believe in celebrating every day, so why not start today?

P.S. I’ve started a run club of sorts (we sometimes run, mostly walk, and always eat). So if you’re in Dallas, reach out if you’d like to join!