I follow a guy on Instagram who loves to run.
How much does he love to run? He runs over 300 miles every single week!
This year for his birthday (I would guess he's about 40 years old), he ran 100 miles just for fun. It wasn't a race. There was no medal. There was no prize.
He mapped out his path ahead of time, staged snacks and stops throughout his course, and ran 100 miles!
I used to think I wanted to be an ultramarathoner. Until I realized how much I would have to actually spend time running.
Then it lost its appeal to me.
This guy on IG is named Andy. He has a tagline that he puts at the end of each post, and I find it very helpful in many ways.
"Smile, or you're doing it wrong."
He shares the down sides to running that many miles each week. He loses toenails, his skin chafes, his body hurts. It's not always glorious running.
Yet he reminds himself--and he reminds us--that we need to smile, even while doing hard things, or else we are doing things wrong.
When was the last time you smiled?
What could it look like to smile while you're at work?
What would it look like to smile while you're working out?
What would it look like to smile while you're dealing with your kids after they get off the bus?
Smile, or you're doing it wrong.
Smiling is a trigger for me to remember that this moment matters and that I can find joy in this moment, no matter what is going on.
We say we want to find joy in life and that we are making steps toward being more joyful. But are you really?
Are you smiling? Are you slowing down to experience this moment right here?
In a world of pushing for 'more' and 'next', we can forget to slow down and just smile. Just experience this moment right now for what it is.
My wife and I recently celebrated our 14th anniversary. As I flipped through some old pictures, I came across our wedding photos.
It was the moment the photographer captured me seeing my wife walk down the aisle toward me.
I had tears in my eyes.
Yes, I was looking forward to the service and the reception and the honeymoon, but I was fully present in that moment.
So much so that it brought tears to my eyes.
Not each moment is easy to be fully present in, I get that. But it's still possible.
So here's your reminder: Smile, or you're doing it wrong!
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This is one of the topics in the book I am writing. It's all about asking the question: What does this season require of me?
We take a look at 7 key areas of life, one of them being Joy!
If you'd like to stay in-the-know with how the book is coming along, just go here.
I appreciate you being on this journey with me!
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