07/20/2022
How do you run 80 miles?
It’s a question I’m asked about this effort. For those who have been there it’s also a question we confront when dealing with behavioral issues. There’s a helplessness that overwhelms you when you think about days, weeks, months, years with no hope. How do you keep going? “I just can’t do this!” My mental approach to these long efforts parallels the efforts in that other aspect of life. First the reality check: I cannot run 80 miles. I can run 1 mile for sure. All I need to do then is repeat that 80 times. Nobody can plan a lifetime living with the stresses we face. So, all we can do is live the day we’re in:
Wake up
Deal with whatever the day brings
Go to bed
Repeat…
Easier said than done. On the one hand there’s a clear hopelessness being called out in that. Surviving a day just to do it all over again the next is not the most encouraging message. On the other hand, if you allow it there’s built in affirmation: “I made it through that ridiculousness yesterday. I can make it through today.” It becomes almost a mantra. And by being focused in the moment, being present because that’s all you can handle, there is an opportunity to witness those, often rare, bright moments which give you hope for the next day, the next mile. We survive, regroup, go again. 80 times or more…
