What If You Didn’t Fear Joy?
Find the courage to let joy into your life.
“Life will bring you pain all by itself. Your responsibility is to create joy.” Milton Erickson
After getting up early each morning to swim, bike, and run for months, I had done it. I’d completed a triathlon. Jolene and some of my training friends were at the finish line waiting for me. It was an intense day of overcoming obstacles and pushing myself to achieve something I had never done before. I expected to feel the joy of accomplishment. The reward for all the work.
And I did for a brief time.
But then a thought began to creep in. My accomplishment wasn’t worth celebrating. It was only a sprint triathlon. Not anything close to an Ironman. Who did I think I was? Even within my age group, I’m nothing special. Just another name on a list. I started telling myself with increasing despondency that my cheap bike and poor swimming ability would never allow me to accomplish anything worthy. I’d just embarrass myself if I even tried.
My small amount of joy dissolved. I needed to get back to training and try for something bigger or just move on to something else entirely.
