I can be stubborn. My dad was stubborn. My mom continues to be stubborn. My brother is pretty stubborn. My grandparents are/were stubborn. And on…
Stubbornness is often looked at as a bad thing. We picture someone saying, “No!” and digging their heels in no matter what is good or bad for them.
Or perhaps just the opposite. We continue saying, “Yes!” to things that no longer serve us just because we’ve always been doing them.
I used to love these books when I was a kid!
In regards to a healthy lifestyle, I’ve had a little of both over the past couple of months. I’ve been saying “Yes” to crappy food a little too often. I’ve been saying “No” to exercise.
But today I’m putting my stubbornness back to good use. I signed up for a 15k on October 11. 15k will be the farthest I’ve ever run in one go. Today I stubbornly dragged my butt out into the 90 degree heat and completed the first 5k run in my training program.
Admittedly, there was some walking involved too. 90 degrees at 6:30 p.m. is hot!
I’ve got three more runs this week, and I will continue to stubbornly drag my heiny outside and run.
I also get to put my stubbornness to good use in finishing my dissertation. I received the rejection for my first peer-reviewed article that I am primary author on. This is a pretty normal situation, so it’s not a complete surprise. Still it’s disappointing. I could use my stubbornness for evil and lament over this rejection. Instead, I’m looking at the bright side of life. I get to take the comments the reviewers left for my coauthors and me and help to write a better draft.
Maybe this change in the use of my energy isn’t stubbornness. Maybe it’s motivation to do something good with my stubbornness.
Either way I’ll have a couple of months to get some good practice in, both with running and writing.
