2011, What a Year of Perpetual Injuries Will Teach Ya, and Other Lessons Learned

As runners, we all have "good years" and "bad years".  That's part of life, I guess.  But for a runner, a bad year is typically one where they battle an injury. 

Luckily for me, in my 5 years of running I haven't really had any nagging injuries that I've had to fight very hard.  (Knocking on wood) Sure, the arthritis in my knee and hip acted up, I had a bad back injury, but nothing that lingered and had long lasting impact.  I even bounced back from a C-Section pretty quickly.  Therefore,  I fully realize that I had 2011 coming to slap me in the face.
Things can't always be rosy.  You can't appreciate the warmth without the frost.  The rainbow is so beautiful because it comes after the rain.  Sure, being injured sucks as much as the rainy weather.  Like planning a picnic only to be met by a hailstorm, I make plans to drop 10 pounds and run a winter marathon, only to have to get shoulder surgery.   The bottom line is:

2011 has been a learning year.  I can't say it's been a bad year, because a lot of really awesome things have happened.  Isla began to walk and talk.  We took fantastic vacations.  I achieved my life long wish of kayaking. Therefore, through the rain, and the sun, I've learned some pretty good lessons.

2011's lessons in review....

   

My injuries, but especially my shoulder surgery, has taught me
patience.  

Not everything is immediate.  Shockingly, you can undergo shoulder reconstruction and be 100% normal within 6 months.  Patience, dear.  Patience.

Some things just aren't worth fighting.
Or bitching about.  Or worrying about.  Sometimes, it's just best to
surrender.
Stop.
Fighting.
The.
Inevitable.

Laugh.
Even when your day sucks.   It's the best medicine in the world.

I'm lucky, I have Isla.  I get to laugh, a lot, every day!
If you need some help finding laughter today, you need to meet Honey Boo Boo Child.

We all make bad choices.
As long as it doesn't define who that person is, as long as you learn from your mistakes and don't repeat the same ones again tomorrow...  

Accept it.
Move on.

8ty7e56 Even harder lesson:

Take yesterday (or 2011, or 1996, or 1988, or 2003) and leave it...T H E R E.
Learn from it.
But don't live in it.  That's so important because:

 

My house may be under construction for 6 months.
My shoulder may be messed up.
But, in the grand scheme of things,
All Is Well.


And finally...the hardest lesson for an overachiever to learn...

Lesson, still in progress.
I can do a lot.
Need to go back to the surrender one to accomplish this lesson!. 

Welcome, 2012, the Next Chapter, bring it on!