loosen your grip

It's interesting that as a society we either "flail or sail" with changes in our lives. I recently read an article that pointed out that as a culture we are trained to love change: "Change is good." Some say "Everything happens for a reason." But what about when things happen that aren't necessarily positive? It could be the small yet frustrating things like a furnace breaking, or a flat tire in the beginning of a ride, goggles that leak. We all have our own spectrum and where these things land on that spectrum is variable person to person.

Some of us have a grip on our lives and when unplanned, unscripted change occurs..... we sometimes find ourselves trying to grip onto the sliding mud.

The example of a flat tire during a ride is an easy example. It's good and light.

You start off the ride and you are nailing it. Feeling good. Right in the zone.

PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSST. The flat happens. Yeah, frustrating. Annoying. It's cold, your hands are frozen but you manage to get it changed. Back on the bike, back in the zone.

PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSST.

You must be kidding me, you think. How could this happen again?????? You have a handle on things but your patience is wearing thing. You simply did not have this in the plan today and the energy of frustration and disappointment start to mount. Perhaps even anger.

This kind of change is the change I am talking about. And let me remind you.... a flat tire isn't a big deal even if it is a breakthrough workout. It's a simple example. If you can do it on a bike you can do it in your life. Sport once again is a metaphor for our lives.

Returning to the flat tire.... you can see how you are still gripping, still fighting, still allowing the emotions to bubble. Your boat that normally sails the seven seas with grace is not slamming into every single wave like it has forgotten how to even sail!

Step back. Take a deep breath. Take a few.

Get quiet.

Get really quiet.

In times of turmoil when we can just quiet our head, we realize that within ourselves lies the answers that we are seeking. Doesn't mean we have to comprehend it, but what if we just rolled with it. What if we just loosened our grip.

In the superficial example of the double flat tire...... instead of allowing anger to overcome you because now you are off target, off time, off this off that...... step back, take a few breaths. What can you do to make this a better and more positive outcome than coming home and bitching about it?

Suffering through is optional. Loosen the grip, step back. Change the tire with ease. Don't rush through checking the sidewalls, don't rush through the inflation. With a quiet mind just go through the process.

Maybe by loosening the grip you will realize one workout won't break the bank. Perhaps karma stepped in and gave you a flat for a reason. Gave you 2 for a reason. As you roll with the punch you make lemonade out of lemons. Toss in some sugar to make it sweeter.

Someone drives by and offers you a ride. You have an easy out.

You smile, shake your head but thank them for their generosity. You get back on the bike and there might not be time to finish the interval. Plus you are cold. And the bus is coming at the end of the school day. Get quiet and figure something out.

Ride the wave. Loosen your grip on the unscripted change and I dare you.... dare you to go ahead and laugh about it.

We can't sink our nails into sliding mud. But we can allow things to be quiet, we can get blown with the wind but rather than being blown into insanity...... we can be blown into realization, peacefulness, and truth.