Sometimes everyday life is just every day. To me, it often feels mundane. Perhaps it’s just our view of it that is mundane. After all, isn’t the way we view life just a construct of our own reality?  That may sound deep, but this simple thought occurred to me the other day. So how do we go about changing our view of the every day?

You see, in the world, there are glass half full and glass half empty people.  I refer to these as Tigger or Eeyore people.  I have the tendency to be Eeyore-like. If there is something to find fault with, I will find fault. For me, it’s internal faults – I point the negative finger at myself. You can’t, you aren’t, if only they knew. Internalizing the negativity is crippling.

“Break on through to the other side.” – The Doors

Once you come to the realization that your own outlook on life is built chiefly of your own construction, then it can be jackhammered in its entirety and reconstructed of your own volition. Yes, you can be Neo instead of Sisyphus. The glass is half full if you want it to be.

Run that marathon

So, you’re saying that the barriers are just yourself? Yes, for the most part. A couple of years ago I ran my first marathon. It was tough to start, tough to train for, and tough to run. Of course, there are physical limitations to being able to run something like a marathon, or even just to lace up those shoes, open the door, and run a mile.  But the reality is that most people can run some distance if they set to it. And people can change their outlook and when you lift your outlook, your perspective changes. And when your perspective changes, what is possible changes.

After 20 miles, I nearly gave up when I hit the wall. My legs were cramping so badly I had to alternate walking and running. But by taking it one step at a time I made it and finished the race. After my first marathon, I swore I would never run another.  But something happened, after resting and analyzing my performance, I signed up for another one. Call it stupidity, or call it grit. Accomplishing something feels fantabulous. Take the first step and lace up those shoes.

Be thankful for the mundane. Go forth and live every day meaningfully. Enjoy it immensely because you can do it. Raise your half-full glass to the world and do a funky dance.

Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. – Philippians 4:13