Find That Something that Drives You!
In today’s go-go-go lifestyle it seems like everyone is running around trying to keep their head above water. Lately, (and it kills me) I’ve had a few back-and-forth emails with friends trying to schedule a time to catch up, only to find out that the earliest we can meet is weeks away. The key to maintaining a full and active life is not to give things up, but to balance it all.
You don’t want to look back on your life 50 years from now and realize that your great success has cost you your life. Making time for friends and family is very important. Making time for you is also very important.
For instance, I make it a point to make time for myself through my running, and my most recent hobby; photography. Even if it’s only thirty minutes here and there, it’s important. Through my love of photography I read and draw inspiration from Chase Jarvis. Chase is a professional photographer out in Seattle and maintains an excellent blog. (http://www.chasejarvis.com)
Recently I watched an excellent video on his blog called, “Laura’s Story.” It’s a great video that reminded me that you’ve got to make time for the things in life that you’re passionate about. Thanks Chase!
What are you passionate about?
Running and new favorite I-phone App
I think that living an active lifestyle must be balanced between many different types of activities and interests. Maintaining a balance between work, partying, friends, your love life, family, adventure, learning new things (reading new books, languages, hobbies, etc.), and sport is absolutely crucial to avoid too much stress.
In addition to using balance to beat stress, I get rid of stress through long distance running. For me, running is a way to push yourself beyond past personal bests to new personal bests and times. Running makes me feel alive, fit, healthy, and above all; provides an escape. On a 4 or 5 mile run I’m able to let my mind roam free, think of new ideas, and take a step back and look at the big picture. I highly suggest you try it if you aren’t already.
Today I went on a short run (3 miles) and used the i-map my run application for the iPhone, which is now my favorite new application. If you have an iPhone and you run, hike, or bike, I highly suggest you download it. This free app. utilizes the iPhone’s GPS technology to record where you’ve run, how many miles you’ve run, and your pace. It then syncs up with your mapmyrun.com account. So far it seems pretty accurate and serves as an excellent way to monitor your runs and see how you’re fitness is progressing. I highly recommend it! It’s definitely one of the must have applications for living an active lifestyle with the iPhone.