One of the best things about starting running is that I’ve learnt that life doesn’t have to suck.
Sure you can sit around and mope all day and make excuses about how the rut you’re in is not your fault.
That will do you no good whatsoever.
I tried that for around 5 years and my “woe is me” story could have rivalled anything you’d see in one of those shitty “based on a true story” dramas.
You can either be alone in your misery, or join a fucking party.
The chances are no one really cares about your story. No one can save you from yourself but yourself. Most other people are waiting on someone else to save them from themselves whether it’s through relationships, religion or their career.
It won’t happen.
You can pass the blame for how shit your life is to your parents but they probably did exactly the same to your grandparents.
How far back into your family tree are you willing to go to find the person ultimately responsible for the fact that you fucking love cake and hate exercise?
The responsibility ultimately lies with yourself to do something for yourself. You can wait for tomorrow to change but it will never happen until you actually set something in motion.
If now is not the right time then there never will be a right time.
If now is not the right time then you need to face the truth. You’re fucked.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Take babysteps to get where you need to go.
You can walk 5 minutes extra a day and eat one less packet of Doritos and you will have set something in motion that you can maintain.
If your life sucks now then either accept that it sucks and shut up or you can start to turn your life around. You don’t have to starve yourself. You don’t have to go to the gym and push yourself so hard that you’re sick. You don’t have to compete or compare yourself with anyone else.
Just do something to make your life suck a little bit less each day.
Don’t sit around and complain that you’ve been dealt a bad hand in life. Maybe things are tough, but they won’t get any easier if you don’t address the fact that you’re the one that is responsible for feeling like shit.
They will get tougher if you keep waiting for a new beginning tomorrow. It won’t come to you. You have to go to it.
I never thought in a million years that I could have used running as a means to see new places, meet new people and to adopt a healthier lifestyle, but I have. I started slow and steady and have arguably got slower as I’ve went on but I’m still trying.
I can gladly say now that my life no longer sucks. I have bad days where shitty things happen that are out of my control, but it’s my responsibility to act in a way that limits the damage.
If I overeat or drink too much, I’ll accept that it is my fault and react by eating slightly less or running a little more.
If you’re still thinking “But he doesn’t understand how shit my life is.” then give me your address and I’ll come over by plane with my violin to write an overture just for you called “My Mum Doesn’t Love Me And I Can’t Quit Cake.”
We can cry together about how unfair it all is and pick random numbers from The Yellow Pages for people to call and blame for life being as grim as it is.
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by Matt the Angry Jogger
Matt lost 70lbs through running and has ran 13 half marathons and 4 full ones. He hates health freaks with a fucking passion and loves cheese and cider.
Great Post! Totally agree.
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Brilliant post! I totally agree with you.
Absolutely! Fantastic approach. I’m going to share the message!
I like the idea of calling people at random from the yellow pages…
I’m trying to get there. It’s been a long winter of feeling like I should just pick another sport. Sometimes I honestly run for the F of it, screw the other people that are better at it, that don’t seem to work as hard. Thanks for the reminder.
Very true. No one has to be perfect all the time, but they have to realise that YOU have to take responsibility for your choices and either a) complain or b) go out there and MAKE the change. I agree 100%.