Impermanence

I don't believe there are coincidences. I believe the universe sends us messages through things that only seem accidental. And it's our job to be open to and heed these messages. As I soak up my first few days of being 40, I am starting to throw away the stale cupcakes from the party, toss the dead flowers that graced the table, and file away the birthday emails. Cards and photos still cover the kitchen table--I can't bring myself to put those away just yet.

Restoring our home to it's original state, I started crafting my next post in my head. I wasn't sure exactly what to write until about 15 minutes ago when I received my daily Yoga Journal Insight email and was struck by its title. The message was about impermanence, specifically the impermanence of troubles, designed to help give perspective when things are rough.

I didn't read the entire message, not because I couldn't have benefited from it, but rather because I took this as a sign from the universe that this week is about watching out for becoming too attached to any one thing. Even that word "impermanence" has been floating around in my head all week, and once I read the title of the email, I instantly knew what to write here.

This is not the only week I've struggled with letting go. This was my challenge last week, and the week before, and the week before that, and...you get the point. And it's not just about detaching from fun, exciting, past events like birthdays and celebrations. Every time I have a great race or a stellar workout, a bummer of a run or swim reminds me things can change in a matter of hours. Every time I better my time or speed, I know that tomorrow's workout might not be so great. And yet I must remember, as the email message stated, this impermanence also applies to low points. 

Here's what I learned this week: as much as Ironman training is an exercise in many small training successes leading up to one day, it also is an exercise in the fleeting nature of such successes. It's a delicate balance between appreciating how every workout, every rest day, and every meal furthers progress toward my overall goal, and not getting too hung up on any one particular workout, rest day, or meal. It's about knowing when to persevere and when to stop, when to hold on and when to let go, when to celebrate accomplishments and when to quietly check them off the list. And can't we say the same thing about life in general?