Makeunder My Life

Yesterday morning I went on a run at 6am, as I do most weekdays. Before I left the apartment I peeked outside to check the weather from my 19th floor apartment. I could tell the ground was wet, but didn’t notice any precipitation. By the time I actually got out on the sidewalk there was a heavy drizzle, like a fan spritzing water in my face for 35 minutes and thereby turning my nicely straightened pony tail into a frizzy halo.

Normally running in this weather would have made me ache to go back inside, back to bed for another blissful hour. But yesterday I didn’t have that typical longing and actually enjoyed my run. And I have Stephen Covey to thank for my fresh perspective.

For those that know me personally, Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is a huge part of my life. So as I re-read this book for the fourth time, I continue to learn and refresh my habits, and the following quote has stuck with me for well over a week,

“If we think our lives are a function of our conditions, it is because we have, by conscious decision or by default, chosen to empower those things to have control over us – we have let ourselves become reactive. Reactive people are often affected by the weather, proactive people carry their own weather with them.”

- Stephen R. Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Although this quote about weather has a direct relation to my morning jog, I am also trying to carry over this idea into other areas of my life. Where else have I let existing conditions determine how well I produce? I’m willing to venture there are more situations where I grumble and drag my feet when the situation is tough. And my intention now is to determine what my goals are and let those guide my efforts.

Lightening storms excluded.