Thoughts on the Run

We all know the Golden Rule:

One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.

I say it to my kids in many forms ranging from do unto others as you want them to do to you or find something nice to do for someone … or more directly: do you want her to hit you back like that?!?!

No matter the words used, the message is clear: be kind and do kind things.

What if we treated others and did tasks for others without them knowing? I wrote about my stealthy kindness where I leave cash on stranger’s cars on long runs. It spawned comments, emails, and Tweets about how others are doing random acts of kindness throughout the world.

So often we are looking for ways to get ahead or “win” in our daily lives. What if we changed that to finding ways we can do good things without others knowing? I know, it kind of goes against everything society teaches us. At work if you do anything, you had better be able to demonstrate why it was worth the company time to do.

You can start within your own house. Empty the dishwasher, clean the windows, or take out the trash. Depending on the number and ages in your household, being stealthy can be a fun challenge. My 9 year old can do all of those, but if it’s just you and another, get creative!

At the office is really fun! Get a coworker their favorite coffee and leave it on their desk. Not only is it stealthy kindness, but it is a blast to watch them spend the morning trying to figure out who did it! It’s like taking the Secret Santa game and making it year-round.

When running I pass by many others on the trail. I wave to each of them and some wave back. Each time I get a wave back, it gives me a little kick in my stride. Those that don’t wave back, I send a little positive energy their way. It would be easy to assume they are just being rude, but until you run a mile in their sneakers, it is hard to assume. That reminds me of a quote I saw today:

Judging a person doesn’t define who they are. It defines who you are.

When a runner doesn’t wave back, I wonder if they are struggling at the moment in their run to keep going … or the same in life. Maybe they are out there running to get away from life.

Over the past 2 weeks I have become much better about not comparing myself to other runners. However, I have high expectations for myself, so comparing myself to myself is a challenge at times. On the plus side, it does keep me motivated in driving forward. It is a big world and there is plenty to do and learn. I am continually looking for the next adventure and running never ceases to fail at that.

Be stealthy kind and share your stories with me … because sometimes you just have to tell someone!