When you just don't feel like it.

Feelings move us: to something or away from something (or someone for that matter). Feelings set a tone for our day, they affect the way we work, the way we interact with our family, friends, colleagues, and strangers. Feelings are so important that we have found ways to medicate them to a manageable level. Feelings are at times inspiring, beautiful, exhilarating, moving, terrifying, overwhelming, depressing, and devastating. Feelings are valid and legitimate and other times they are ludicrous and deceiving. Simply put, feelings are volatile.

It isn't any shock that I (we) tend to do what we feel like doing and we struggle to do what we don't feel like doing. On my 'to-do' list, I do find a lot of things that I would rather not do, but that I don't mind doing; a few things that I love to do, usually; and one or two things that I never feel like doing, ever. It is funny how even the things that I intellectually want to do, I find myself not 'feeling' like doing. I always want to run- I love being outside and moving. However, somedays I don't feel like going. There are always reasons for this feeling. The heat, the rain, the time, and so on. However, I find that after a mile or two, this feeling usually fades, especially if it was one of those unwarranted, invalid feelings.

For me... this is where running coaches me on living. I run, not because I feel like it always, but because I want (desire ) to run. I play with Play Doh, not because I always feel like it, but because I want (desire) to play with Play Doh with my son. This is a daily thing for me--do I let my feelings control my actions or do I direct my feelings to follow the 'plan of action'.

So, when I just don't feel like it, I have to ask myself.... what do I really want? Do I really want to run..... YES!!!