With many of us having goals that we want to accomplish in 2024, I want to take a moment to write about what will be the biggest help for you over the next 12 months to achieving your goals. The biggest factor that has helped me accomplish my goals in the past is knowing my why. Today I am going to share with you my current why for my running which I hope will inspire you to dig deep and figure out your why to what you are hoping to accomplish in this new year.
If you have been following along over the last several months you know that running has been a huge part of my life for almost the last year. You may be wondering why? Why do you love running? Why do you take it so seriously? And to keep the answer simple even though it has many layers to it, I love to run because I feel close to God when I run. Whether that is when I am listening to worship music on my easy run, in the middle of a tough session and relying on Him to give me strength to give my best, or trusting in Him when I am dealing with physical pain. I love that there are many elements within the sport that draw me closer to God.
To dive into this a little deeper, I truly believe that God has given me qualities within my personality that I can utilize in running. A big one being discipline. My whole life I have been a very disciplined person and that is not of my own doing. I truly believe that God has given me this personality trait because it feels natural to me to be focused and strong willed. Another quality that I believe is God given is my passion. I am a very passionate person about things that bring joy into my life and ignite a fire in my soul. With the combination of the discipline and passion that God has given me, it blooms a strong desire to inspire others. This is the biggest point I want to discuss. With being later into my 20’s I have had the chance to use my discipline and passion in different areas of my life. But over time I have realized that I love using my discipline and passion to inspire others. In the context of my running journey, I pray that my running journey inspires other people. Whether that is wanting to go after their specific goals, having the courage to start something new in their adult years, fighting against set backs, or just wanting to live a healthier lifestyle. What keeps me going is knowing that my life could be of any help or motivation to help others in their life.
Last March I listened to a podcast episode by Jennie Allen called “What it Means to Dream with God.” In the episode she explains to her listeners that when we partner with God and are utilizing the gifts and qualities He has given us we will feel more filled because we will be living out what He has made us to do. I do have to mention that after I listened to the podcast episode I was a little discouraged because I wasn’t sure with what God had in store for me and what He wanted to do through me. But after following His lead and much reflection I feel that God has revealed to me over the last few months what He wants to do through me in this current season. When I am running and sharing my journey through my blog, instagram, or in my day to day relationships I feel extremely fulfilled because I am using the qualities of discipline, passion, and the athletic abilities that God has given me.
With all of that being said, I encourage you to take time to reflect. Ask yourself why the goal you’re hoping to accomplish this year is important to you. My biggest tip is to keep asking yourself why because usually with the goals that mean a lot to us there are several reasons. As I said above, figuring out your why is a crucial part of achieving your goals because your why will give you the motivation to keep going when you feel like giving up. I am praying for breakthrough and blessings over your next year! “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self discipline.” Happy New Year!
-Shara