Feeling truly alive

No motorways to run across this morning, just a dark golf course, footpaths, one small stretch of busy road and a few deserted ones. It's nice to be back home.

There was one brief moment when I was running up a path this morning with trees and grass either side of me and one street light illuminating a small part of it. It really felt like I was running through a magical world at that moment.

Those are the moments that make running special to me.

What I realised at that moment is the importance of things that are growing, living and breathing.

Running on roads next to cars doesn't actually inspire me. However, running in, or close, to nature inspires me tremendously. It make me feel truly alive.

Is this about me?

My last run in Manchester completed.

It's very different running over the top of a motorway every morning compared to my normal run along unmade up roads full of potholes, where it's unusual to meet someone walking a dog at six in the morning. The M60 has cars shooting along it at six o'clock I can assure you.

On my run, I was thinking about a comment one of the participants on my workshop made yesterday. He said that he didn't like confrontation or upsetting people, and that he was too soft.

I recognised this quality in myself, but what I realised on my run this morning is that, for me at least, when I'm in that space, the person I really don't like upsetting is me.

We, or I, fool ourselves into thinking that we are too nice and kind to deliver a tough message to someone because we don't want to hurt them.

If I needed a tough message to be delivered to me, what would I prefer?

Would it be someone who delayed giving it to me because they didn't want to hurt me?

Would it be someone who wrapped the message up in so much cotton wool (metaphorically obviously) that I didn't really understand the message?

Or would it be someone who delivered the message clearly, concisely to me, with empathy, and with complete honesty?

I know that I would prefer the latter every time.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not talking about upsetting people for fun, but where they need to hear the message to be able to move forward or progress.

So, I'm going to stop telling myself I'm too nice and I don't like to upset people when I know that it's me I don't like to upset.

Once again, the question for me to ask is, "Is this about me or them?"

Mark Twain was right

A few degrees cooler this morning but still OK running in my tee-shirt in Manchester.

I was reminded of a quote by Mark Twain today that goes,

"I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened."

This was because I had a sudden panic late last night that I didn't know the course material, which I was due to deliver today, well enough.

I then began worrying that today might be a disaster, that I would get bad feedback and I would then feel even worse.

Whilst running, I thought about the fact that I have delivered the material before with no problems, and also the fact that as long as I'm worrying, my focus is on me.

In my experience, delivering workshops works best when my focus is on the participants and I use the material as a structure.

So, I managed to let my worries go, commit to focusing on the participants, and to enjoying the experience.

Guess what.

It all went really well, and I really enjoyed it.

That Mark Twain knew what he was talking about, and I reckon I've proved that many many times!

Now, about me being an old man...

Dreams are everywhere

Just been for a nice early mile and a bit run in Manchester.

I discovered when I went to put my running kit on that I hadn't packed my long-sleeved running tops, so it was tee-shirt running for me this morning.

I'm lucky that it's a balmy five degrees celsius here in Manchester, so this morning it wasn't a problem.

I just hope the temperature doesn't drop too drastically in Manchester before I head home on Thursday.

I was thinking on my run that I'm coming across the importance of having an inspiring vision, a dream to aim for, or setting a clear direction, everywhere I look at the moment.

Today I'm leading part one of a 3-part programme called Leading in Tough Times, and one of the things we concentrate on is setting a clear direction for your team.

I wonder if it's like when you buy a new car, you suddenly become aware of all the other cars that are the same make and model as yours that you never noticed before.

Lessons from the birds

The birds seemed to be extra happy this morning while I was running, at least it sounded like they were singing louder and more beautifully than usual.

Maybe they liked the mild morning, or maybe the volume and tunefulness of their singing has nothing to do with how happy they are.

But their apparent chirpiness had the effect of brightening my morning and making me feel happier.

This got me thinking how my behaviour, and whether I'm acting upbeat, cheerful and having fun, or whether I'm showing that I'm fed up, stressed, and angry doesn't just affect me.

It can actually affect all those around me, and possibly, if it brightens their mood, they might in turn affect others.

Anyway, the stiffness in my legs noticeably eased during my mile and a bit, which is really good.

Time to be chirpy and see if I can brighten the day for those I meet today.