Twenty-Five Days to the Finish Line - Dealing with Frustration

Today, I’m taking my ankle out for a test drive. The swelling is gone, and I don’t have any pain walking up and down stairs. It will be in the mid-sixties and sunny this afternoon, and if I have to forego another run, I’d probably pull my hair out.

Frustration—a  regular occurrence in everyone’s life. It’s how you handle it that determines who is in control—you or your emotions.  I have my share of frustration and some days I deal with it better than others. I don’t know why. Maybe I’m tired or hungry or have something else on my mind. 

I couldn’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve struggled with putting a sentence together, making it say exactly what I wanted it to say. Then I have a paragraph that drives me nuts. I’ve spent an entire afternoon writing and rewriting ONE simple paragraph. Talk about frustration.  And that frustration is compounded by the voice that tells me I’m wasting time and should move on. I try, honestly I do. But I can’t leave that silly paragraph until I’m satisfied it’s my best. 

Frustration is the immediate reaction to an unpleasant situation. It’s a choice. You can react or you can respond.  You can focus on the solution or you can focus on the problem. 

Today, I’m going to focus on solutions and keep me hair! If my ankle starts to hurt during that first mile, I’ll go straight to the gym and get on the elliptical, or as my friend Jenn suggested, take a spin class. Boy-oh-boy, do I hope I can run. The thought of taking a spin class exhausts me!  

Happy writing and running (or spinning), Kathy