Change the Frame

Summer is winding down but it is still VERY hot here in Florida. As a result I definitely haven’t been running as much or as long as I would like. I have developed a routine for myself that includes stopping two thirds of the way through my run at my neighborhood gym to do a few weights (and cool off) before finishing the rest of my run. 

Last week on my run I didn’t have time for the stop so I was going to do my whole run at once and then head to an appointment. I noticed as the gym was coming into my view that my mind was telling me that my body was fatigued and I had to stop. I started to believe that I couldn’t continue and then I said to myself… “Change the frame.”

I was imagining a viewfinder… remember those from childhood? We pushed down the lever on the side and a whole new frame from the card came into view?

I literally imagined that process and the frame I saw was of me finishing the run. “Changing the frame” is one way to activate our mindfulness super power.  Patanjali says it another way in his Sutras. “When disturbed by negative thoughts, opposite ones should be thought of.”

My mindfulness practice helped me see that the habitual thoughts were taking over, that it was a story that wasn’t true. I “changed the frame”, kept running right past the gym and made it all the way home. The more we practice, the better we get…. at running and at mindfulness. 
 
See below for my teaching schedule. Again I will not be teaching this Friday as I am dropping my daughter back at college but I will be teaching Tuesday and 2 classes on Wednesday.