Yesterday morning I went on a run. It went horribly. I mean burning lungs, heavy legs, side cramp… the works. But I pushed through and ended up running the three miles I set out to do. I’m not telling you this because I want you to congratulate me on my ability to push through a bad workout. I’m telling you this because on my run I had some revelations about the capsule wardrobe process. Does anyone else use their runs as contemplation time? When I run, I pray and I can honestly say some of my biggest breakthrough moments have been on runs. In fact, it was on a run that I felt God telling me to start this blog. But I digress. We’re about to get deep y’all.
As I was pushing through the pain with my goal of three miles in mind, it occurred to me that change happens the most when we are at our most vulnerable. An easy three miles isn’t going to shape my muscles or strengthen my lungs like a run that is outside of my comfort zone (just to be clear, I am not advocating pushing yourself so hard that you end up injured). Change happens the most in those moments where I have to trust that my body is capable of something I don’t think that it is. This has been especially true since having my daughter (more about that here). This same principle applies to life in general. It is so easy to get stuck in this space where we want life to be easy. I hear so often that the goal in life is our own happiness. But you know what? I don’t agree with that. Sometimes life has to be hard. Sometimes we won’t be happy. A life that has experienced both joy and sadness is the kind of life that has RICHNESS and DEPTH. I would never want to rid my life of pain because it is with pain that we can truly experience happiness. Now. I definitely think that there are worse pains than having a capsule wardrobe (#firstworldproblems), but the discomfort of intentionally living with less has truly caused me to grow as a person. And I just started! I think it is the intention of the experiment, but also making a choice to live in such a way that you have more time, more money, more whatever to diversify your life. The freedom I have experienced this summer could only have come through the uncomfortable decision to spend less time on shopping and to spend less money on clothing.
And that’s a wrap folks! This is the last outfit from my first ever capsule. I’ll be sharing one last capsule wrap up post with you on Monday and then I’ll be revealing my fall capsule on Wednesday (Eek!). I’d love to hear from those of you who have been doing a capsule what you have learned from doing the process. Have you experienced similar growth? Have you felt as “uncomfortable” as I have at times? Let me know in the comments below! I love hearing from you.
Until next time,
Yes to contemplative running! (A lesson I wish I had remembered this morning when I decided to pace two women who were 2m under my usual pace. Pride goeth before a fall, anyone?!?) Anywayyyyy, every mile logged is for me – whether it’s capsule planning, meal planning, kid planning or best (but most difficult) of all just being in the moment, in the mile, in the breath. Run, Mama, run!
It’s the best right?? You’re right… every mile is logged for ME. 🙂 Thanks for always being so encouraging Maggie!