Tales From The Trails: On Trusting The Process

I wrote this blog a few weeks ago. I didn't get a chance to share it with you because a pandemic swept through the world. I felt drawn to create resources for you to help with these trying times. Since then, I've thought back on this blog. When I wrote it, I had no idea how our lives were about to change. And yet, the lesson in this blog holds such a relevant message to our current circumstances. I wrote this blog leading up to my marathon. Since writing it, the race got cancelled. Again, something I never would have predicted. I decided to run the race anyways. I created a route. My brother met me along the way with food and water. Friends ran the last few miles with me from a safe distance away. Life rarely shows up with way we expect it to. Our current circumstances are a testament to that. It's in moments like these that I have to surrender and trust the process...

I ran my longest distance five weeks to race day.  18.5 miles.  The training plan called for one more long run before race day.  20 miles.  

Knee pain kicked in.  I took a week off from running altogether.  Ice, ayurveda oil, arnica salve, foam rolling, and stretching.  I knew I had to mend my knee before taking on a longer distance run of 20 miles.  I also knew that they say if you can do 18 miles in training, then you can finish the marathon.  So, leading up to the 20-miler, my knee pain was improving but I knew I still had to be mindful.  I decided to skip the 20.  

I kept working on my strength training, flexibility, and did some mid-distance runs.  But, I felt it wise to not push my knee for 20 when race day was only 3 weeks away.  My goal was to finish the marathon, not give it my all for a training run.  

And so, I had to trust the process.  I had to trust that the 16-week training plan built in space for things like injuries and illness.  I had to trust that my steady buildup to 18 miles would take me through 26.2 on race day.  I had to trust my intuition to listen to my body.  

In the end, isn't that all we can do?  

"You can plan a perfect picnic, but you can't predict the weather."

You have to trust the process.  Whatever goal you're working towards.  A project at work, healing a relationship, building a business.  You don't know the result.  The outcome isn't given.  You can visualize it.  You can come up with a plan.  You can take specific actions to work towards it.  

You can't predict the obstacles that will arise along the way.  The setbacks, challenges, and unforeseen circumstances.  All you can do is trust the process.  Trust that you are doing the best that you can.  Keep checking in with your heart, mind, and most importantly, your intuition to guide you.  
 
Race day is a few days away.  The biggest physical goal I've ever set out to achieve.  I don't know what the conditions will be on race day.  What will the weather be like?  Will I be able to fall asleep the night before?  How will my stomach hold up?  And, how about my knee?  I don't know the answers to these questions and there's only so much I can do to prepare for whatever arises.  So, what's left?

Trust.

Trust that everything will turn out the way it's meant to.  Whatever that means or looks like.  

Maybe the unexpected hurdle in your project is leading you to a more innovative solution?

Maybe the challenges in your relationship are giving you clarity on your needs and boundaries?

Maybe the setbacks in your business are opening doors for using your gifts in ways you hadn't thought of before?

Yoga talks about doing your karmas.  These are well-thought out, spiritually aligned actions.  And then, yoga says let go of the rest.  Surrender your attachment to the outcome and results.  In other words, trust the process...