Life Thoughts: One cup of coffee at a time

What determines how successful you are in life? The square footage of your house? The dollar signs behind that new car in your driveway? To me life is not measured in numbers, or possesions. It is simply a short period of time in which you must do everything and anything in your power to take advantage of the beauty of the worlds offerings.

Many people in today's society can't seem to understand or comprehend what I just said.

Success is a word created by those trying to fill a void of emptiness in their long boring planned out lives. Is money important? Yes. Does it have to determine everything in your life? Absolutely not. What is important? Friends, Family, Heath, Nature, and being as present as possible while experiencing beautiful moments that cannot be repeated.

I can not tell you the number of times my family, or friends have tried to stamp their shallow opinions into me about how I should live my life. I refuse to be un-happy. Period. Therefor when I'm in a situation that I feel I am not my true self, I simply remove myself from whatever it is. Rather that'd be to change jobs, move away, or simply take time to myself to get back to my roots of happiness.

I am a big believer in making the most out of every single day. Living in the moment is very important to me, but in a world of tweets and fast moving things, it can be nearly impossible to stop and, "Smell the Roses". People can spend their entire life searching for something or someone that brings them happiness, when it can be easily obtainable. By simply putting down your phone, and having a conversation with someone, or heading out for a hike. Real experiences that are influenced by absolutely nothing are what we should strive for everyday.

For me, the ideal situation where I feel the most alive and in the moment can be mapped out by these simple things. Mid 60's with a light drizzle, coasting down a soft pine-needle bedded single track trail, healthy as a bear, surrounded by nothing but dense forest. Nature will, and has always been, my roots. A kind of reminder of the importance of being alive and in the moment. There is nothing more real then putting on a pair of running shoes and heading out into the woods.

Find something that reminds you of how important it is to have these real experiences, no matter what that is. Something that makes you feel alive and appreciative of the short or long life you may have. Something that makes you say, "How beautiful it is to breath in this air and live my life to the fullest".

- BJW

Southeast Ohio Dreams

One year, two months and twenty six days later...

And once again a lot has changed. I've moved three times in the past year. I was a professional runner in Greenville, South Carolina, then I was a Chipotle manager in Dayton, Ohio. I was engaged to a beautiful women, now I live with my best friend and former college teammate Jeremy Anderson. I had a great job with opportunity and a bright future, now I make subs. I ran away from all of my problems in Miamisburg and moved east into an 18th century wooden house in the middle of Southeast Ohio.

Now I'm not sure who I am or what the future holds, but like usual I find myself slowly throwing my mangled beaten up body down the road again and again, day after day, to get in my miles. Running is the only thing that makes sense to me in this world. I am eternally thankful for the countless times it has picked me up from my lowest points in life to remind me that there are brighter days ahead. In a world full of hypocrites, smart phones and fast moving fake things, running is the last beautiful thing in life that no one can take from you.

I've accepted the fact I'm never going to be the best. I've accepted the fact that I'm never going to even come close to being noticed, but none of that matters to me. Running has been there when no one else has, and for that I owe it my life.

I've been training full-time now for over two months, and its been a hard but rewarding task. It has been over a year since I put any thought and effort back into my training, and now that I'm slowly making a comeback I feel alive once again. The world is brighter, my food tastes better, and my body aches of satisfaction from the days effort. There is nothing in this world more real and honest than putting on a pair of running shoes and hammering away on a autumn day.

I've got a long way to go, but the demons are still screaming not to give up. I've got a couple things I want to do still on that 400 meter circle before I'm content with becoming a hobby jogger, and I intend to go after that full fucking throttle ahead.

Here is to the long cold winter of training ahead.
- BJW