Routine

Today, I think back to my freshman year of college. About three years ago, I was essentially doing the same thing as I am now, just on a different day. I did not start blogging until my sophomore year, but I remember as a freshman having open time around 10:00 a.m. and treating it the same way as I am now. I just opened the blinds to my apartment, had some tea, and started to write. I remember my freshmen year when I would go to the dorms after class, open my curtains, drink some tea, and also write. I am definitely a creature of routine. Even as time passes, I realize certain things that I do that have not changed since my freshmen year. 

Now that I am a senior, I still:

Drink green tea

Wear black leggings with long shirts

Write during my free time

Go to coffee shops to do homework

Drink hot coco whenever I can

Open the blinds or curtains in rooms because I love natural light

Call family between classes to say hello

Live with one of my best friends (my first roommate coming into college!)

Run track

and I am still addicted to my planner

...there are so many little things that keep me who I am.

But there are also things that have changed that keep me growing:

Mentoring people around me

Have the ability to just have fun with something and not constantly be competitive

Learning that even though my routine may break, doesn't mean that my life is ending

I can live on my own timeline and not everyone else's

Confidence in my work

Growth in my learning

Thinking outside of the box

Taking a deep breath and letting go of situations

and of course learning how to do laundry in a fast, timely manner.

All of these things are a part of growth.

Yesterday, I was at track practice. As a team, we were working on block technique and speed. To track athletes this is normal, but to people who don't run track, seeing someone bend over into medal pedals, raise their butts into the air and try and run out of the medal pedals as fast as possible looks a little crazy. I realized that there was an older man watching us practice blocks. When I realized that he wasn't only sitting there to wait for someone, but he was watching us run, I smiled to myself. I smiled at the fact that maybe he was remembering when he was a track athlete. Maybe he was remembering when he could run blocks, or how much the sport of running has changed....or maybe he just thought we were a little nuts :). For a period of time during practice, I just felt a little frustrated. I wasn't being explosive, I didn't feel fast, and on top of that I had to be cautious because of a recovering sprained MCL. But then I saw him. I saw a 70 year old smile while he watched us run as fast as we could out of our blocks. He nodded his head and just admired. In only a couple of seconds, my frustration was gone and he looked over to smile at me. Why wasn't I enjoying this moment? Why wasn't I in admiration that my teammates and I are able to perform the technique and speed that our bodies allow us to do? I think it was because I was so used to be competitive and being so focused in the moment that track wasn't fun, it became something I just had to do. After he smiled, I turned to my blocks for my last two block starts. This may sound like a "sappy movie ending," but out of all honestly, I let go of my frustration, thought about the old man's smile, and had the best two block starts of the evening. Before practice was over, the old man had left. I wanted to ask if he ever ran track or if he was just watching us because he thought we were crazy for running out of "medal pedals." 

But he was not there to ask.

Let me just say, I don't think those kinds of things happen out of the blue. I think those things happen to keep us going. 

Pay attention to the small things throughout your day, or even week. You may be surprised at what you notice.

2010
Freshmen year, this was my very first track practice. All I can say is that I got used to not wearing makeup :)