I am a runner

Sometimes when someone says something out loud and tries to convince you of something, they really are just trying to convince themselves. That can be a good thing when the things you are convincing yourself about are positive things.

For example, I say I run 7 miles on average a day. Somedays that is true and other days not so much. However, I view myself as a runner, and I run because I want to. I want to run 7 days a week 7 + miles a day. I say this because I want it to happen. Some days I do run 7 miles. Some days I run more than 7 miles. Some days, like yesterday I run less than 5 miles. I am sure it all averages out to about 7 (give or take) but I say it because once its out in the open its like I have to hold myself accountable to ensure that it is true. In a way, it keeps me honest.

On the other side, it can be a bad thing. Giving someone a nickname that isn't kind or telling someone that they are dumb also does the same thing. I once was watching a talk show and the mother kept calling her one child the "good one" and the other one "wild child". The talk show host said why do you do that? The mother responded, well the one is the good one and other is wild. They are their nicknames. The talk show host then asked, did you ever stop and think that they are living up to the expectations you have of them? The one that is wild is striving to be even more wild because that is the name and the expectation you gave them?

I saw that show maybe over ten years ago and it has always stayed with me. It is true. When someone says something enough to themselves or to someone else you want to live up to that expectation. If someone says to themself that they are fat and over weight then they accept that of themselves and assume it will always be that way and that there is nothing that they can do to change. If someone on the other hand says I am thin, sexy, beautiful and am healthy, then they will choose a lifestyle to help promote and to sustain what they see themself as.

I want to view myself as someone who is healthy, someone who runs for fitness and enjoys running. Seeing myself this way helps me choose healthier alternatives and to keep running and working out to help sustain the image I have of myself. So when asked, I will keep saying that I run, and that I love to run. That I run on average 7+ miles a day. Maybe one day I will even say I run on average 10 miles a day. Maybe I should start saying that so that I can live up to what I say about myself.

Sorry for the randomness today! Just something I was have been thinking about and has been on my mind for a while. I guess I am tired of hearing people say something over and over and over again but not doing anything about it. However, instead of feeling negative about that I shoudl see the positive. Maybe they are saying that thing over and over and over again more to themself because they want to do the thing that they are saying, or they want to feel the way that they say they feel. OR maybe I am just reading more into something that is nothing and getting irritated over nothing! It has happened before!!!!