As soon as I opened the door I knew I was in trouble.

It’s Saturday morning and I’m heading out for a run. I’m out much earlier than usual in hopes of beating the July heat. But the heat had other plans and was already outside waiting for me.

I hate running in the heat, and on this day I felt empowered to remind myself that I did.

Adversity allows us to choose how we respond to it. Sometimes I respond by complaining about it, and sometimes that feels real good. I’ve come to notice, though, that complaining awakens a great deal of negativity within me. Acknowledging my hatred of running in the heat created my own inner heat, further compounding the adversity I already found myself facing. Not the best way to start a long run.

Not the best way to start most anything.

What if I chose not to hate?

Words matter greatly, and a word like “hate” is inherently hostile, often a disproportionate Continue reading “The Preference Not To Hate” →