Time to set a MANTRA!!!

OK, so I have ADHD. And last week I discovered I have another disorder as well (not ready to talk about that one yet.) It's been a year of discovery. But although I don't WANT either of my disorders (I will talk about the other eventually!) I need to learn to manage them.

These disorders are not curable. I've had them ALL of my life. And after learning about them, I finally understand why I do certain things. A lot of the stressful and problematic areas of my life have a direct relationship to one, or both, of my God given brain "talent!" Now, after almost 37 years of breathing air, I need to learn how to deal with the transgressions of life caused by said "problems."

I have a few plans of action, making lists (some so simple that I feel like a moron) of things I need to do on a day to day basis. Things like pack your lunch, take your lunch, fill your water bottles, take your water bottles, put your keys away (I lose those little buggers at least 3 times a week... OK, sometimes 3 times a day!) all make my lists. Simple, yet so far effective!

Compassion and support are a must. I need my wife to understand that somethings I do, I do as a manifestation of said problems and not just to tick her off! Learning to acknowledge symptoms as they start, finding the cause, and stopping it. And living a simple lifestyle (no more hashing) where I can control how the stimuli of the world effect me.

But the two plans of action I lake the best are MAINTAINING AN ULTRA HEALTHY LIFESTYLE and realizing it's really, honestly, and truly MIND OVER MIND!!!!

Now, how about that! I just got a doctor's permission to be almost obsessive about my health! I can go back to the stick diet I was on before and know that I have to be strict and splurging once in a while really is BAD for ME. That splurge can lead into months of making poor or less than appropriate food decisions. And now I have a physical AND a mental reason to run and work-out! That's right, some people like the stress relief of exercise, but I need that relief to burn energy and help myself stay focused in life! How sweet is that!!!!!

And MIND OVER MIND!!!! What an awesome mantra to have as a budding Ultra Runner? On today's 19 miles, I forgot my mantra a few times and allowed myself to walk a bit. I allowed myself to want to give up at times. It was a bad run after 11 or so miles. I struggled, but when I remembered that my mind was shutting me down, I was able to get that extra effort.

I'm determined to turn my minds problem into a strength. My secret disorder comes with excessive optimism, so why not put it to use? All the motivating things you read in Runner's World or online in blogs (like this one) needs to be put into place. My mind is a very powerful thing. I've managed to get by all these years and function in our society. I have a problem that I kept hidden and learned to work around. Now, I'm aware of that problem and dammit, I'm going to exploit my mind for all it's worth.

After all, isn't everything we do in life a direct reflection of our mind? Want to have ice cream, your mind lets you know it's OK and the deliciousness is worth the extra calories. my mind tells me it's super swell and I need to eat the entire carton. My mind over mind tells me to skip the ice cream because it's going to lead me down a path I'm better leaving untraveled.

So my mind tells me I'm a strong person that has a lot of love to give the world. It tells me to go out and run. Run a mile, then maybe 2. Why not go for that half-marathon? Why not shoot big and run that 50K? But my mind is also able to tell me I am just a human with limitations. By allowing my mind to work over the mind will greatly increase those limitations.

Nothing is too far, nothing is too hard, nothing is out of reach!

MIND OVER MIND baby!

Stay safe, keep your soles to the ground, and keep moving forward!

Run on,
Brad