Life Changing Event
Since 2014 I’ve been writing the Running On Ayers blog. Most of the content has been written from the perspective of my journey as a runner so I’ll put this disclaimer upfront that this post will not be about running. In reality, the blog was never JUST about running. It’s about applying the lessons we learn from running to other aspects of our lives. This entry in particular won’t be about running because in all honesty, I haven’t been doing much of it. It’s been a drastic change for me and one that will be temporary, but necessary for current circumstances. Read on to find out why.
As some of you may know, my wife and I own a crystal shop in Oakland, Ca called Queen Hippie Gypsy. We first opened our doors in 2018. In 2019 my wife quit her job to run the business full time while I stayed at mine for some financial stability. By 2020 the venture had proven successful and I joined her as a full time entrepreneur. Like most businesses, we’ve faced some unexpected challenges due to Covid and a rising crime rate due to civil unrest and acts of desperation by those who can’t afford the current spikes in their cost of living. Needless to say, it’s been a tumultuous time, but one also filled with love, lasting memories and challenges that we’ve overcome making us stronger today.
Throughout all of this, I’ve also been running A LOT. I’ve run three marathons and one half in the past twelve months while pursuing my Boston Qualifying time. I’m closer now than I’ve ever been, but goals, in a way, are like falling in love. You can meet the perfect person for you at the wrong time and it just won’t work.
Since May of 2022 our business has been closed due to our need to focus on other aspects of our lives including our family, business expansion plans and the safety of our employees. To compensate our family income in the meantime I got a job. While going back to working for someone else wasn’t on the blueprints, I’ve learned to appreciate the page in front of me instead of flipping through the book seeking validation of what I think should be happening right now.
My current job is at a warehouse where I coordinate the loading of outbound trucks. It’s a fast pace and sometimes stress filled environment. The long and late hours are taxing, but I enjoy the challenges it presents. The people I work with, for the most part, are pretty awesome. They’re hard working, willing to sacrifice for others and unafraid to tell you exactly what’s on their mind at any given moment.
As I get to know many of the other employees, I’m learning that many of them are ex-athletes from a variety of sports. The job is extremely physical as well as mentally challenging so this came as no surprise. Athletes are a different type of human. They wear their sore muscle pains as a badge of honor knowing that it’s the result of the hard work they put in the day before. Athletes adapt to present situations with fluidity and have a self-awareness that is uncanny to many others. Now, you can achieve many of these characteristics in many different facets of life, but I received mine in a similar fashion and appreciate others who did the same. I walked into this job for financial reasons, but within the journey I’m receiving so much more.
When I first started, I was presented with the opportunity to sign up for health insurance, life insurance and all the other benefits that come with full time employment. As I thumbed through the paperwork a phrase jumped off the page at me: Life Changing Events. In healthcare this phrase is used as a period where you are able to make changes to your benefits. Frequently used Life Changing Events would include marriage, divorce, the birth of a new child, the loss of a spouse…etc. These are definitely moments where your entire life could become unstable. The Life Changing Event box that I checked was “starting a new job”, drastically less dramatic than some of the other choices, yet still a moment that changed everything about my life. In this role, I typically work between 10-12 hour shifts that end after midnight. My sleep pattern has adjusted and even without running, my Garmin tells me I’m walking close to 15k steps a day in steel toe boots. It’s been an adjustment.
Life Changing Events happen to us all. They are moments where our foundation is shaken. In these moments we have the opportunity to evaluate what we’re made of and what ingredients need to be added in order to make it through this season of life. You may also find strength inside of yourself that you didn’t know was there. These moments can be challenging and the you that comes out on the other end of the storm will be forever changed.
In a running analogy, I remember when I first started incorporating speed work into my workouts. I had grown accustomed to logging slow methodical miles but through research had discovered the many benefits of “revving the engine” from time to time. Whether the workout was 400m repeats or 3x2mi repeats, how I felt after those workouts was entirely different from the ones felt after a long slow run. It introduced me to a new breed of pain and I discovered what I was capable of. This realization immediately influenced the rest of my running because once you’ve faced a new & scary moment and survived, it’s no longer as scary of a moment. I believe that many Life Changing Events breed similar results.
As my wife and I make the final preparations for reopening our store, I’m thankful for this hiatus. As much as I love running, I’m thankful that this break in daily miles has been riddled with life changing lessons that have altered my perspective.
Enjoy exactly where you are. Live the moment that you’re in. Learn from the journey you’re on. I’ve accepted that the messages that I’m meant to teach are the ones that I must first learn and that life is always our professor if we just pay attention to the lessons.
Thank you to the creator of the Universe. The Journey Continues.
