Words to live by

Mantras are wonderful things, and you gotta live by mantras that speak personally to you. My usual life mantra is "the sweet is never as sweet without the sour," picked up from Jason Lee's character in Vanilla Sky. Good feels a hell of a lot better when we have a bad batch of bad to compare it to.

Then there's the one I constantly throw around to my friends, family, and total strangers "life is not designed for our comfort, but for our struggle, for in struggle there is growth." And to add to that: I believe growth gives us purpose--something to live for--and I don't know about you, but I find comfort in that!

As for running, the world is bursting with inspirational mottos. But something I found today really hit home for me: yet another gem from SUAR Girl aka Beth Risdon:

"I have never finished a run and wished I hadn't done it."

It's not complicated and it's something I can calmly digest when my alarm goes off at 5:30am. Or when I'm exhausted at the end of a classic Kohl's day and didn't listen to my alarm at 5:30am. Or when a half marathon seems daunting as I'm losing energy at Mile 4.

I've never finished a run and wished I hadn't done it.

No matter how frustrated we get on our runs that don't go so well, deep down we know we're ridiculously awesome for having gotten out there. A few more miles on the old shoes is a badge of honor no matter how shitty we felt that day.

Do you have a personal motto or mantra that helps you get out of your warm oven of a bed or through the hot magma you occasionally feel like you're running in?

[Sidebar: I got a really good motto in an email from running-bud Claire: "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable." Now THAT says running haha!]