I never ran until 3 years ago. Today, I run 3 days a week. In fact, I had just returned from a 5K run on a new trail at the time I started writing this post. I first started running after hearing about the Couch to 5K (C25K) program. C25K is a 9 week program that uses walking and running intervals (where you start out mostly walking) to build up your running endurance and eventually get you able to run a full 5K distance. For me, reaching my end goal of being able to run a 5K distance nonstop (no walking breaks) took something more like 18 weeks. There were weeks I struggled to meet the program goal and so had to repeat the week’s program before moving on to the next week. But I was determined to reach my 5K distance goal however slow my pace.
One day it hit me that EVERY person is slower than someone else. In order to stay with my training, I had to focus on myself and not on how my pace was over 15 minutes per mile. By showing up every training day and acknowledging my small achievements along the way, I was able to continue on the journey I started. I allowed myself to feel proud when I completed my first 5K race with a PR of just under a 13 minute mile.
As with all journeys, there have certainly been bumps along the way. I had surgery a few months ago and was sad that I couldn’t run for over a week. By the time I was allowed to run again, I was still feeling pretty yucky, but felt okay enough to try a one mile run, so I did. During that run, I passed an older man who said to me, “Keep it up. You are almost running.” The thing was, I was already running, and had been running for 3 years. I am just not as fast as some of the other regular runners out there. The man’s comment hurt my feelings (even though I doubt that was his intention). But I DID complete my one mile run and felt accomplished. I may not have fulfilled the expectation’s of the man who chose to provide commentary on my running that day, but I did meet the expectations I set for myself.
Over the years, I’ve had similar experiences with responses to my paintings. I’ve received feedback, for example, on why my paintings might not be a good fit for a certain gallery. But, I never gave up. I have reached out to successful artists, asking them specific questions and noting the feedback. And that feedback has helped me hone my art presence while remaining true to myself and my artistic goals. Slowly but surely, I began to have more success and to grow and deepen my connections in the art world. When I receive rejection letters, I keep moving forward just as I do when life dictates a momentary break in my run training. I continue to apply to shows and occasionally something sticks. And when it does, it’s kind of like hitting that 5K goal all over again!
What tips do you have for how to stick with a pursuit? Did you ever get rejected and then later get accepted? How did you feel? I hope you’ll share your experience below in the comments.
2. Be social.