Modern Wisdom #2: Create Your Own Wind

The Time I Went From Walking to Running

It’s Modern Wisdom Friday. Let me know what you think about these “short and sweet” posts!

One thing I insisted upon when we were looking for a new house in 2022 was a walkable neighborhood. I got into the habit during the pandemic, and would walk up and down my hill almost every night, listening to Zach Braff and Donald Faison's podcast Fake Doctors, Real Friends, or calling my friends to commiserate about locked-down life.

But as summers are getting hotter and hotter, I sometimes find that walking isn’t comfortable.

What’s more comfortable? Running.

Photo by Filip Mroz on Unsplash

I know, I know. You work harder when you run; therefore, you sweat more. But by going faster, you also make your own wind. Wind is cooling. Wind makes the heat more bearable.

I now run just as often as I walk. I listen to my body, and I listen to the weather, and it feels so empowering to make that choice.

Sometimes, when things are uncomfortable, a surprisingly helpful plan of action is going faster or pushing yourself harder. It’s important to point this out only because the reverse is also true, and conventional wisdom: sometimes the right course of action is slowing down or taking a break. Only you can say which plan is best, but both options should be present in your mind.

(And sometimes the best plan is air conditioning.)

In what parts of your life could you use more “wind?”

Here’s to us, taking the bigger perspective and living the bigger life.

I’ll be back next week with more Good Character!