Reflections

Probably reflecting on how hard this race was!
(Photo: Cheryl Young)

One of the most important things I learned during my master's degree was the important role self-reflection plays in the learning process. Since my degree was in education and human development, I was regularly required to reflect on my learnings in structured ways, such as writing self-reflection essays or through group discussions. Over the course of two years, I began to appreciate the usefulness of reflecting on what I was learning. Reflection is where I made sense of the theories I heard about in class. Reflection is how I related abstract or unfamiliar concepts and ideas to my work or personal life. I have come to the conclusion that without reflection, there is no learning.

I have since graduated, which means there is no requirement for self-reflection in anything I do. No essays, no due dates! But what happens to learning and self-reflection after school? My previous attempts at keeping a journal have resulted in a long first entry where I reflect on everything going through my head at that time followed by blank pages and another wasted notebook. Here is where running comes into play.

These days, life is busy and anything but routine. Time for self-reflection can easily get lost in this chaos. However, regardless of where I am and what I am doing, I can always count on my hour or so of running four to six times a week for self-reflection. Running is where I make sense of good and bad news. Actually, news (good or bad) are usually followed by an urge to run. Running is where I prepare for interviews. Running is where I analyze a decision I made at work earlier in the day. Running is where I do my staff's performance appraisals. Running is where I think about how to be a better husband, brother, son, and friend. Running is where I think about how my actions affect others. Running is how I keep learning beyond school.

This is why I run.