Breathing in the Rochester Rain

My first cross-country race in high school could not have been any more exciting.

I lined up in the largest race I had ever been in, by far, in Rochester New York just as the rain began to come down. I had never had a team of more then two or three lined up beside me, but that day I had around six or seven braced for the opening gun around me. It reminded me of that scene in the second Lord of the Rings movie when the army is about to battle the bad guys. In other words, it felt epic.

The tense few seconds before the race may have been exhilarating, but as soon as the starter's gun went off I began to struggle. I was breathing heavily 100 metres into the race and my legs were aching already. Only three kilometres left.

But then one of my dad's golden nuggets of wisdom popped into my head: Concentrate on your breathing.

I did just that, focusing not on the pain and nervousness I was feeling, but on breathing properly in through my nose and out through my mouth.

This method calmed me down and gave me a boost of energy like jump cables would to a tired car battery.

This strategy doesn't just fit into running though, but also in stressful situations in life.

Everyone feels the stresses of this world, whether it's strenuous homework assignments, dealing with a dwindling bank account or facing discrimination or bullying. Add in the fact that in this day and age we tend to multi-task every activity and making a business deal while shaving and cooking tonight's dinner goes from a funny Three Stooges skit to a physically and emotionally draining reality.

We often forget, in the hustle bustle of life, how to the do the simpler things. By focusing on these things, like breathing in running, the whole process becomes easier, more productive and dare I say it, more fun. Figuring out the more complex issues are still hard and arduous, but in more of a fun, how do I beat this level in Super Mario kind of way.

For example when you are trying to campaign or advocate for a human rights issue you may stress yourself out to the point of no return. Protesting an unjust law, getting the word out to different neighbourhoods and volunteering at different places all in one day is crushing. This is noble and no doubt possible for those with drive and determination. But it may also stress you out, leaving you disillusioned with your passion.

Simply focusing on helping people as opposed to how can I fit more stuff into one day, will lead you to being happier, healthier and achieving your goal.

This doesn't mean stop what you are doing, give up and stop caring, hoping everything turns out alright. It means keep striving hard for what you want, for what you believe in, but do it in a way that allows you to see the whole picture in a straightforward manner.

Remember, you can't see your passion or find your way to a goal if you kick up too much dust trying to get there too fast. So take a deep breath and take the plunge starting with the simpler things and soon you'll be making waves.