Be Present In The Push

There was a time when I wouldn’t run in the rain. I would lace up my shoes, take one look outside, and if I saw those gray clouds, I’d shrug and decide to wait for another day. After all, who wants to be cold, soaked, and uncomfortable? It seemed unnecessary. I could always run later, in better conditions.

But, as often happens, “later” sometimes didn’t come, and those missed runs became a pattern. It wasn’t just the rain I was avoiding—it was the discomfort of the run itself. The burn in my legs, the breathlessness, the resistance from my own body. I was dodging more than just bad weather; I was dodging the discomfort of growth.

Then came a shift, one that surprised even me. I started to understand that avoiding the rain, avoiding the discomfort, was also avoiding the progress I wanted to make. If I wanted to get better, I had to stop waiting for perfect conditions. And not just with the weather—but with everything. This is also when my life began to change.

So, one day, I made a decision. It was drizzling, but instead of using it as an excuse to stay inside, I put on my running shoes, took a deep breath, and headed out the door.

As I started running, the rain didn’t let up—it grew heavier, soaking my clothes and making the path slippery. Every step was a reminder of the discomfort. But something incredible happened. Instead of fighting the rain, instead of grumbling internally or resisting the cold drops on my skin, I chose to embrace it. I shifted my focus from the rain to my breath, from the wetness to the rhythm of my feet on the pavement.

In that moment, I understood a deeper lesson. The discomfort wasn’t the enemy; it was part of the process. The rain, the soreness, the exhaustion—they were all pieces of a bigger picture. To grow stronger, I needed to be present in the push, to be fully aware of every drop of rain, every step, every breath.

When I stopped avoiding discomfort, something changed. My runs became less about finishing and more about experiencing the present moment. The rain became just another sensation, no different from the way my lungs felt when they worked harder or the fatigue in my legs as I pushed through the last mile. Everything was simply part of the journey, not obstacles to overcome but sensations to notice. After all, isn’t life about experiencing it?

That run in the rain taught me that discomfort is a sign of growth. It’s not there to hold us back but to push us forward. Whether it’s in running, in life, or in personal development, the real challenge isn’t avoiding the rain—it’s learning to run through it, to lean into the discomfort, and to embrace every difficult moment as an opportunity to become stronger.

When we avoid discomfort, we stay stuck. But when we learn to be present in the push—to truly live in the moment, even when it’s tough—that’s where the transformation happens.

The truth is, we’re always going to face storms in life, whether literal or metaphorical. Waiting for perfect conditions keeps us from making progress. Sometimes, we have to step outside and run straight into the rain, knowing that the discomfort will only make us better.

So the next time you’re faced with resistance—whether it’s a tough workout, a hard conversation, or a moment of doubt—ask yourself if you’re avoiding the rain. And if you are, take a step forward, embrace the discomfort, and be present in the push. Because that’s where the real growth lies.

And who knows? You might just start enjoying running in the rain.