Running for My Life

Fast. I like to take things fast—find the quick way, get things done, get there early. My highest strength on the StrengthsFinder 2.0 is the ACTIVATOR strength. Often, my clients hire me for this strength and gift.

Lately, I feel like I have been running fast.

We just finished our book launch for the book Rock Bottom is a Beautiful Place. We wrote and published the book in four months from enrollment to launch. The book is now an Amazon bestseller. We had 3,655 people download it for FREE during our 3-day promotional period. I was running. . .and got 28 women to run with me. (Get the book HERE!)

During this week, the distractions hit me from every side. My air conditioning leaked on the second floor of my house and created water damage through the flooring and into the living room. One of my toilets stopped working. I was running to catch up to all of this and I’m still trying to get these things fixed.

I also run half-marathons, and I was supposed to run one last Saturday after all of this. I made the wise decision to skip it. I had been running for days—actually, for weeks.

In the book, we shared our vulnerable gut-wrenching truths. I ran from my addictions for many years. I ran from my authentic voice. I wanted to be who I thought you needed me to be. I wanted you to love me. I have learned that I am me and that I am okay whether you love me or not.

I have learned that running means 3 choices:

#1 I can run from things. I can ignore them, hide from the feelings, ignore the deadlines, and see what happens. This tactic doesn’t seem to work very well. I have tried it many times.

#2 I can run towards things. I can embrace them and dive in. I can seek to know, to find, to understand. This works well often but can also get me into trouble in certain parts of my life (such as dating).

#3 I can let God run the show. This is always the foundation. He is my boss, my guide, my mentor, and my coach. He knows where He needs me. My job is to pause, to listen, to refuel. In order to run the race He has set before me, I need rest, food, water, time, peace.

Running for my life is a good thing. I run to set myself free. I run to surrender. I run to hear what God is saying to me. I run to save my life.

Diane Cunningham is the Founder and President of the National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs. She is a “business therapist,” plane crash survivor, author, consultant, speaker, marathon runner, and fun friend. Find out more about NACWE and why 165 women joined in the first year at www.NACWE.org. Connect with Diane at her Facebook page for fun updates, silly videos, and lively conversation.