If you could achieve anything, what would it be?

Remember when you were young and stupid and thought smoking was a wonderful way to fit in, so you gave it your all–until it consumed you? It consumed your thoughts, your money, your health.

Remember how hard it was when gave up smoking, after becoming dependent, and thought you’d die as a result? You’d lock yourself in the closet, and cry and cry, overcome at the thought of a life without the small death stick. But slowly, days turned into weeks, and into months. Yes, the urge would overcome on occasion, the one that says, “I can’t do it.” But you did. 

You gave yourself one way out, an escape clause, permission to return in case of some catastrophic event, like zombie apocalypse or any other less-tragic circumstance–that tragedy would be the one exception to start again. And just the idea settled you.

Then over time, what happened? Remember, you no longer thought that way, it has been 25 years, and look at you now, even in the hardest year of your life, not one time did you even consider having one. 

Remember, you took up running for the first time. The first days you could only run five minutes at best before you felt like dying , and here you are twenty-six years later running long lengths at a time. 

So Josie, stop playing out a future you haven’t yet walked. 

Take one day at a time, one step at a time. 

As for achieving, what about another marathon in the next year or so?