• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content

Livology

Mindful Living

  • Start Here
  • Blog
  • Our Courses
  • The Livology Book
  • Travel Consulting
  • Contact

Have You Ever Thought of Running Away?

September 29, 2013 by Colleen Mariotti

Have You Ever Thought of Running Away

“If you run away, you take yourself with you.” I heard it a hundred times growing up. It was sound advice, but still I ran. I ran to Australia as an exchange student and I spent a year a hemisphere away from my family at the age of fifteen. I ran to the former Soviet Union with a performing group and witnessed Chernobyl. I ran to China for an economic history tour during the Handover. I ran and ran and ran and although I was excited about travel, I was also running from something.

I am older now and I feel differently. Running away has an air of fear or weakness attached.

Maybe it is not running away at all, maybe it is running to …

  • I am not running away from tradition, I am running toward creativity
  • I am not running away from making a first impression, I am running toward being more present
  • I am not running away from over-scheduling, I am running toward intention
  • I am not running away from play-dates, I am running toward gaiety
  • I am not running away from corporate politics, I am running toward global awareness
  • I am not running away from convention, I am running toward ingenuity
  • I am not running away from networking, I am running toward uniting

One is not possible without the other.

Toward is not better than from, as one gives birth to the other, if we are willing to see the beauty in the contrast. I always come back profoundly changed. You do not need to travel to see the contrast but if you do travel you have to work hard not to see it. Travel has always been my catalyst for change. It is my personal growth permission slip.

Print Friendly

Filed Under: Personal Growth Tagged With: Corporate Politics, Fiction, Global Awareness, Literature, Running, Running Away, Sound Advice, Travel

About Colleen Mariotti

Colleen is a mother of three, teacher, leadership coach, writer, and co-founder of Livology. The observations on this site come from a deep desire to share, practice and continue to learn and grow by being present in the world every day.

Before Footer

Get On The List

Join the global following now, and embrace the adventure. Receive posts via email.

No charge, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

© 2019 Livology · Archives · Search · Home