When your happy and you know it...

“I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear.  Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we all are seeking something better in life. So, I think, the very motion of our life is towards happiness.” ~Dalai Lama in The Art of Happiness





Last weekend the Triathlon Connection was well represented at two events in the desert: the Tour de Palm Springs and the Palm Springs half marathon. Being injured I was unable to attended but was able to read all about it on The Book. Smiling faces, good food and great reports of the day led me to believe everyone had a great time. I think there is message we can all take home from the events, let me explain.

If the Dalai is right, and I believe he is, we are all seeking peace and happiness in our lives. Times when we can sit down with a calm mind and a smile on our face, enjoying life to the fullest. It certainly seemed like some of those times were had this weekend for sure.

Happiness is always right there for us to grab but we always seem to want to put rules on it. "I will be happy when I get a new tri bike" "...when I qualify for Kona" "...when I beat Bob." These rules are just barriers that actually prevent us from being happy! We have no control over these rules we erect to happiness. After all what if we flat during our Ironman and wind up not qualifying. Was the last 3, 6 or 8 months of training wasted? All the time we got to spend with our friends worthless? 




                                                
The pictures and stories of the weekend showed a bunch of people having a great time together! Enjoying each others company to the max. Was it because the event was "untimed," maybe the run was too early in the season and expectations haven't yet been erected or....

... was it because of the pizza?








I am not trying to be change your life or give you a headache thinking this through but just trying to pass an idea. We are all very lucky to be able to do what we do. We are accompanied in this adventure by many loving and caring individuals who are a just a ton of fun to be around. So as we embark on our season of training and racing let's enjoy all the happiness our lives bring to us every day and try not to let it depend on the time we cross the finish line.