During my sophomore year of high school, I joined the track team. I was excited to run with my friends and make progress on my speed throughout the season. I became really invested in my running and in trying to improve my times. 

So when I started to experience shin splints, I was beyond disappointed. It was very difficult for me to focus on anything else. I wanted to have a successful season, which meant I needed to run harder at practice, but I also felt I wouldn’t succeed unless I took better care of my body. And it seemed that I couldn’t do both at once.

Feeling hopeless because things weren’t getting better, I knew I needed a change of mind-set. I’ve always found that prayer shifts my perspective, so I reached out to God for help. I also turned to the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, which helps me understand more about God and who I am as God’s child. In it, I found a statement that has meant a lot to me: “Mind’s infinite ideas run and disport themselves” (p. 514). This helped me because I know I’m one of God’s, Mind’s, ideas, and this was telling me that it’s natural for me to run and enjoy myself without anything holding me back.