What power does the mind have?

Running is a new, perhaps short-lived addiction of mine. Cold mornings, cold evenings, tired – I’m still doing it. This is big news, given my dislike of running.

With a bung knee, not only do normal joints and muscles protest, but my right knee whines and stiffens in protest, many hours after.

And yet – I’m curiouser every day about what my mind can do [can I use the word against?] against my body. This is probably well studied and much used in sports circles, but not often have I experienced this. Pushing further than one thought they could. Pushing harder. Keeping on going when all.you.want.to.do.is.STOP.

It’s a new feeling. And not one just mitigated by the YOULOVEEXERCISING chemical haze of endorphins – it can happen before those suckers kick in.

Why can I make myself keep going until, say, the next song or the next telephone pole?

Do you have fantastic or fanatic experiences with pushing past physical limits?

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Synapses sparking

Over the last months, I can feel myself learning. Perhaps it’s the placement I’m in, and the reflective document I’ll create for that (even unbidden; I want to examine progress).

Perhaps it’s that I’m so immersed in my [future] field – like being on a choir camp or the like. Perhaps it’s that I’m so busy, so professional expansion is a natural reaction to that.

Whatever it is – I can feel the changes in my brain. Unfortunately, they aren’t as widespread nor as automatic as I’d wish for; nevertheless they are there.

Vague? Why, yes. So what am I learning?

• A deeper level of professional conduct
• More etiquette skills
• Actual collaboration methods
• Editing experience
• A slightly more critical eye for information
• Audio and (self-taught) video editing            (and getting down to what I think are the most important skills)
• To write more succinctly
• To write every day, and not to imbue writing with such a sense of ‘specialness’ that it’s an ordeal or ritual to sit down and do so
• To balance tasks of writing, organisation, planning, and editing
• That I, without doubt, and unbeknownst, love the Oxford comma (oh dear!)
• Media skills – talking to scientists and journalists, from both sides of the fence
• Writing in different genres (articles, media releases, profiles, education materials)
• Presentation skills and PowerPoint do’s and don’ts
• Not to be precious about editing and tearing up of my (see, even that is wrong) – a – piece of writing
• Deeply examining edits on writing and using constructive criticism
• To dive in, even if I’m frightened about a situation
• Networking contacts

This is SO exciting. I don’t want this period of learning to recede – I don’t want the tide to go out. I want to keep the fullness of my brain bursting with a spark from something I’ve happened upon.

I want to come home and rave to TheBoy about everything fascinating. I can see that he’s learning about science communication, too, from my (very friendly) rants and overflows of speech.

Oddly enough, I think most insights come totally organically, too. Like I haven’t had to think about them – my subconscious must be burning up – like they just appear, pre-formed, in my head. And I think, ‘Well, yes, that’s right.’

I feel like a kid who’s just discovered paint, or the stars.