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?

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.