During a run last month, I was thrilled to discover the purpose of my life: to make other people feel better about their life choices.  Many people search their entire life for their purpose, and I managed to discover mine relatively early.  And when I think back over recent years, I’ve already done so much to fulfill this destiny.

• Pursued two master’s degrees. – Where most people would just complete none or one.
• Invested $80,000+ in a doctoral degree. – Spending money to read, write, and edit.  Yep.
• Quit a full-time job with benefits for TBD. – Kierkegaard might appreciate that leap of faith, but most folks have a little jaw-drop reaction.
• Started a running group with 6am and 6pm sessions. – Because why run in the dark once when you can do it twice.
• Sign up for a 50K trail race. – 31 miles.  In the woods.  Running.  That I paid to do.

I wanted to title these as “bad life decisions” but my friend Amy responded that they really weren’t bad enough to earn that title.  There had to be more bikers or face tattoos involved.  So a new name was created: Facepalm-Life-Choices.  The end result might be bad or it might be good, but there is definitely a “what was I thinking” at some point along the way.

And these choices also seem to take a lot more time and effort that true bad life choices.  The trail race, for example, is why I’m headed for body combat tonight at the gym and will be up at 5am for a 4-mile run.  Don’t be too jealous now.