I refuse

I refuse to be discouraged.

Even though I couldn’t keep up with the group

And as a result pushed too hard

And fell on my face in the middle of downtown lunch traffic

I refuse to be discouraged

Even though the voices in my head say

“see, you suck. You’ll never be good enough. Why even try”

And the torn flesh on my leg burns and aches

I refuse to be discouraged

Instead I will remember that I stood up and kept running 3 more miles

Instead I will say I’m unstoppable.