It’s only February and I already feel like I’ve lived so much more than all of last year!
5ks, runs, pushing myself during workouts, hikes, quality time with loved ones, balancing work and personal time. I am having so much fun! I’m sticking to this year’s resolution: HAVE A LIFE!
With that resolution in mind I made an executive decision to skip work in favor of a president’s day where I’ll do everything I can to make my day playing hooky exceptional. I couldn’t help it, it was a GORGEOUS morning. It turned out to be pretty eventful: Parade, breakfast with friends, a nice long hike, and a day at the Date Festival (which I hadn’t been to in over 10 years!)
I was getting ready for my hike and I had an thought: Can I keep this working out routine up forever? I’ve been devoting a lot of time lately to staying active. I’ll double up on workouts, take long runs, go hiking, anything that will get me outside. Taking into account the prep and workout times it’s a good chunk of time I devote a week to this, how long can I keep it up? I’ve heard the axiom “I don’t have time to workout, I MAKE time.” but I know one day making time will be more difficult than it is now. It could be work, one day I might get married and/or have kids, I could get sick or someone in my family needs to be taken care of. Any infinite number of things could happen that slow or stop me at some point. what will I do then?
It took a minute but I came to a comfortable resolution to that question.
One day I may not be able to do what I’m doing now, but on that day I will be in a better position than I am now. So with each day I make time to exercise and eat right, that is a gift to my future self. That person who one day, out of necessity or luxury, is not putting in this time and effort will be healthier and more confident in the brightness of her future.
That turned out to be comforting, and more motivating. I’ve heard that discipline is the ability to forego what you want now with what you want most. I think I saw the benefit of that very truth today; and in that realization there is a reward of its own.
321pounds 