After exercising on Wednesday this last week, it marked the completion of 3 years in a row of exercising without missing a day. Far from the almost 12 years I had prior to my health issues, but…I am back at it. I may be slower. I may get more tired sooner. But I am out there still doing it. It just makes me feel better when I can get out and move! I have said for years that we all need to have a goal, and have challenges in our life. Those challenges can be both good and bad. I guess I have also realized that turning those bad ones into good ones are what separate us. You can learn from them and get even better. No where is this more true when it comes to the mental aspect of staying consistent, and persistent. Attitude is key. I for one always have to keep reminding myself on the attitude aspect of it. It is easy to get down and feel sorry for yourself. Nobody is going to change it for you. Work at it.
You choose what kind of change you want it to be. Change never comes about without work. You don’t always know what you are made of until those true challenges come about.
You dig deep and you stay focused. And remember, keep coming up with ways to make it fun. If you don’t make working out fun, it will always be a chore, and something you dread. You won’t stay with it very long then either. We were made to move, so MOVE!
Those challenges, and days when it gets tough, can be just like the weather we had Saturday morning. Foggy, not able to see things clearly. But, if you look closely, you can see things shining through. Those “shining” times are make it all worthwhile. Keep looking. Some days those shining moments stay hidden. They are still there. You still woke up that morning to take on a new day. Appreciate it and get ready to take it on. What will life throw at me today? Will it bring something new to me? Will a bring a new challenge? A challenge that may be good or bad? We don’t know. I don’t know. But that also is what brings some excitement and anticipation into things. Look forward to it instead of coming up with things to avoid it or dread it.
And don’t forget to spend time working on those challenges with the ones closest to you. Sarah has always been there for me. I may be the one keeping track all of the time of my consecutive days, but she exercises all of the time too. I don’t know how many days she has exercised every day. For all I know she could have a longer streak than me! Going out and taking pictures helps clear my mind, and it allows me to focus on all of those other things in my life. This next picture sums it up pretty good. It was taking one day this last week.
Keep working on things. Keep challenging yourself. And then put an exclamation point to it like you mean it! How fitting does this picture say it? I did not even realize that it looked like this at the time until I was going over my pictures later. Perfect summary! I will keep working on my streak. What can I say…that is what I do! Make one of your own or get ready to start one. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of New Streak: #1099
