If you’re still moving toward your goals – you’re winning!
This is the week that gyms start to thin out and more than 70 percent of those who set New Year’s resolutions stop pursuing them. (See NY Resolution stats here.)
I have always been one to pride myself on defying the odds, so I used that as extra motivation this morning when the very last thing I wanted to do was get up and go work out.
It doesn’t help that we’re going on a week of below zero temperatures. But the truth is, ALL I wanted to do when my alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. was stay in my warm bed under the covers and sleep for another hour or two…NOT go to my cardio class and dance around like Prince before my morning coffee! Whose dumb idea was it to sign up for this class anyway?!
Well, if you know me, you know the moral of this story. Of course, I drug myself out of bed and to my 6:30 a.m. cardio class for “fasted state cardio” with only one cup of coffee in my system. While I had a long list of very valid reasons/excuses to miss this class, I forged ahead, all the while cursing my trainer and class instructor Sandra Swami as if it were her fault. Note: I didn’t say I did it with style or class. I just said, I got there! Sometimes we have to go kicking and screaming.
As I wrestled with the decision this morning, I reminded myself of the NY resolution stats – 70% will quit in two weeks – and of course I am not a quitter. I focused on my goals short and long term. The short term goals include my upcoming speech at University of Minnesota Duluth and a photo shoot in one week. Yikes! Perhaps most importantly, I reminded myself there must be a reason I am meant to be there today. I had better go figure it out.
The class was great as always. A new kick ass woman joined us for the first time. I saw all of the regulars. And of course, Sandra is a great teacher. We got our heart rates up, our dance moves on, and did some quality core work and stretching. When all was said and done, I had fun and it felt great.
The best part, I got my hour long workout in, ate a healthy breakfast and was ready to roll for the day before 8:00 a.m. – when most others are either just getting up or sitting in rush hour traffic on the way to work. And, I defied the odds in terms of being willing to pursue my goals and keep myself in the equation no matter how difficult it felt at the time. I don’t know about you, but somehow when something is really challenging for me – even if I have to push past fear or drag myself kicking and screaming – it feels even better, like an even more amazing accomplishment! Do you ever get that feeling?
At the end of our class, Sandra always instructs us to do a big wide arm stretch and then wrap our arms around our bodies and give ourselves a hug…thanking our bodies for what they do for us. This might sound a little corny at first (I admit, I thought so). But, have you ever stopped to think about the amazing things your body just does for you every day? On this particular day, when I was so far from motivated to get up and get moving, let alone get my groove on, I had a lot to be thankful for. So I gave myself an extra big hug.
Many of you are reading this and nodding because you, too, sometimes have to fight for it and you know exactly what I mean. Others of you are the ones running through the long list of excuses in your head about why you can’t work out in the morning, how you are too busy to fit it in, to make time for yourself… Trust me, I know because I was there. So to you, I simply say: YES you can. I know you can! How do I know? Because if I can do it, you can do it. I was right where you are until I made up my mind to change the formula – in my head and in my life.
So, on this frigid cold day in Minnesota. A day when many people will throw in the towel on their resolutions and stop pursing their goals. I ask you. What will you do to defy the odds today? To keep pursuing your intention or your commitment to yourself even if – and especially when – you just don’t feel like it.
I know, that like me, you have within you to do whatever it takes. 🙂 You’ve totally got this!
Click below to read for other inspiration, like minded topics:
- Fresh footprints in the snow
- My word is love. LOVE! in 2013.
- Celebrating Two Years of Daring Greatly
- Exercise, making it fun for life
- Putting the weight back on
- My new Before & After (Short) Video
- New Year’s Resolution Stats from Statistic Brain
I was exactly the same way this morning with not wanting to get up when it’s so cold out. Then I remembered that I’ve got a training session scheduled with Jay on Saturday. I know if I don’t keep up on my resistance training before going to a training session with Jay, I’m going to pay the price with extra sore muscles after his workout. So out of bed I went. Did a quick cardio session before doing resistance training followed by some work with my Bosu ball. Felt good afterwards and hope that it’s enough to keep me from really hurting after Jay’s workout.
Hey Deb, great to hear from you. Very fun that the workout with Jay becomes the motivator for your workouts this week. I miss him so and hope to make it to one of this “camps” soon. Thanks for sharing your strategies here. You clearly are a great example of making it work. Hugs.
I HATE mornings. I hate everything about them, and even more so this time of year. On a morning like today, I layed in bed, not wanting to get up at 7:45 to get dressed and drag myself to 8:30 crossfit….but then I also remembered waking up, getting dressed and dragging our asses up that god forsaken hill at Fitness North for 5:45 am workouts….workouts that lasted for what seemed like forever. Hours and Hours of workouts that left us laying in our beds to sore to rollover, and fearing for when our bladders were full because it hurt our legs so bad to sit on the toilet. I tell myself in the morning that if I could do that every day for 8 hours a day for 2 weeks starting at 5:45am, I can certainly get my but in gear at 7:45 for just an hour.
I also made a point of NOT making working out my new year’s resolution. I joined my new gym in November knowing that I didn’t want to wait for the new year and be one of “those” people.
Ha, Chelsea, thanks for the post. I have so often used the Fitness North experience to remind myself I am capable of doing almost anything! Great to hear you do so as well. I hear ya “godforsaken hill!” Good strategy on setting your intention at any time of the year vs. a New Year’s resolution that fades away. I did the same thing. Hope you are doing well hon. It’s great to hear from you. Sounds like you’re on a roll.
Sure glad you drug yourself out of bed, Lori, and came to class! You’ll see…. that prancing around will get easier and easier. And, yes, your body does AMAZING things for you, every minute of every day. I firmly believe, corny or not, that most of us don’t stop to appreciate our bodies incredible abilities. We are all very good at disliking their imperfections and judge them harshly for their “failures”. One participant at a time, one class at a time, it is my goal to change that!!! Keep on motivating people to love their bodies and take care of themselves, Lori! You rock.