You can have it all. It just takes a lot of work. But hard work always pays off. Remember the days of pulling all nighters and studying your face off? And while getting that good grade, another one dropped? Spending the following weeks to raise that grade only to find another one suffered? Maybe that didn't happen to you but it happened to me year after year. Eventually I got the swing of things and evened the kilt. I learned how to balance the work load so that each class represented my hard work and each class scored a high grade at the same time. It's the jinx effect. When all things happen together.
I believe in being fit. I believe fit means strong. I don't think strong always shows. I think strong holds many levels to its definition. The girl or guy with bulging/cut muscles may have the strength but maybe not the endurance. The girl/guy with a layer hiding the hard muscles may not show a lot of strength but will blow your mind in his/hers endless endurance abilities. Standing trackside cheering on my sons track team brought this kind of scenario into full perspective. The girls lined up, ready for 30some seconds of bliss in the 100m dash. Each girl kneeled, hand on track, eyes on finish line, perched and ready. Each trim in size except for one. Upon a quick inspection, judging the book by it's cover, all bets would lead to a particular winner. But after the count and horn blast all those bets would be lost. The girl who created the largest of shadows also created quite the ruckus. She had the strength, the endurance, the all the way strong to win the race. She stood tall and ran. The power in her in eyes matched the power of her stride.
It's important to be strong in your mind and soul. We can lift and squat, run and spin all day, every day but at the end of the day if we're feeling defeated in our thoughts and aspirations for all else in life then what good is the smaller size, the tighter skirt, the flatter belly? It makes me think of the word superficial No one wants to live a life coated in happiness and beauty. Happiness and beauty should shine outwards from within.
I'm dedicating the month of May to Be All The Way Strong.
It's best fitting for me. I work hard on my outward appearance and physical strength. My mind is rolling during the time I spend running, lifting, stepping, dancing, TRX'ing. My mind challenges my body in ways that I should challenge my soul in moments of chaos, in times of grief and stress. In decisions of quitting bad habits and properly allotting time to tasks. And so much more.
If I can control my thoughts and push out the "quit now" feeling during hard workouts, long races, and resistant training then why not work that same muscle (the mind) to push out temptations to leave the laundry piled, wash dishes after the next meal, blog another posts, read another blog, or raise my voice in a moment of stress and chaos? Believe me I am no saint. I have my faults and yet I am still an amazing mother, wife and friend. We live in peace and show much respect to each other but like in the fit-world there is always room for improvement.
If I can center my energy to better discipline all parts of my life not just gym time how much of a better person would I be? How much more confidence would shine through my every step? How much more love could I share and how much more peace could be felt in the stillest of moments as well as the most rambunctious?
So I challenge myself to Be All The Way Strong. And as always I totally invite you to join! There's a fancy button, a hashtag of # allthewaystrong and more posts to come. You may find there are thoughts that counteract your fitness time. I see so much passion and drive in peoples faces when I look around the gym yet I wonder if they'll carry the same strength on the beach when in much less clothing. I see high fives and hear cheers at races but maybe there is solemness in their homes. Working the mind, body and soul/spirit/core whatever you call it will hit a different sore spot for each one of us.
You'll see me challenging myself in lifting heavier, speed training for the fun of it, and picking up spin classes. 3 fit-world things I want to focus on this month. I may post less, I may post more during the month as I truly open my heart and look deeper for any ways I can be stronger in mind and soul. With an upcoming cross country move, a transition back to the regular army, terrible twos occurring in the most public of places and yes, a tween boy moving through puberty... I could use a little more mental strength and inner peace.
I want to the most beautiful person I can be.
Linking with Just Because, Anything and Everything, Take Time Tuesdays,
