1. Excuses are worthless.
I used to think I couldn't run or do certain exercises because of my shape/body type. Since I started walking, wogging, jogging, and exercising a couple of months ago, I have seen ALL KINDS of people doing it. Who'd a thought?! Big people, skinny people, fat people, short people, old people, young people, tall people...I cannot excuse myself from doing what is good for my health. If THEY can do it, so can I! and why shouldn't I? 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
2. Setting a big, hairy, audacious goal (B-HAG) is great, but it's the baby steps that get you there.
When Joan was inspired to do the half-marathon, and I jumped on board, I don't know what I thought my plan was going to be to get there. I'm so thankful for Joan and Karlyn to set the smaller goals along the way so that this B-HAG doesn't just become words. On a smaller scale, as I run my neighborhood, I'm often dealing with some daunting hills. I have learned to look ahead at the crest of the hill for only a split second to see what's ahead, and from then on, I only look a couple of feet ahead of me at a time. Seeing the whole trek at once is scary and makes me want to quit, but when I focus on just a little bit at a time, I'm at the top of the hill before I know it. Such is life, right? "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." A light at the feet isn't a spotlight to show the whole distance. It's just enough to get us through the next little bit and keep going.
3. Accountability is SO IMPORTANT!
God made me a VERY social being, so this change in lifestyle for me has been so much more enjoyable with the people He has given to me to hold me accountable. My friend Missy (who is 41 has 18% body fat but loves me anyway) has been such an encourager to me. We are an awful lot alike, except for the body fat thing, so she really understands how to motivate me. She is the one who talked me into the bootcamp class, and at the end of every class she says, "Wasn't that GREAT?!" and I say back to her, "NO!" and she is quick to reply, "But you know you love the results!" And she is right. I really do have more energy and I love that I'm stronger and in better shape than I have been in a VERY long time. In fact, since I quit playing high school sports, I don't think I have ever been in good physical condition. (It's a good thing God gave our family healthy genes!) Our instructor Brandon is awesome and ends each class with a prayer, asking God for us to honor HIM with our bodies and to never let us become vain about them. And again, my lifetime accountability partners are my sisters...thanks so much, Karlyn, for getting me past the first BIG baby step by running with me in the 5K. And Joan...wow...you ran with us 5 hours away even though you didn't have to. Your dedication has always inspired me. Ecclesiastes 4:12 "A cord of three strands is not easily broken." We can do this!!!
4. Sometimes we have to stand alone in a commitment.
Now, I know that I'm never truly "alone," but the hardest thing for me to do in this new lifestyle is to exercise alone (see opening sentence of #3). There are some days when I know it is a day for me to run, but I don't have a buddy to go with me. On Sunday, our guest preacher Charles Lowery repeated something I've heard him say before: "You don't feel your way into action; you ACT your way into feeling." I know that if I just get out there and DO IT, I will feel better. So I go. Not all the time though. In fact, a few days ago, I knew I should have gone running, and I didn't. I fell asleep on the couch about 6 pm, waking up at 7:30, thinking it was AM and that I was going to be late for work! Oh, if only I had gone running! Then I wouldn't have taken a nap, my sleep pattern would not have been thrown off for the night, and I wouldn't have sent my heart into unnecessary palpitations thinking I was late for my class. But I have gotten better. I have learned some strategies for getting through the run by myself, and strangely enough, my best strategy is to sing children's songs. "This Little Light of Mine" and "Deep and Wide" have gotten me up many hills! I love how the Lord brings Scripture to my mind, too. So thankful that we were taught to "hide God's Word in our hearts." I will run by myself now...but I still like it better with a buddy!
I'm sure this is only the beginning of what God is teaching me. I prayed that he would help me live a more disciplined life in 2012. A healthier lifestyle is just one way He has been faithful to answer that prayer. Looking forward to seeing how He continues to be strong when I am weak.
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