I have something on my mind. Actually, many somethings. The other day I wrote about my Brave lessons from 2014. I mentioned Brave as it relates to fitness. I think my explanation was lame. I woke up thinking three things: 1) Why did I write about Bravery related to exercise? 2) What did I really mean? 3) How does exercise and Bravery even belong together in the same sentence?
What I learned about Brave over the last year is there is a component in it, to me, that means you keep on. You don't give up. You remain consistent. You see an idea through. You don't make up cheap or lame excuses why you did or didn't do something. And that's where the whole fitness-exercise-working-out scenario fits into Brave. At least, it does for me.
It is so easy, especially with fitness, I find to give up. There are a million excuses why a person can or cannot workout. There are a zillion reasons why everything else in our lives takes priority over health and well-being. I read here President Obama and Michelle - who run the country - manage to find time to exercise daily. What's my excuse? (What's yours?)
Plus, there's all that eroded thinking I have after I eat dessert for breakfast or eat junk food at my office, "Oh, I guess today is ruined. I might as well gorge on everything." Versus, thinking - every step I take or every movement I make burns calories. Every food that enters my body fuels my body for better or causes my body to function for worse. I can't tell you how many foods I eat weekly that cause my body to function worse. And for what? 30-120 seconds of pleasure?
So, back to Brave.
Being Brave for me over the last year - and really, it is more over the last two months for this particular topic - includes Brave health and well-being. I mentioned in my blog post I've added the Dailey Method into my fitness routine four times a week since October. What I know, for me, is my Brave includes not giving up. It means keeping on with the added workouts even though I didn't see the slightest change for a period of time - at least 4-6 weeks.
But, then something awesome happened. My body started changing. My clothes started fitting just a touch differently. My trail runs became stronger and actually easier. I wanted more of that. More change for the better. More feel-good healthy moments. More I-kinda-like-my-changing-body-shape. More keeping on.
Now, I'm not saying the Dailey Method is the answer. Yes, I like it, but the answer really is keeping on. It's being Brave enough to think "this is good for me" and keep at it even when the changes are null or minimal.
I'm still determining my word (or phrase) for 2015. There's something following me about keep on. I have a few key things I want to do and experience in 2015. For me to keep on will be essential.
I don't know what you are up to, lovely blog reader. My wish for you is to keep on with the good.
Best,
Jen
