The Best Things: Strength and Determination

If you are someone who has been following my blog, I need to appologize for missing so many days. When I started, I was determined to do this every day and started off strong, but things have been kind of crazy this week. But just as with everything else in my life these days, I'm going to pick up and move on from here with renewed determination to blog every day.

This "Best Thing" might seem like a "duh." Obviously I am physically stronger than I've been in a long time because I'm working out and eating better. That is true...and awesome! I was shaving my legs the other day and was truly amazed at the muscles in my calves. I've always had some muscle in my calves, but now they are really defined and strong. That's pretty awesome! I can walk, at a good clip, for at least six miles. I can run though not as far or as long as I can walk. I'm starting to see some muscle in my arms, though they still have a ways to go in that area. Being physically stronger is great and I love that I'm starting to see the effects of the work I'm doing in my physical appearance. I'm not just smaller, but I'm starting to have some muscles on those smaller parts. :)

However, when I thought of strength as a "Best Thing," I wasn't only thinking about physical strength. I was thinking more about mental strength. The strength that is required to keep going even when it's hard, to keep fighting when it would be easier to give up. I don't think I've ever been completely weak as far as mental strength, but I wouldn't say that I've been strong either. I spent a lot of years not doing things that were good for myself because it was easier not to. It takes less strength to sit on the couch eating McDonalds than it does to get up, workout, and make something healthier for dinner. It is a lot easier to keep putting off making any changes in your life than it is to get up and do something. It's definitely easier to give up when things don't go the way you want them to go. This isn't me anymore. I have the strength to keep fighting and working when it would be easier to stop. When I'm physically sore, I keep pushing and working because I know that I can do more. But, when I'm hurt, I have the strength to slow down, but not stop, to make sure that I'm not causing physical damage. I'm strong enough to resist temptation, because I know that will just make everything harder. I'm determined enough to stick with my journey even when the scale doesn't show me what I want to see. I'm not giving up on this journey. I can do this and I'm going to! I'm stronger than I've ever been and I'm only getting stronger!

I have a perfect example from this week. My weigh in didn't go the way that I had hoped it would. I was up a little bit in my weight after a week that wasn't particularly bad or good. Just sort of a middle of the road week where I worked out a little and ate mostly what I should, though I have McDonalds before the TSO concert because it was the easiest way to do things. My first instinct when I stepped on the scale and saw that I went up a little was to be frustrated and angry. I didn't want to give up, but I wanted to give in to frustration. However, I made myself stop and think. What had I done or not done that led to this gain? I realized that I hadn't pushed as hard as I could have and hadn't worked out as much as I could have. I made a new goal for myself and rededicated myself to continuing to push. The strength to do that is something I haven't always had. I haven't always been determined to make those choices and stick with them.

So with my newfound physical and mental strength and determination, I continue forward with my journey making the tough choices and sticking with them.