You Won’t Give Up

Reflection makes you learn and learning makes you hopeful. As a teacher, I know that reflection is key to getting through to me and a student. If reflection doesn’t happen I can’t get a hold of what happened. Sporting events have replays. The reflection is your replay. What went right and what went not so right? How will you get better if you don’t reflect? How will you keep persevering if you don’t get better? Getting better at something is what keeps you going. It’s the intrinsic reward for hard work and reflection.

The reflection process is a mindful process. You don’t have to get deeply introspective but thinking about what you do will help you conquer the next move. Doing a task without making a mindful investment will leave you empty. It isn’t that you didn’t work at it, you just gave little thought to it.

What happens without reflection?

You forget what happened.

You can’t remember where you left off each time you begin.

You pose no new questions about challenges.

You keep doing the same thing thereby creating stagnancy.

Challenges are avoided.

Giving up looks easier to do with each new challenge.

Procrastination.

Each time you procrastinate giving up looks like a good idea.

How to start the process without hating it

Set a timer for five minutes (you’ll enjoy it eventually and you won’t need this).

Write/ Type it out.

Get an app to track progress.

Review progress before starting again.

Create plans.

Act on your plan.

Need help with plan: hire somebody, read a book/article.

In other words this is a time investment. In some cases it means there is a cost. Determine how important this is to you.

Next up? When will you begin?

Why do we give up?

Giving up is a daily struggle.

We put something off because we dread the results we’ll get and we dread that feeling of dissatisfaction. We fear discouragement and failure. Patience is part of the process. If you do it, you are productive no matter the result because then you will have had something to improve in the future.

So what are the things to improve?

Some things to consider to get started:

Preparation

Reading, seeking advice

Technique

Application of what you learned as you prepared

Mental State

Did you sleep enough, is there distraction?

Are you anticipating new exciting things or are you focused on failing?

Just keep doing whatever it is. The more you do it the more you will learn and the more reflective and hopeful you’ll be.

Next up? Reflection keeps you from giving up.

Giving up

So you thought you would give up? You’re not getting off that easy. I thought I would too, but I had no choice other than to keep going😉

This year I thought I would throw up all nine months of pregnancy and die of starvation. Really. I lost about 20 lbs of hard earned weight and muscle. Weakness was real. I ended writing about my lifting goals and trying to convince others they had what it took if they just tackled their minds. “Oh, ha ha ha. You blabbing weak fool, you thought you’ld keep going but now vomit and nausea has you.” Memories of nay-sayers in the past popped in my head. That was the sneaky nasty voice in my head. It wasn’t helping me get out. It definitely wasn’t good for my little baby. But something happened in early January 2018 that my future self would be grateful about April 2018. I signed up for a 10k. I only ran one race in 2017. Strength was my focus last year. I thought my running days were over but a friend finally convinced me in my pre-pregnant state to give running a shot again.

Part of my pregnant self thought… how will I eat enough to make that race happen? I don’t know if I can eat anything, I’ll faint. So I gave it a whirl. I’ll run and see what happens. I ran slowly but consistently. I knew I had to tackle six whole miles of hills so that meant milage.

It wasn’t easy, but I had a choice: Sit around inside and be miserable or keep running outside and smell nothing. Smelling nothing was SO appealing. The more I ran the less nausea I felt. The more I ran the more I ate. This was the case with my first pregnancy and this is what happened now. I only ran on a treadmill with my first born so this was a little scary. I had to do my homework for road running, But I informed myself. My husband checked out books for me, I read pregnant athlete blogs, I consulted with pregnant athletes. I learned and I discovered.

New discovery: the more mileage I ran the less nausea I had. I have less nausea at three months pregnant now than I did with my first born.

New discovery:

I discovered the progress I kept making. I looked at my five weeks Monday through Friday letters to myself I posted on social media in January. I have never made daily entries like that with that amount of consistency in the past. I looked at my lifting stats for this year and running stats for the last three years. That was progress.

I discovered that I was able to make progress even when I felt weak. I ran the 10k three months pregnant. Now the next thing was getting back to these posts.

I hope you can see past your new life conditions, injuries, setbacks, etc. and feel progress in your bones. It’s possible. Go for it. Be consistent even if it doesn’t blow your mind.

Next up? Why are you giving up?

Pregnant Running

I ran a 10k at 13 weeks or 3 months pregnant! I’ve never done that! I didn’t with my first born but I did run on a treadmill. At that time there wasn’t much literature on the subject. I didn’t talk much about it since I knew I would be discouraged. My doctor at the time was all for it but the people in my life at the time thought otherwise. You must be cleared with your doctor, but I am here to say that it can be done. It has been my biggest help in pregnancy and especially now.

The 10k course was in Austin. It was especially hilly; it was about 282 feet of elevation. All of the first four miles were mostly uphill. It wasn’t the way I trained but it was a great experience. If I had not signed up for it before this pregnancy I would not have committed to doing this. I’m especially cautious with my low sugar. So far I’m not diabetic but I will get another test in a few weeks. I just keep telling myself to breathe. I will get through this nausea and I will have fun in the struggle! This baby is meant to run!

Adjusting goals

I’m about 6-7 weeks pregnant. I’ve had so much nausea, eating has been hard. I hope to lift soon. I am currently doing a boot camp twice a week. I lost more weight than I needed the week the nausea started but my goal right now is to keep eating. I feel like that is all I do even if it’s a little at a time. At the moment I’m adjusting. Each week gets a little better. I hope to bring you more encouragement in the coming weeks. Hang in there if you’re pushing at your goals. You will achieve them. And if you feel giving up, don’t. You’re jellybean will thank you for it. My jellybean is the little life growing inside of me. If you don’t have a jellybean, keep in mind there are those you inspire. Be that inspiration. Keep breathing. Life needs you to do this.

Reaching Goals: When it gets real

Week 5 Day 4 Take it easy Tiger!

Yesterday was hard, last week was hard, everything was hard! But today I may have had a second wind. I’m not sure if that applies to weight lifting, but I felt more refreshed. It’s been a rough couple of weeks. Hmmm. Is that strength?

Maybe the weight is getting a little lighter? I don’t know. I started off feeling like “oh no, why am I doing this again” but then i felt it and my trainer said: wait one more rest minute. I was ready for more. I also ran yesterday. I also rested more.

So today: 145 lbs on the squats. I don’t own a scale but I’m pretty sure I still weigh less than that.

Goals for weakness

Week 5 Day 3: The “W” Word.

Setting goals will bring out strength but it will also bring up other details. Things that went unnoticed. Things that are harder to do. But not to worry. Approach it, touch it, reflect on it, note progress and celebrate and #repeat! These are the things on the journey. Can you do this? Why are you asking? Don’t worry. “Pain is just weakness leaving the body!” As a friend of mine says: #letitburn #go

Make momentum work for you

Day 4

You’ve got one more rep!

You’ve done Days 1-3. You’ve started on your goal, became passionate about it and breathed some life into it. Now is the serious part of the journey. If Days 1-3 haven’t happened, make the magic happen. Today is like the the 11th mile for a half marathon, BUT you’ve already run 11 miles straight so no stopping now!!!! Finish! In other words, for the unprepared, today might feel light like eating gravel for breakfast. Be prepared. Make momentum happen and let it work for you.

Muscling through the year might work for a while but when the mind gets stale the rest of the body and actions will go with it. This is Day 4 of week one. There are 52 weeks. You’re in it for the long haul.

Days 1-3 got you here. You’ve committed. Congratulations!!! Now you need resources to keep this momentum going.

Here is a list:

Experts

Tools (materials, books, videos, etc.)

Accountability

There’s more but these are basic. This may look different for different goals. Find these. Invest in these. Experts may cost so decide how valuable this goal is to you. It doesn’t have to be expensive and you might not find them all today but start. Go to Day 2 to get that started.

Next up: Assess progress

Goal Crushing

Day 2 of my journey

The world is either setting goals, revising goals or wishing there was one more day off. If you haven’t touched your goal today, it’s ok. This could be December 31, 2018 but you’re reading this so it’s still ok. I encourage you to take one finger and touch your goal. Yes. Put this phone down and touch it. Did you touch it? Ok, now pick that thing up. Maybe it’s a planner or a something in your garage or a jumping jack, 1 push-up, putting on your running shoes, eating one leaf of spinach or something. Lol

No really I mean it. Touch your goal. If you spend time close to your goal you are one step closer to doing it. Now write that thing down, make that call, and watch HOW momentum will carry you. Just one thing, now the next thing. only have 5 minutes? Come back later and touch it again. And remember, tell the negative committee that brings you down in your head , to sit down and… you know.

Maybe it’s not as glorious as you hoped, but Congratulations, you did it! Now you just to do it again. And that’s how discipline or goal crushing happens. Revisit it again and again. It’s really simple. I think I’ve complicated things thinking discipline is something that just is. But it isn’t.

Now dealing with the pain of doing this over and over. No results? Hmmmm, are you sure you’re looking from the right angle? Consult with someone. That’s the next step. Find someone who has been doing this thing. Read about it; preferably a book that helps you focus on that topic alone. You probably already know this but you’re reading this because you want to reach this untouched goal. Google search “goals” and you’ll see the world is doing this. Goal setting is healthy. It starts by touching it.

I hope you feel empowered to add more weight to your lifting, organizing the pantry, calling that person, eating the things that give you good energy and so on. Whatever it is, it’s your goal, you set it, no one else.

Next up:

I’m too amazing! Now what?

Run and live

I wrote this after I ran this morning. Thinking about all the discouraged souls out there. Whether you run or not take your passion and feels its breath. Really. Take its breath. You need it and the world awaits you. 

Run because you love it

The wind and air entering closed lungs

The ground cheering on each step

Run because the dawn greets you with a song

The song opens deaf ears and life is yours again

Live and let passion rule the day!