I have been feeling very under the weather since Friday (right in time for vacation). At first when I started to come down with my cold, I thought, not me...not NOW! I LOVE the start of a new year. I love refocusing (even though I refocused when I went to BLR in November) I love challenging myself with goals and making lists and plans etc.
By late Friday night I knew that my normal preparations for my New Year might just be put on hold, I was sick..really sick. The first thing I wanted to do was just feel sorry for myself. To forget about my goals. To eat my way into a New Year coma (although I did use my 10% this weekend for sure, don't get me wrong!). I spent ALL of Saturday in bed or on the couch doing nothing but watching Netflix and chatting on Facebook/Twitter.
By New Year's Eve I was still feeling pretty bad, but I had made a commitment to a friend that I met through twitter that the two of us would work out ringing in the new year (even though we were states away from each other) I wasn't about to let her and myself down...I am LOYAL through and through.
At 9:30pm I pulled myself off my couch and got into my workout attire and started making my way to my gym at my Condo. I didn't feel any better what so ever, but I had changed my mind set, I was going to do this NO MATTER WHAT! Here is a picture of me at the gym that night. I looked and felt like death but I pushed myself hard!! I even ran and beat my personal best with THREE one minute sprints of 7.0 on the treadmill (I have to hold on to the front bar to do this..but I do it!)
When all was said and done, I felt pretty ill but my spirit felt MAGNIFICENT!
Sunday I woke up feeling just as awful as the previous day and I layed in bed to the VERY LAST MINUTE before I had to be at work. It was a chill day with the girls which I was sooo thankful for it helped to not have to go anywhere or do anything. Sunday is my rest day for workouts so I was fine with that!
Monday, I was SOOO sick. My stomach ached and felt in knots. My cough was out of control. I had the headache the size of Texas and my body felt like a train ran over me. I was just sick, that is all there was to it! Again I cancelled all my plans and went between my couch and my bed all day, it was all I could do. I was starting to have a REALLY BIG PITY PARTY for myself and then I saw this video from one of my EARTHLY heroes!
Thank You Maya Angelou for your wisdom! You always speak to my heart, you gave me the courage and the will to RISE this night and keep my commitments to those who are doing at least a mile a day challenge in January..so I hit the gym!
I put an hour in the gym at a very slow pace and a high incline on the treadmill, but I did it! I didn't make excuses, I listened to the wisdom of Maya and despite a difficult situation, I arose to do what I needed to do for me and the people counting on me!
How different would our lives be if on every situation we had this kind of attitude. That when life tries to get us down, people try to shut us down, our own brains try to put us down we would say, "And still, I rise" and go on with our own life journey and not let it get us down?! The world would be changed... I would be changed!
Today with the start of Biggest Loser Season 13 and their theme, "NO EXCUSES" my prayer is that I can continue to adopt this phrase, NO EXCUSES. That I won't allow ANYTHING to come in the way of the journey of health and well-being that I have been on for 2 years now. That I will be able to keep the mindset of Doctor Angelou, and RISE in any situation to achieve my fullest potential!
What have YOU done today, to make YOU feel proud?!
