Today, I stepped out my front door and walked 3.5 miles. To some of you, that may not sound like much of anything. Maybe you’re right. But I’ve been living such a sedentary life and have had no motivation to push myself. I keep making excuses. Oh, I’m tired from work. Oh, work sucks so I deserve a break. Oh, no one cares if I sit inside and watch an entire season of Shameless in one day. Okay, maybe that’s not a show to binge in one day, even for us Netflix addicts, but you get the point.
I don’t know when I realized I stopped pushing myself. In high school, I ran cross country. In college, I did intramurals, was social, and wrote and entire book one month. Even earlier this year, I participated in Nanowrimo (not in it’s traditional time, I actually did it in February which I’d argue is even more difficult with less days and all), but now I just sit around and mope.
Honestly, the only thing that got me on my feet this week, well besides realizing how unhealthy I’ve been since my brother keeps bringing home pizza(I know, a terrible problem), was the fact I’m going to the mountains next week.
“Starting a little late to be ready to walk 7 miles uphill.”
My optimistic procrastination tips her hat to you for your support.
The other thing that keeps pushing me is what I’ve been reading lately. I don’t know if anyone ready about Jade Hameister making the Polar Hat Trick at just 16, but I fact checked an article about her and was floored—mostly because I was already laying on the floor watching Netflix—to hear how amazing that feat is for someone her age. I can barely make the effort to put my dishes in the dishwasher and she went skiing for over 25 days to reach the South Pole.
I’m also ready Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. The book starts off describing the history of climbing Mount Everest. I haven’t climbed any of the Seven Summits. Hell, I don’t even think I’ve seen any of the seven summits. I could barely make it up an East Coast Catskills mountain. So tell me why I desperately want to do something so daring, yet I know I’m way too lazy to get up off the floor and stop reading.
Pushing your limits doesn’t always have to be about climbing the highest mountain, running the furthest distance, or carrying the heaviest things. It can be about remembering to push yourself in little ways, such as eating just a bit healthier, reading a historical book, working five extra minutes, trying to spend more time on your hobbies and positively showing off the results, or even turning off the Netflix for half an hour and going outside to take a walk and smell the trees.
To end, I’ll leave you with my life verse which popped up when writing this post. So, I guess I need to go find out where my finish line is and start pushing myself to get there. Good Luck!
-Hebrews 12:1