So last night was day three of the workout. It is amazing but at this point I am already noticing some changes. I am sore, but it is a tolerable soreness, not the type of soreness where you just can’t get out of bed in the morning. My clothes are starting to fit better and I am ONLY on day 3. I can’t wait for day 30.
Most everyone who knows me, knows that I am very busy all day. In case you weren’t aware of this, I am the mother of a toddler, I work full-time, starting my shift many times at 5:30am or 6:00am and finishing work at around 4:30pm or 5:00pm depending on the circumstances. I also am attending school online finishing my degree in English Literature and every now and then, my loyal clients will send me translation work, which most of the times needs a quick turnaround.
Some friends tease me about it, calling me a workaholic. These friends however, have no idea that I have been feeling burnt out for the past few months and surviving my obligations. Thank goodness I have a job with flexibility that allows me to log-in and log-out when I am available. At the same time, it has cost me because when I am too tired I simply don’t start my shift early, which in the end costs me financially.
Adding a workout program to my schedule may seem something crazy to do considering everything else I have on my plate, but I know from personal experience that working out provides me with the energy and focus I need to keep going. No cup of coffee can provide me with the same level of energy I get from working out.
Today I realized that what had been going on is that I had become rather comfortable with feeling burnt out. I had been running on dry for so long that it started to feel familiar and it became a comfort zone for me. In order to shift gears, I had to choose discipline over my comfort zone. It is so interesting how much we complain about how we feel “I feel so tired, I feel fat, I feel down, I have lack of energy, I can’t sleep, I, I, I, I,” Have you noticed that each complaint starts with “I”? What if we woke up one day just realizing that we have the power to shift how we feel? Well, here’s a newsflash for you: We do, but it is going to take something. It is going to take choosing discipline over our comfort zone.
Since I have started working out I have noticed how much better I sleep, my energy level has improved dramatically and I am better equipped to be available for my daughter when she gets home from school. I have more energy, a mommy with energy equals a playful mommy. My daughter is thrilled because we have played a lot this week. My university homework has become a breeze. I am the only student with an A+ during this class and I attribute it to the fact that I am a lot more focused and I continue to choose discipline over my comfort zone. Discipline I find, is a win-win formula.
If someone were to ask me what it is that I would like to get for myself at the end of these 90 days, I have to say that it is to become a master at ignoring that little voice that tells me that I am too tired or that I cannot do it, because the more I ignore that voice, the more I win and when I win, everyone who is counting on me also wins.