I hate to exercise. Hate, hate, hate it.
Except…I always feel better after. Everything I know about endorphins and ‘happy chemicals’ from a therapeutic point of view – often helping athletes with sports performance issues – applies to me. It always has, but to get the benefit, like most things that are worthwhile in life, a little effort is required. Sometimes a truckload of effort.
I loved my friend Brian’s post today on Heart of the Matter. Brian captured my feelings precisely about pressing forward with a good attitude when we recall sunnier days when our bodies were more compliant. Those glory years seem to transition in a snap…morphing into the creaky years. I don’t want to complain, but adjustments are…um…necessary.
I’m grateful, too, for my friend, Jane Fritz, who shared her fantastic accomplishment last week about exercising and adapting, as necessary, as our bodies change over time. I loved Jane’s comment about her doctor’s input: “Listen to your body”. I like that. Listen and find ways to move, just the same. Kinship with others who are in the same boat ramps up my motivation.
So, this morning…grumpy as all get out because I fancied more coffee/scrolling/reading time than sweating, I self-talked my way into my weightlifting routine and lumbered onto my spin bike. Within a minute or two, my favorite tunes and upbeat playlist took over and I moved and grooved and sweated. So much sweat. 😉
When I finished – just a few minutes ago – I smiled when the monitor on my bike presented me with a milestone, an electronic high-five:
I’ll take it. Grateful for the thoughtful reminders from Brian and Jane and the nudge that if I’ve done something 200 times, surely I can keep on, keeping on.
Cheers to you and the milestones that await if we:
Stay in it. To win it. With gratitude.
Vicki 😉
Victoria Ponders 
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