Upward And Onward, Because What Is Life If Not For New Adventures

How often do you challenge yourself? I mean really challenge yourself, your thoughts, your efforts. When we stop trying something new or shy away from something because it is too difficult, we are only cheating ourselves out of growth and valuable experience.

I'll admit, I was the queen of giving up. If something required too much of my time or energy, or I wasn't a natural at it, I walked away from it, unfinished. My parents eventually gave up on extracurricular activities, because they knew that I would 'get bored' and all their time, effort and money would have been for naught.

Being a mother was the first thing that I stuck to and meant it. It has been the one part of my life that has kept me engaged and striving to be better than I was the day before. Because this role gave me the understanding of what commitment meant and I experienced the satisfaction and joy that comes with pouring yourself — mind, body, and soul into something, it's been far easier to stay with something. When you truly get the big picture, you know there is nothing better than seeing what tomorrow will bring.

It isn't that things get easier, it's that we have more and more reasons to push forward and conquer new heights, accomplish greater feats. When you can amass enough sticktoitiveness that regaining your footing when you pause or falter is nearly knee-jerk, there really isn't much you can't do. Especially when you learn to store that magic for future use.

I've worked hard at becoming more positive and when the gray clouds threaten to rain on my parade, I'm fairly quick to keep myself dry and keep moving. Fitness has been much the same. Every so often the lazier part of me chimes in with ideas of skipping a workout, cutting it short or taking it easy. I put on my workout clothes for a reason, strap gloves on my hands because my intention is to work myself hard enough to cause callouses through the material, so giving up or giving in just isn't an option.

Being healthy on the inside has come to mean something different to me recently. Despite eating well most of the time, I still have modifications to make in order to fulfill my definition of true wellness. Like most of my other growth and change, this isn't going to be easy. No matter how tough it gets, I know that I have the tenacity, dedication, and focus required to stay on the path that will bring me to that end. If life doesn't challenge you from time to time, we are either not paying attention, or haven't stepped out of ourselves long enough for the Universe to remember we exist.