Determination meets Desire!

Last night as I was lifting 30 pound dumbbells over my head in that dusty basement flooded with the yellow glow of the 1 lonely light bulb that hung just feet from my head, I realized that my determination for what I wanted for the future had turned into a desire.  One of the first times in my life that I have truly desired something so badly that I felt it in my bones.

For those of you that know me, I've come a long way on my journey.... but never once did I have the bone chilling desire to be fit and happy.  I've always just wanted those extra pounds off or that flat stomach.  It wasn't until I was coaching myself last night with the encouraging words (yes, I talk to myself when I'm working out sometimes... ) "Almost there.... You ONLY have 2 more reps, you've already done 10, what's 2 more... just ignore that burn in your shoulders... just push it up... concentrate..."  In those moments of coaching myself I realized that I had changed my complete out look on life.

I've always known that I could accomplish anything I put my mind to because I've proven it to myself time and time again. But NEVER have I encouraged myself when I'm so exhausted and tired.  You see, I had done an hour of yoga at lunch time, then came home and did an hour of BeachBody's Insanity (click here for more info) and then decided to do heavy lifting with BeachBody's ChaLean Johnson (click here for more info) for an hour and follow that up with some brutal ab workouts... I was near the end of that brutal workout when I decided to just keep pushing until I was done with that day's commitment.  Most of the time by the end of a workout (especially the Insanity) I would be exhausted, but I had made a decision (yet another one) that I would not sell myself short on these workouts.  That if I truly wanted that fit body that I would be proud of, I would need to step it up.

I'm not saying that I'm not currently proud of myself, but I just keep changing my goals... The path that I have taken since 2003 has been nothing but goals.  Small ones... stepping stones if you will... but they have all led up to this... I was once asked.. "Well, now what are you going to do?"  I never thought of this journey as having an end point, a finish line or anything to do with stopping... It will always continue for me.  Whether it's becoming that fitness model I can only dream about, or if it's just being happy with my accomplishments, the path continues... it just changes direction is all.

I have finally felt the pure desire to accomplish something.  And it is a wonderful feeling.  My hope is that you too will feel that desire... whether it's a desire for life or for any other accomplishment.  Either way, it should bring a smile to your face! Just never quit... never ever give up... I haven't... and I won't.