To The Beginner

It sucks starting something new.

Having hope is scary. I know, you’ve had hope before and then it didn’t work. You see those skinny chicks and wonder how it would be to live like that.

You think, “I’d be happy in my life, if only I looked like that.”

Staying the same just isn’t an option. You’ve stopped looking in mirrors, you’ve learned to shut down the voice that questions “how did it get this far?” You don’t realize it now, but you WILL feel so much better. You may not even realize just how bad you feel now.  Being numb to life will do that to you.

It will hurt. You will ache and the pain will be damn near unbearable. But ever so slowly, you’ll start to see some progress – and it will be so motivating. You’ll see that you can do more, push more, and are so much stronger than you think. You’ll be astonished at your mental capacity to keep moving when your body wants to give up.

Keep at it.

Don’t give up.

One push up, one half mile, one bike ride, one step at a time.  You’ll start to walk or jog outside – terrified that someone will drive by and laugh. (They won’t – they’ll be thinking they should be out doing something, too.) You’ll start to raise your gaze to passersby.  Maybe, just maybe, this fitness thing will work.  And it won’t be a fad, a phase, or just that thing you did one time. It will be a way of life – YOUR way of life.

Small victories that will lead to big wins.

You’ll be “that” person in your neighborhood that is always seen walking, running, or moving.  Someone will call you an “athlete”, and you’ll look behind you to see who they’re talking about, suddenly choking back a sob as the realization hits that it is you they are discussing.

You’ll get to the point where you’ll relish the labels “dedicated”, “consistent”, and “persevering”.

It’s never easy getting there from here.

But I promise you it will be worth it.

You are so worth it.