I recently started exercising to look somewhat fit for my friend’s wedding. I started to run, which I hadn’t done in years. The first day my body was so exhausted, and everything hurt the next day, but feeling the pain, let me know that I was doing something good for myself. I started off being able to run only a quarter of a mile, sad- I know, but every day I pushed myself to go a little farther, or run just a couple minutes longer. It was hard, but just a week later, I was running a whole mile.
You never realize how much will power you have until you really push yourself. Not just physically, but mentally as well. I can’t tell you how many times I had to think to myself, just a little bit longer or you can do it, Heidi, because I loose count every time that I run. That’s not the only time I have to say that to myself though. There are times when we have to push ourselves to do things maybe we don’t want to do, but have to. For some people it may be taking on a job they didn’t want, but need. Or having to go through another year or two of college, to get a better degree. We all have different reasons to push ourselves, and as much exhaustion as it may cost us, more times than not, in the end it will all be worth it.
A lot of the people I graduated with in high school, graduated from college this year. In the past, I had seen their posts, on Facebook, worrying for their grades, or their finals, and now, I see how proud they and their families are of finally overcoming something that at times may have seemed impossible. Not being a college student, I can only imagine their sleepless nights, the way they had to force their bodies to stay up just a little longer. Then, having to also mentally prepare themselves to do their best in everything in order to have the future they always wanted, and for some, not just their own future but their family’s as well. They may have received some help from the people around them, but most of the help I’m sure came from within themselves. Pushing through, working hard, overcoming the “impossibilities”, I can tell by their smiles, that it all was worth it.
Anything we want to accomplish, either if it takes a lot of physical or mental work, the only person that can make it all possible is yourself. Only you know how much more you can do, and how much harder you can work to do better, and to be the best version of yourself. If you are going through something frustrating in your life, and you feel like you are getting ready to just give up, push yourself just a little harder. Don’t let your own self stop you from what you know you can do, and what you can accomplish. It may be hard, and you may end up as exhausted as I did after running a quarter of a mile my first day exercising, but I can tell you, that I never regretted running that day. I was proud of myself, and you can be too. After it is all over, you will not regret it but will be happy that you were able to do what you didn’t think was possible. Our accomplishments are what helps us be happy. Not only thinking we are capable of accomplishing, but knowing it. Push yourself every day, don’t give up. If you have to, do what I do- just tell yourself, just a little bit longer, you can do it! I know it, and you know it too.
Sincerely,
Heidi