“Paralyze resistance with persistence.”
-Woody Hayes
Have you ever faced a challenge that required you to push yourself to the limit to achieve completion? The power to succeed lies within our ability to push forward. If you want something bad enough you have to be willing to push to achieve it. “If it were easy everyone would do it.” I hear that quote often but it’s true. Most of the times in order to see the things you desire it requires you to give a little more than what you normally give. It requires sacrifice, time, attention, intentionality, work and effort to achieve something that you really want. When you keep the purpose behind what you do in front of you it makes all the extra stuff worth it.
My fitness journey has really been teaching me about the importance of pushing myself. My workouts are not always easy for me but I realized, it’s not just a physical battle but also mental. “What the mind believes the body achieves.” I have noticed that when I tell myself that I can do a certain thing, I end up doing exactly that. Learning to push yourself really starts with your mindset. You have to speak life and believe that you can achieve the things you want to accomplish. It won’t always come easy but you are more capable than you may sometimes realize. Some things require a little extra time. I have to constantly get my mind to the place where I remind myself that I am capable and to keep working towards it everyday. I have to allow myself space to learn, grow and make mistakes because it’s all apart of the process.
Another thing this journey has taught me is that if you want to achieve something you have to work at it a little everyday. It’s the daily actions and habits that will produce the results you desire to see. I have been able to reach a lot of my goals in the past by working towards them a little everyday. From planning times for my workouts to eating right and getting my water in everyday. It’s like the quote says, “It’s not what you do once in a while that changes your life, it’s what you do consistently.” Consistency is hard but it will change your life once you get it right. This journey has been a fight and it’s like everyday I wake up I choose to remember and fight for the goal I want to achieve. There are days where I struggle but I remember it’s okay to have bad days, as long as I don’t give up. I challenge myself to remember that I am not just fighting for myself through this health journey. I am also fighting for my kids and future generations. I want to be able to give my best and full energy so that they will be able to give the same. I am learning that my kids really do watch what I do. When they see me push and give my all it motivates them to do the same.
Pushing yourself requires you to remember the purpose behind what you do. If you ever feel discouraged, go back to the purpose behind what you are doing. Ask yourself questions like, “Why am I doing this?” “What do I want to achieve through this?” “How can this help me?” “How can what I am doing impact the people who are directly connected to me?” “Is it worth me pushing?” Sometimes taking the time to ask yourself questions can help you motivate yourself to keep pushing forward. My kids are a big motivation behind my fitness journey. Two of my girls are battling a rare disease called Atypical Neuroaxonal dystrophy, which is a slower progression of (INAD) Infantile Neuroaxonal dystrophy. I strive to be an example to them and demonstrate what it means to keep pushing even through difficulties. My goal is to keep them active and engaged in daily physical activity. Children thrive on imitation. By modeling an active lifestyle, I encourage my kids to adopt healthy habits too!
I trust that God will ultimately heal them but I focus on the things I can control such as keeping them active. That very thing requires me to push. It’s sometimes hard having to push as a parent with so many responsibilities going on but you have to really take time to discover the things that are the most important to you and what you desire for your life. Once you discover those things it drives you to push.
These are some tips that have been helpful in helping me to persistently push through challenges in my personal journey:
1.) You have to shift your mindset
You have to believe that you can achieve what you want. Think about what you want to achieve everyday everyday, and remind yourself that you are capable.
2.) Work at it everyday
Everyday you have to decide that you are going to fight for your goals. It’s okay to have a bad day but don’t make everyday a bad day. Get up and fight for the things you want.
3.) Remember “Why,” you started
Remember and continually reflect on the purpose behind what you do. Always keep that purpose in front of you and allow it to drive you forward.
Don’t ever give up on yourself and the things you desire. Love yourself enough to consistently show up for you. What you want is possible you just have to believe in it and keep working towards it everyday. Always remember it’s one step at a time and one day at a time. Develop a game plan and keep working. One day you will be able to look back and be so thankful that you put in the work and gave everything. Thank you so much for reading! I hope this really encouraged you.
What is a goal that you are pushing to reach? How is the process changing your life? Comment below, I would love to hear your story.
Intentional Hope 