Pushing Yourself and Growing

With my alarm set earlier than a normal weekday I set off to bed last night.  I was not looking forward to the workout I had planned for my morning or the time of day I was going to rise for it.  I thought of many reasons not to do it and options for skipping it.  Regardless, I drifted to sleep with these thoughts still swirling in my head.

When the phone alerted me that the morning had arrived and it was time to go I set off to the track. The plan was 20 laps and between each one I was going to perform burpees, squats, pushups and crunches.  I have to admit it was much harder than I envisioned, and there were times in the first mile that I thought about giving up.  However, I pushed ahead and completed most of the goal I set out to achieve.  Around 4 miles my knees were done, and I had to stop.  It was still a better workout than my normal Saturday routine, and I gained a lot from the experience.  

Sometimes people have told me that these workouts are extreme, unnecessary or just insane. The former version of me would have definitely thought I was nuts.  However, I learn and grow from each one.  

I feel humbled by these routines for their ability to represent how far I have come and how much further I can still grow in my physical abilities.  This body was sedentary for many, many years, and I have made some pretty impressive progress.  I also appreciate the abilities of others so much more when I read about things they have accomplished because I have experienced a piece of it first hand.  

Pushing myself is something that I have come to enjoy. It is that moment when I reach that edge and keep going that I grow.  I might not always accomplish what I set out to achieve, but I attempt things that some never even try. 

Sometimes the journey is not about where the destination lies. Instead it is about the trip and what is gained along the way.