A few weeks ago I went to one of Steph’s Fit & Flex classes. My mantra for the class ended up being “Just don’t throw up. Just don’t throw up.” I couldn’t quite do all the exercises then, and I spent the last few minutes of that class in the bathroom, close to the toilet, repeating those words. I knew I was out of shape, but I hadn’t realized just how much out of shape I was.

Resistance

Today was a bit different, though. I found myself actually making excuses as to why I couldn’t go. I thought about the changes taking place in my business and how that is going to affect us as a family struggling to get out of debt. I thought about how I’m feeling like I haven’t made as much progress towards acquiring new clients and new business this week as I’d hoped to by now. To be honest, I also thought about how I really just didn’t want to do the work of exercising my body.

Choose…wisely

But…I showed up. And I didn’t throw up. And I made it through without having to modify much of anything. And I feel good about myself. I’m proud of how I chose to do this thing I was trying to avoid. I know I’ll be sore later, especially tomorrow but, strength only comes through struggle. We forget that the struggle is a blessing.

Deep thoughts

Comfort is deceptive. It leads you nowhere. It keeps you…content? No. I want to say content, but I think any sense of contentment due to comfort is just as false. Contentment is spiritual. It comes from having peace regardless of circumstances. That’s not what I’m trying to describe.

Being a word nerd I just checked the thesaurus and found an appropriate synonym for comfortable. The word is: sedate. Being sedated for a procedure is definitely desirable for most of us. It has a time and a place. However, I can’t imagine getting all the joy out of life if it’s being lived in a state of sedation; of comfort.

I’m reminded of the words of John A. Shedd, which have been quoted many times by many people:

“A ship in harbor is safe — but that is not what ships are built for.”

The struggle IS real and it IS a blessing. And like ships aren’t built for staying in the harbor, we aren’t made for comfort. We are made to struggle and to get stronger. Or, after consulting my trusty thesaurus once again, I found some appropriate synonyms for struggle: we are made to contend, to battle, to fight. We are made to overcome. In overcoming, we thrive.

We are made for more.

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