I believe I can do anything because my new trainer inspires me. She has been through hell and back. I’m not disclosing her situation; it’s not my story to tell. What I will say is just seeing her in action makes me want to work that much harder. She get’s the limitations, more than anyone else I know and she is exactly where I want to be in terms of fitness and mental strength. She is strong and doesn’t give up. She understands the pain; she understands the mental toughness required to push through when the odds are against you. She is not afraid to push me outside of my comfort zone. She is not afraid keep at me when I feel like I’m going die. She keeps pushing. She does this because she knows I can do it. I just need to believe I can do it.
Mind over matter.
You know how it goes. If someone tells you something long enough you begin to believe it.
For the longest time I have been told no. I have been given limitations. I have been told that my body is not physically strong enough to do what I want it to do. I’m not talking about being sidelined from your every day injuries, people come back from those all the time. I’m talking about an injury sustained years ago, that caused weakness and chronic issues.
I have adapted. I have reluctantly accepted these limitations. But, something is happening to me. I am changing. I am getting stronger both mentally and physically. The change started last year. I began blossoming into the athlete I once was. The athlete I still am.
I am starting to believe that I can do what I have been told I cannot. I am strong. I am a fierce competitor. So why not? Why can’t I do things? Why can’t I build up muscle in areas of my body that have been given up on? I used to believe in no pain, no gain. Then suddenly my world crashed around me. Pain was bad, it was not acceptable.
Today, once again I am back on board with the no pain, no gain mantra. But let me remind you, there are two types of pain. The good pain. The pain that lets you know that you worked hard. The pain that tells you that you are growing, evolving, changing, and getting stronger. Then there is the bad pain, where your body is telling you something is wrong and you have to slow down or stop. I love the good pain. I embrace it. I want the challenge. Pushing through, breathing, staying focused, mind over matter. I am stronger than I think I am.
