Trust Yourself - Lean into the Pain
Last year, I hit my breaking point. I was working a lot and letting it consume me. I didn’t have great eating habits, went through spouts of not sleeping and I just felt lethargic and mentally exhausted all the time.
I wanted to feel...better.
I wanted to have something that was just mine outside of my job and career path.
I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression the last couple years and knew I needed to make some changes.
Last February, I signed up for the gym. I went in for the first time, a little nervous and not quite sure what to expect. We worked HARD.
And then I puked.
But, I felt good. I felt proud.
My trainer told me to wear that like a badge of honor. So I did.
He also told me he was surprised that I’d never done sports, because it seemed like there was an athlete in me waiting to break out.
I followed that same routine for about six months or so. And then there came a day when I wasn’t puking and could push the limits harder and farther.
I felt stronger.
Slowly, I’ve built muscle and started training my core. I’ve toned up. I’ve trained my mind to keep going. I’ve gotten used to waking up at 5:30 a.m. twice a week to workout before work.
I’ve flipped tires, slapped ropes, pushed sleds and pushed myself more than I ever thought I could.
I also started setting new goals in my personal life, breaking them down and looking at them from new perspectives.
Recently, I’ve started lifting more weights.
And apparently, I make it look too easy, because my trainer always likes to add more weight.
“Sid, why?” I groan, and he tells me, “you’re fine.” So I roll my eyes and keep going.
One day, not too long ago, I was working on my arms with one of the machines and I physically felt like I could not push one more time.
Sid stopped me and said “Give me one more and really lean into it.”
I took a deep breath and pushed harder. I hit the number of reps I needed to.
He gave me a high-five and smile. That’s what he was looking for.
“You’re a lot stronger than you think. When you really start believing yourself, this whole thing is over,” he told me.
He says it a lot. And he’s right.
While I’ve lost some weight and toned up in places, I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve gotten stronger.
When you lean into the pain of working out, that thing you think is going to kill you, you can crush it.
I think life is the same way.
To get to the other side, you just have to keep going.
That's all for now,