Nobody ever said it would be easy.

There are few things one can promise in life but I can tell you right now with certainty that you WILL have difficult moments. You WILL have bad days. You WILL feel like doing ANYTHING but what you’re about to do with your body.

You will want to snuggle back under the covers, turn off that alarm, avoid going out that door into the cold, damp day…but then this voice inside of you will yell louder than the sound of all the doubts and negativity combined…ENOUGH!!

You WILL get back on that bike, you WILL find the strength to do another repetition, you WILL push yourself to do another burpee, squat or whatever your perceived nemesis that day might be. When you are done, when you have stepped outside of that comfort zone, when you have defeated the voices of resistance in your head, you WILL feel amazing. You might be sore but it will be the kind of sore that reminds your soul that you’re alive, that you’re present and that you’re a force to be reckoned with.

On days where the drive to get up, get out and push yourself seems harder to come by your support network becomes invaluable. Support can show up in so many different forms. It could be a friend who comes and drags you out for that run that you’ve been avoiding. It could be a trainer who holds you accountable if you don’t show up to a workout. It could be your child who says they love you and who the very sight of makes you want to be healthy and live a longer life. It could be re-reading the words of someone who has been there, who knows how deep you have to dig sometimes.

Call on your supports when you need to. Don’t be scared to ask them for help or for a kick in the motivational rear.

I have been sick for the last 3 days. My support came in the form of my friend Amy and I doubt she even knows it. This beautiful, amazing woman showed up at my door with Aloe coated Kleenex, cold medication and a coconut water (since she knows I don’t drink juice). She took one look at me and very nicely informed me that I looked like crap. What she did in that one moment, with 20 years of friendship and honesty behind her, was help me know it was okay to feel horrible and showed me that no matter how bad it got (or how crappy I looked) she had my back and would be there to catch me.

Bad days are going to happen but don’t give into them. Don’t let them define you or your journey. Let them motivate you instead to push harder, to go longer and to be stronger. You WILL thank yourself in the end.

Love D.