I discovered yoga two years ago and it honestly changed my life. Made me calmer, clearer in my thoughts, and gave me the strength to leave my job and go out on my own.
And although I practice yoga daily, if I went on a bike ride or power walk, I knew my stamina was nil. In May, I decided to do something about that, and began going to the gym -- a membership I always had but rarely use. I also convinced my friend, Ann, who I walked with four mornings each week, to join. Some mornings it's hard to get up, but I know Ann will be there and I better make the effort. Our motto: Friends don't let friends stop exercising.
Now I'm a gym rat. I'm there daily, for at least an hour, doing aerobic exercise and strength training.
But that's not the lesson here. When my blood pressure spiked, I was told to stop exercising until they could determine what was wrong with me. I HATED THAT. I MISSED THE GYM.
And as soon as I got the all clear, I returned to the gym, more determined than ever to fix my weight and high blood pressure. Here's the key: If I hadn't been going to the gym prior to my health scare, I wouldn't have known where to start. I know myself well enough to understand that I never would have started exercising. I would have been frozen into inaction.
This journey I am now on is introspective, making me think about my actions -- or inaction -- and understanding what really makes me tick. And for the first time ever, I am beginning to like myself. Progress.
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