Ten years from now you will surely arrive. The question is, where? –Jim Rohn
I’ll never forget December 13, 2015. I was mindlessly browsing Facebook when I came across this photo of a high school friend. Pausing for a moment, I thought to myself here is a guy who graduated high school the same year as I did. We both played sports, I went on to play football in college. After that I lost the intensity and focus for exercise that I had. Here both of us are, twenty years later, he’s doing weighted pull-ups and I rarely exercise. I’m overweight.
What will things be like twenty years from now? I pictured myself on the same path – gaining more weight, health problems with my heart, joints, etc. Would I enjoy activities with my kids and grandkids or would I be too tired or physically unable to participate? Would I be here?
I made an important choice that night and signed up for a CrossFit membership. My first class was on December 15, 2015 and it wasn’t pretty. I felt like passing out. I felt like a failure. At the end of the class I walked outside, hugged a dumpster and threw up.
But I came back. Again and again I came back, showed up, did the reps and worked hard.
I’m not doing weighted pull-ups (yet!) but I’ve noticed improvements. I have more energy. A few months ago I could touch the rim again, something I haven’t been able to do since college.
Starting the day with exercise completely changes my outlook of the day. I’ve already accomplished something on a day when I would have normally been sleeping. I have energy. I have focus.
This was me today. One year later, December 15th 2016. I made it one year! It hasn’t been perfect, but there has been progress. Plenty of pain but plenty of fun and success. I’m looking forward to what 2017 will bring!
