Challenges, struggles, feeling defeated. It’s all part of the journey. It’s never ending. If you are not challenging yourself you are not growing. Is it scary? Every step to the unknown is. Don’t forget that you are human. It’s ok to have a meltdown. Just don’t unpack and live there. Cry it out, then refocus on where you are headed. We have all done this. I remember my first round of 80 days….trying to get in every rep, trying to just manage the moves….getting frustrated when I couldn’t or the pain even though it was short lived…..made me cry. There were times I dropped to my knees on my mat, brought my head down on the mat, and just bawled but I kept moving as I wiped the tears. Little did I realize with each tear came a small part of strength God was giving me to push a little bit harder, to show to myself I was made to do tough things. Nothing will ruin you more than thinking you should already have your life together. Does anyone truly have it together 24/7? I think not. Learning to breath through the hard times the hard workouts is half the battle. Did you ever think why it hurts? It hurts because it MATTERS! YOU matter! No matter how much it hurts now, someday soon you will look back and realize your struggles changed your life for the better! The struggle you are in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow regardless of what workout your doing or what program you are currently in. Don’t ever give up. Don’t let frustration knock you down. Don’t let fear stand in your way. Who cares how long it takes or how many times you have to try to get it right.Your only competition is yourself, and when you finally succeed, the struggle will be all worth it! No struggle…..no strength…..and no gain. So as you struggle, remember, it’s far better to be exhausted from lots of effort and learning than to be tired of doing absolutely nothing. Do we struggle? Of course we do….WE JUST DON’T QUIT!

A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true! So they say if you can’t stop thinking about it don’t stop reaching for it.

It has been a few years now that I signed up for a marathon…..yep a full one. I was able to go 18 of it when my body gave out but not before I gave it all I had. Receiving a medal from the bike patrol in the middle of water works park was not how I visioned my win for months but it was not in the plans that day. Since that day I have not stopped thinking about it, every single week. I wrote on fb all my feelings that day. Here we are a couple of years later. I truly think this was Gods plan. He knew I was not mentally and maybe physically ready for this and needed to learn a lot and gain something that will benefit me….strength. Back then I thought I had all of this. I was wrong. So this is my goal….I will be shooting for this star before the first snow falls. If it is meant to be it will be. It’s not always an easy thing to accept. It’s not about perfect. 

It’s about effort and when you bring that effort every single day, that is where the transformation happens. That is how change occurs. I encourage everyone reading this to choose a goal they want to challenge themselves with.T his goal should make you want to jump out of bed in the morning! If the plan doesn’t work, change the plan but NEVER the goal! I am living proof my first plan did not work, but I never stop believing I can and someday I will.

Mirror mirror on the wall I’ll always get up after I fall. and whether I run, walk, or have to crawl..I’ll set my goals and achieve them all! Don’t be afraid to set goals so big they laugh. Crush them while they watch. Success in life comes when you simply refuse to give up, with goals so strong that obstacles, failure, and loss only act as motivation. Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new. BELIEVE in your dreams!

They were given to you for a reason. Have you ever thought of it this way? If you talk about it, it’s a dream, If you envision it, it’s possible, but if you schedule it, it’s real. What goal is about to get real for you? If it’s easy, then it’s not worth it. Leave that comfort zone. Your goal could be not to be better than anyone else, but to be better than you used to be.

It is not your job to be everything to everyone. So, think this week about a goal you would like to smash….you will have all of us behind you 110%. THIS you already know. You just need to train your mind to believe in yourself. Shoot for that one star you have your eye on……now start planning around it, place it in your heart, believe in yourself and SMASH your goal!