So before I get to today’s challenge, I get asked a lot why I am doing this. It’s a good question. Thirty days of uncomfortable tasks doesn’t really make any sense unless there is some reason, right? Well, I had found that I was saying no to just about everything because there was some form of uncomfortablity in it. And I could be pretty creative when it came to finding uncomfortability. Want to go for a run? No, I’m out of shape. Want to work out? No, I’ll be sore tomorrow. Want to go on a camping trip? No, it sounds like too much work. It was pathetic and I needed to change it somehow.

I am happy to report that it is actually starting to work. I have a new question that I ask myself every time I say no when asked to do something. I ask myself why I said no. And I have changed my mind several times when I realized that it was simply because it was an inconvenience or uncomfortable. Just yesterday, Ann asked me if I wanted to go with her and the boys to Soak City. It was just for about 2 hours (from when it opened at 10:00 until about 12:00). I originally said no. I had some work to get done and it was going to be cold for the first part of the day. But then, I asked myself why I was saying no and realized that it was purely for comfort so I changed into my trunks and went to Soak City. And I had a great time… even though it was cold.

For yesterday’s challenge, I did another physical activity. I decided to go for a long run (long for me anyway). I don’t really like to run, and I have pretty much been out of shape since right after college when I hurt my knee. I hadn’t run 4 miles since my soccer days – back when I had zero body fat and a non-surgically repaired knee – so that was my task. Run four miles. And if you are wondering about the picture, that is what I looked like my senior year at Biola – the last time I ran 4 miles.

The run was slow and a little bit depressing, but I made it. I use the Runkeeper app on my phone, and I kept looking down at the distance traveled and it seemed like it wasn’t moving. What?!?! I’ve only gone .2 miles? It seems like I’ve been running forever!!! Quickly followed by, What?!?! I’ve only gone .25 miles? It seems like I’ve been running forever!!!

I may be exaggerating a little bit, but that is pretty much the gist of the feel of my run last night. I had been working on building cabinets in the garage all weekend, so my legs were sore and I was tired even before I had started. But this was on my list, so I knew that I had to do it. So I trudged on… and trudged on… and trudged on. There were a bunch of times that I wanted to quit. But this was a really good reminder of what I knew back when I was actually in shape – that my body is capable of doing way more than my mind thinks that it is. Sure, it hurt and it was uncomfortable, but I could totally do it – and I did.

Takeaway:

I don’t have to give into the stupid, wimpy voice in my head that tells me that I can’t do something, or that I should quit. I can decide to keep going. I can decide to reach my goal. For too long I have been listening to that voice and quitting before I get to the good stuff. And I am finding that the good stuff is waiting just beyond where that voice tells me to stop.