Making Desires Reality, One Day at a Time

I'm psyched, and I want to write about it.

Today ended the 7th week of P90X for Jill and me. We began December 20, and one day at a time we now find ourselves at day 49! The results? Fewer pounds, less fat, more muscle, better flexibility, greater strength, cardiovascular fitness and a positive sense of well-being. There's a really big difference in all of these measures between day one and now, but the psychological benefits are the ones I probably appreciate the most; confidence and a sense of accomplishment from doing something my body didn't want to and my mind said it couldn't.

What broke the inertia of relatively sedentary middle-aged mindset that included aches, pains and low moods from lack of vigorous exercise? Desperation and desire to look and feel different. Note the emphasis on desire. Many programs work but only if we work them, and working them consistently is a result of motivation.

If you asked me in December what I wanted, my list would have looked like this:
- to be able to reach my toes again
- to be fit and flexible enough to get on the racquetball court again
- to wear my current wardrobe comfortably
- to eliminate neck and lower back pain
- to be able to ride my bike comfortably through mountainous terrain
- to be comfortable in my own skin like I was when I was fit

The list of desires was enough to break the inertia of fear of failure in a tough fitness program. I wanted the results bad enough to endure the discomfort.

Now, not to trivialize or be sacreligious in any way, but this reminds me of what was said about Jesus, "For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross" (Philippians 2). In common vernacular this is expressed as, "No pain, no gain."

Forty-nine days of exercise* were strung together as single days, one day at at a time. It was only about a half-hour ago that we completed today's routine, so we're not physically or psychologically ready to tackle tomorrow's workout. We'll deal with that tomorrow, and we'll be rested and ready. Today has enough other objectives to fill it, and so we'll give ourselves to those too.

I think the instruction of Jesus to live one day at a time is often overlooked and undervalued. Not only is one day at a time all that we've been made to handle physically and psychologically, but it's also the key to relaxing in relationship with God and others. Just today, it's all I have to think about, and as I do, it will become a strong link to tomorrow, and the next day...and the next, and...

So today, do what you can do. Don't do nothing, because you can't do everything, do what you canand see how far it gets you.

Blessings, Jeff