No Excuses November: Strength

So today I'm going to start off with a short story. I was lifting yesterday after work, like usual, when I was approached by someone I hadn't seen before. Now let me say one thing here: when I lift, I totally zone out. I'm in my own world, doing my own thing and sometimes it may look like I'm looking around -  or at someone or something - but I'm really just looking through things. I don't pay attention to my surroundings at all - I'm just totally in my own head.

Anyway, I was approached by someone I'd never seen before and he opened the conversation with, "Can I tell you something? I gotta tell you something." So naturally, I allowed him to continue. "I see you working out and whenever I see you, in my head I go, "There's that strong girl.' I see you putting up that weight every day and all I can think is, 'Wow, she's strong.' That's what I call you, 'the strong girl.'"

Needless to say, I was flattered and it definitely put a spring in my step. But it got me thinking about different kinds of strength. Sure, I can go to the gym and deadlift and clean and squat and feeling physical strength puts me in a better mental place. But that physical strength is such a small part of the package; an integral, yet miniscule part of what I consider my overall strength.

And while I'm flattered and proud of being noticed for what I accomplish in the gym, I'm more proud of my inner strength: the strength that I've acquired through overcoming all of the trials life has thrown at me and working through all of the questionable decisions I have made.

Life is hard. The daily grind wears on you. Relationships, friendships, jobs - everything takes its toll. And though we grow and we learn how to deal with different people's temperaments and different situations, each of these obstacles force us to look inside for strength. The strength to find a way to learn from each situation; the strength to not let a situation break us down. And each time we get through, our strength is building and we are growing.

Ten years ago I was not the person that I am today. Not even close. Ten years ago I was just finding my strength. I was just learning how to overcome the negative around me and I was just realizing that I was the one who had the power to decide what would happen next. I could choose to give that power to someone or something else, but I was still the one making that decision. It was just dawning on me that I didn't have to give that power away, I could retain that power and use it to build my own strength.

Its a process, it really is. Whether you're finding your strength at the gym or finding your inner strength, it takes time and it doesn't happen all at once. Take each small victory for what it is worth: a VICTORY. Know that each step forward, no matter how small, is still progress. And each step back isn't a failure, but a chance to learn a new lesson.