ACCOUNTABILITY

We all need it and I am so blessed to have it....in multiple areas in my life and from multiple people.
It takes a special kind of person to be willing to hold you accountable to the important things in your life. 
They have to be willing to NOT except your excuses.
They have to be willing to check in with you.
They have to push you at times you may not want it.
They have to remind you that you are WORTH it on the days you find yourself questioning it.

And after saying all of that, I find myself even more grateful for the incredible people who have chosen to stand by me and help me to reach the goals that I have set for myself.  I would not be where I am now without each and every one of them and I would not have the motivation to continue to dream big dreams and set increasingly more challenging goals without knowing that they have my back.

I have been going to a local gym for about a year and a half now and in that short time I've noticed there are a few different groups of people.  There is the group that starts off....they are motivated, they work hard, and many of them get incredible results.  The thing is, they don't find people to connect with.
People who will miss them if they don't show up for a group exercise class.
People who will call/text/facebook them if they haven't seen them in a while.
People to smile and laugh with.
People to share their goals and struggles with...
They work hard, put in the effort, but don't have the support of accountability.

There is another group that may start off anywhere from a sprint to a walk....but as time goes on, they continue to grow in momentum.  They find others who are in the group exercise classes that they enjoy.  They take the time to get to know some of them.  They seek out and also offer encouragement when needed.  They find and give accountability.  They find joy in having a support system and reach out to others in the process.

This is one of the groups that I've found, makes it for the long haul.  No matter where their journey started, they are able to find joy and success in not only their accomplishments but also the accomplishments of others.

Accountability has so much to do with it, and I am blessed to have friends in my life that care enough about me to keep me accountable to the goals that I have set for myself.

One of the best pieces of advice I can leave you with for your fitness journey is to do the same.  Find a few people, and they don't need to be your family members or best friends.  Sometimes they 'let us off the hook' too easily.  Find people that will hold you to your goals; people you are willing to be 100% open and honest with.  It can make all the difference.

I am planning on sharing the how's and why's of the last year and a half of my life that have helped me to get to the point I am currently at...a place that these days consists of:
joy
peace
contentment
excitement
passion
self worth
self confidence
and a desire to share all of this with others.

But for right now, that has to wait.  Right now, this very moment, my feelings consist more of
fear
self doubt
stress
insecurity
unrest
anxiety
and confusion.

Not things that sound too inspiring or motivational, huh?

Then I got thinking the other night.  I am in an extremely stressful season in my life right now...the last month of grad class after two years.  I have demands that are being placed on me that make me feel as though I might get crushed...but what I realized, the amazing thing for me, is that deep down, I KNOW that it won't crush me.  I know that I WILL get through this month....and for the first time in my life, I'm choosing to do it in a healthy way.  I'm not choosing to eat dinners that are passed through the drivers side window of my car, but instead fueling my body with everything it needs of make it through this next month.  Instead of sitting at home and worrying, I am allowing myself some time at the gym for clear my head and do something good for my body, my mind and my soul. 

Even though I have been stressed, I am beginning to see that this 'new' me is
handling it,
surviving it,
smiling through it
growing because of it
and sharing what I'm learning about it, with others.

Although I can't say that I'll be sad when my class is over, I can say that I am learning to appreciate all of the challenges that come along.  They help me to continue to learn how strong I am becoming....

it just may not be what my professor had in mind for me to learn from this class.

 I started an amazing and life changing journey a little over a year and a half ago, and I have been journaling about it along the way.  I was in a place in my life where I wasn't happy with how I was choosing to live.  I decided that I needed things to change and that is exactly what has happened.  I'm hoping to share some of the incredible things that have happened in my life since I have started my journey to reclaiming my joy; the up and downs, the struggles and successes and maybe most importantly the fun!  Yes, I did say fun.  I never would have thought it was possible in the being, but YES...fitness can be fun! 

I am hoping to post weekly, so please keep coming back!  I have lots to share :)