"I can't do this"

"I can't do this!"

"That's TOOOO fast!"

"Stop, stop, PLEASE, it hurts!"

"I'm gonna throw up!"

"Ugh, I give up!"

"I'm DYING!!!"

That's a replay of what this morning sounded like during the 1 hour session with my Wellness Coach, Kim Sitler.  After two days in a row of cardio blast workouts with Brandon Hersh, my personal trainer, Kim kept in pace with no mercy during our session.  Core, arms and intervals was part of our morning workout and I spent a good amount of it finding more complaints and reasons to whine.  I was TIRED.  I was SORE. I was *cough* "Going to be late to work..." or at least that's the one statement I thought might end the torturous treadmill run prematurely...(ps. it didn't).

"I'M. GOING. TO. DIE!!!"

"I'm going to die!" - The phrase I repeated accompanied by grunts and growls during my intervals.  This was right around the time she looked at me and laughed while increasing the speed on my treadmill to a 5.5 followed by the comment, "Wellness tidbit of the week - you tell yourself you're gonna die and you're gonna die!  Mind over matter."  She then began to encourage me with phrases such as, "Keep going, you're almost there."  "Feel those pounds shedding off."  "You're doing great Mesh, keep your back straight."  She was doing all the talking as I was focusing on breathing; She talked about how my mind will try to give up on me but I can push through it if I don't give up.

After we concluded our workout she said to me, "Do me a favor, next week there's no complaining!"  This prompted a great reminder and wellness piece of advice that comes from Phillipians 2:14:

(Amplified Bible)

"Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves],"

It's so easy to grumble, complain or question the things in life that are difficult instead of allowing them to make us stronger.  Have you ever heard the phrase, "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger?"  I'm not "dying" when I'm running on that treadmill, I'm not incapable of doing the work that is asked of me but it's hard and therefore I find myself trying to find an easier way out!  That's not what gets results - complaining and grumbling by no means bring about a positive attitude that encourages me to keep moving, it only frustrates me and even makes me angry during my workouts.

Furthermore, I started driving home and began thinking about another verse in Proverbs 18:21 which says our tongues have the power of LIFE & DEATH; I quickly kill & destroy my workouts when I speak doubt and disbelief by crying out "I can't," or "I quit," or "It's too hard."  Those statements show that I believe nothing other than FAILURE, inability or lack of faith in myself.  From now on I want to start speaking LIFE into these hard pressing and challenging workouts with both Brandon and Kim.  I want to say, "I WILL," "I CAN," and "I AM" going to do this!  It may take a couple reminders, but I want to stop making excuses or opting for easier ways around what I'm being asked to do.  On Tuesday Brandon had asked me to do jumping jacks for 30 seconds and I found myself settling for 10 jumping jacks instead.  It was what I felt "sufficient" rather than what would push me to my limit; What I knew I could do rather than what challenged me to work harder.  I want to be done with taking the easy road or what feels better - I'm in it to win it - blood, sweat and tears!

THANK YOU BRANDON AND KIM FOR YOUR AWESOME PATIENCE AND HARD WORK WITH ME - YOU'VE BEEN GIVING ME ALL YOU'VE GOT IN TRAINING AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU MY ALL WORKING OUT IN RETURN.

Working on not complaining and I'm going to start speaking LIFE!

Verse of the Day:

Proverbs 18:21 (Amplified Bible)

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]."