Today on the elliptical the coach in my ear said something that resonated with me. The workout had me using the resistance in intervals. I would do 30 seconds at a higher resistance to raise my heart rate, then lower it to let my heart recover. While instructing me to put up the resistance he said, “Resistance is what causes the changes to happen in our bodies.”
All kinds of light bulbs went off with that statement. Whether it’s cardio resistance or speed, or a heavy weight, or even a life issue, the struggle presenting itself is really change happening. My heart was getting stronger with each interval.
When I went on to my weight session I was feeling good. Thinking this is an easy workout. Until I reached the last two exercises, that is. Second to last was 10 90 pound squats – ok, not too bad. The last one was a 60 pound squat to curl. Ok, that one was doing me in. I had to do 10. I struggled with the last 5. In that moment of wanting to quit on number 8, I thought of what I had just learned. Here, right here, on numbers 8, 9, & 10 change is happening. Muscles are tearing and will heal up stronger than they were before this workout.
In that moment, my struggle that had first appeared as an obstacle morphed into an opportunity. It was an opportunity to change something (even if was only my biceps). I left that workout applying this thinking to more than my weight session. I thought about the struggles awaiting me in my work day. As if I had a magic wand, I turned each one into an opportunity – an opportunity for change to happen. In many cases at work this means me learning a new skill by wrangling with something I was struggling with.
And so, as another day goes by, whether you are struggling with something in your fitness or life journey today, take a moment to look for the change that is happening right before your eyes. The issue may not get resolved quickly, but it will be encouraging to know something good is happening as a result of the struggle.
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