Advantages of Familiar Trails

Since moving out of our home in Mauldin in August 2009, I have done almost no physical conditioning. Between living with family, building a home, moving into that home, coaching a basketball team, and the Christmas holidays, having a regular workout routine has been more than I wanted to deal with.

Even though I am still coaching, I am ready to get back into a regular routine of working out again. That routine began today.

Three years ago I went through Body for Life and it revolutionized the way I looked at my health. I followed that up the next year with a half marathon and last year with a Sprint Triathlon. This year, I want to get back to where I was in 2008 when I was in the best physical condition of my life. Not only did I enjoy the positive physical effects, but I enjoyed the positive spiritual impact it had on me as well.

This morning I began Body for Life again. Day One. And boy, am I grateful I have done this before. Getting started on a new workout regimen (after not being on one) is never easy. But beginning my regimen, the exact same one I did three years ago, was much easier today than it was then. Much easier.By easier, I do not mean that the workout was easier, but that the whole "Process" was easier.

I share this to encourage those who may not have this advantage; the advantage of having already done something once before. Doing something for the very first time is hard. Physically hard, emotionally hard, just hard all around. But if it is something that you know you need to do, then persevere. Pray for God to empower you and push forward.

When you do something for the first time it is like an explorer carving a path out of the jungle. It is tedious, hard and slow-going. However, once you have carved out the path, the next time that you need to travel that path it won't be as difficult. Whether it is a day later or a year later. Sure, if it is a year later, it may get overgrown a bit, but the path will still be there.

So even though it is hard now, push on! It will be something that you not only can look back on with pride once your done. But it may be something that makes it that much easier later on to push through another similar, or even bigger obstacle.