Battling Through A Short-Term Injury or Illness

I don't handle being ill very well. I am , literally, the type of person who gets angry when they get sick because it slows me down more than necessary. Suddenly, it's harder to get out of bed, more difficult to get the simplest of tasks done, and—most importantly—it's tough to find the energy to exercise.

You know how they say, sometimes, it's just "mind over matter"? Well, where being ill is concerned, my mind doesn't matter one bit. Anything that slows down your physical being will force you to take a different approach to how you handle any plans you might have had on the docket for that day.

So, how do you handle such small, inconvenient, setbacks? Well, the first thing you must do is see such times as an opportunity to rest your mind and body.

Your body can be as well-oiled a machine as you want it to be, but if it's suffering the effects of a cold or some other common challenge of the physical kind, then take that as a sure sign that you need a minute to re-energize yourself—and sometimes getting sick is the only way most of us will do so.

Secondly, us the time to engage in meditation or some other form of spiritual enhancement because your mind is every bit as important as your body.

Lastly, understand the value of such challenges as they pertain to your overall self-improvement goals. I find that I am more motivated after recovering from a cold or an injury because I feel more refreshed and renewed from all the rest and relaxation time I was granted.

So, the next time those allergies are kicking your rear, or that flu bug makes its home on your front door, consider it a good thing (okay, well maybe not a good thing, but you get my meaning) and take it as your opportunity to fine-tune the other sentient parts of you and get them back on track. 

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Pain: The Body's Way of Saying "I'm Challenging You"

It's not easy to work out five days a week and, I admit, some weeks I don't reach that goal—being a mother, wife, and woman of infinite responsibility can make that hard sometimes—but I put forth the effort to do something everyday no matter what; as long as I'm physically able.

That said, you can only do so much of the same thing before your body gets bored and requires something more to produce results. So I am always challenging myself to do more, push harder, and test the limits of what is thought possible.

Sometimes that approach is met with resistance of both the physical (sore muscles, a deep burning sensation—hint, hint, that's your muscles saying "gimme more", and fatigue) and mental kind (questioning your ability to do the routine and wondering if it's actually worth all the physical consequences).

I cannot tell you the number of times I've felt like doing nothing or opting for the easier, more manageable routine, that I know can be completed with ease. After all, if I believe those around me, I should be in "maintenance mode" now, so there is purpose in coming up with more challenges for my body to meet.

For those of you who can understand the latter point, here's a word of wisdom from a simple woman of faith: there is nothing wrong with being satisfied with where you are, physically, but if you're not, you will never get to that point without finding new ways to both challenge yourself and present your body with a reason to get stronger, leaner, and more physically fit.

Part of the beauty of learning a new exercise routine or fitting in one additional set is the great feeling you get from the knowledge that you are progressing.

Maybe last year you couldn't last five minutes on the elliptical machine before bailing on it altogether but, as you did more, your body became accustomed to the rigor and now, maybe, that five minutes is what you do to warm-up your body before advancing to the more intense levels of your regimen.

Progression makes you feel good. Progression is what keeps us all fired up to do more and you should try to never lose your desire to do more.

Your body is your temple to build and glorify. There is nothing arrogant or conceded about doing that if your intent is the overall goal of being balanced on every level and feeling as good about yourself on the outside as you do about the inside.

Celebrate yourself, challenge your will, and try to be better everyday.

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