You're Right.

For the past 7 weeks I have been setting my alarm clock for 5:45am and going to the gym before I head to work. Now, to some of you a measly 5:45 may seem like "sleeping in", but to a girl that rarely sees the darkness of any time before 7:00, 5:45 is early!

I have always said that I wanted to be one of those people who got up early and went to gym before they went to work. I always heard co-workers or friends talk about how great it made them feel and how the rest of their day seemed to go better after working out. I tried to do it several times. I went through spells of getting up a few days in a row and going out for a run, but always seemed to find a reason to stop. It was raining...it was cold... I was sleepy... I had a fake headache... my running shoes were in the other room... I wanted to watch tv.. you know, any possible reason I could think of to NOT work out in the morning.

One night about 7 weeks ago I was in a church service where the pastor talked about "naming" your fears, problems and goals. "Naming" these things simply made you more aware of them and you were more likely to accomplish them. After hearing this message my mind shifted to several things that I wanted to do; several things that I know I needed to "name". Later that night, as I was getting prepared for bed, I began to think about something I heard a good friend say one time. He asked me where I wanted to be in life. Then he asked me where I was. After that he asked the most important question of all. He said, "What is filling that gap between what you are and what you want to be?" Wow. What was filling that gap? Why wasn't I being the person I wanted to be and fulfilling the goals that I wanted to fulfill? What was in that gap? I decided right then and there, whatever "it" was in that gap... was going away. These simple things I wanted to do that would raise my quality of life were going to be done. I was tired of messing around and letting that gap control my life and happiness.

The next morning I got up at 5:45 am. I went to the gym for an hour before I showered and headed off to work. Wow. They were all right. I had alot more energy and drive for the rest of my day. I find myself accomplishing little tasks that before I would put off. Something as simple as getting up a little earlier and doing something so simple can really change your day.

I have to be honest...99.999% of the morning when that 5:45 alarm goes off I spend about five minutes thinking of an excuse to not go. I waste at least five minutes coming up with something and trust me, I ALWAYS can come up with something. In fact, this morning my reason was more humorous than ever before. I was lying in bed contemplating the alarm going off and I said to myself, "I've got people coming over for dinner tonight, I should just sleep in." What?!?! What does that even have to do with working out? Absolutely nothing. But, in that moment it was an excuse that I thought would work to talk myself into sleeping in instead of working out. As I lay in bed enjoying/feeling guilty about the decision I had just made to sleep in, I started to laugh. " I can't work out because people are coming over for dinner?!?!?!" Really, Anna? My laughter gave me enough momentum to get out bed and go to the gym.

The moral of the story is this: Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right. Believe that you CAN. Whether its as simple as getting up early to exercise or as complex as moving across the country to pursue your dream. Believe that you CAN. After all, whether you think you can or you can't, you're right.