Be Empowered

4 flights of stairs.  So one thing I set out to do at the beginning of all this, one small change I made was taking the stairs at work.  I've always hated stairs.  After 2 flights, I could barely breathe.  And I rarely ever took stairs WITH anyone because I didn't want them to hear the labored breathing and fire drills were the worst.  We'd all be walking back upstairs and I'd be practically holding my breath when we got to the top so people wouldn't think I was dying.  Truth be told, even now, it's usually just one flight.  And sometimes I skip doing it if I'm with people that don't take the stairs.  This morning, a friend drove me to work.  I walked up 4 flights in the parking garage and I wasn't even winded.  That's a heck of an NSV!

Sometimes it's really easy for me to forget how far I've come in the last few years but I have come far.  After feeling like crap after my last spin class, thinking that somehow my muscles just weren't getting it done, this made me feel better.  This leads me to the long overdue post inspired by another Bodyworks instructor.

Be Empowered

It's been several weeks now so I can't remember the context of how she said it or what we were trying to do when she said it.  My guess is we were doing something people were struggling with but she said "Be empowered to push yourself!"

Yes!  So of course I spent the rest of my class thinking of all these things we must be empowered to do.

Be empowered to commit to a healthier lifestyle.
Be empowered to make a difference in your own life.
Be empowered to put yourself first.
Be empowered to try new things, new foods, new experiences.
Be empowered to train harder.
Be empowered to love yourself no matter your size or short comings.
Be empowered to accept others for who they are and not expect them to be something they aren't.
Be empowered to do whatever it takes to be the best version of you that's possible.

We can do all this.  The power resides in each one of us to take hold of a dream, whether it be a weight loss goal, being healthy, a new career, being a better parent...anything...take hold of that dream and empower ourselves to make it a reality.