This bible verse suits my feeling right now. I am elated. It's like a child having discovered something new and could not quite contain his feelings, imagine him running round the room shouting for joy. Well, minus the part on the running and the shouting, the rest conforms to my state of mind. This evening at about 530pm, I had completed 10+10 chin ups! It is a big deal for me, a goal that I set for myself about 5 weeks ago. I remembered my first pull was only 6 and I thought how is it possible that I would be able to do 10? Today marks the day that 6 is history and the new 10 shall stays!
But more important than the number, I realised all these years, I had executed the chin-ups position in a wrong way. Not major but the slight adjustment can make all the difference. Completing the first 10 without much struggle gave me the confidence and increase my faith that more to come and a great sense of achievement overcome me. I feel God is with me as if by my side encouraging me and pushing me on though really that exercise area was vacant except for a few old folks.
I breath better, my arms felt less strained and the position of the ascent and descent was not forceful but rather smooth as I can feel it. I wish I could capture that in a video the next time, haha. It is like the gears are in place and a "click" sound heard, and all motions begin to run as they are designed to do so. No curving or bending of legs required. Just straight up and down. The legs - hmm are like detached from the body, giving the upper body its focus and pulling the lower weight up.
How I did it in details? Each day, as I approach the bar to do the chin up, I feel the happiness I would have when I hit 20 in 1 go. I feel a sense of renewed confidence flowing over me as if nothing can stopped me. I feel STRONG again like before when I was hitting hard in the gym. I feel I could take on more responsibilities in life and ready for new challenges.
I look at the calendar that I had created and could see the improvements over the days, each baby step towards a giant leap.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6.9
What's is doing good in this context? Taking great care of my physical body. If it is well maintained like an automobile, the chances of downtime is reduced and it can bring me further to where I want to go. That means, I will have less common ailments like cough, flu, fever,etc where the few down days would make a person drowsy, mood swings, etc. This can be avoided by doing simple exercises.
How not to give up? One must have a vision to have continued faith in what he is doing. Whatever tasks on hand if repeated and without visible results can produce impatience and a sense of wanting to give up. There is nothing to look forward to. Nobody to share with. It is as if not worth trying........
Find a reason beyond self to do the things yo are doing. For example, I went for a run at 1230pm yesterday. It was the most ideal time since my wife was cooking and the kids are watching TV. I have to grab the opportunity else something might crop up in the evening and I would missed the run. So why is missing the run such a big deal , you asked?
Simple. I have a dream , a vision of sort that I want to live a long time. How long ? Long enough to see my son getting married, which I guess would take another 20 years or so. That would make me near 70 years of age. I expect to live till 100 and beyond after watching some japanese documentary show about how they do it. To achieve this goal, I have to make sure I eat healthily (in the process), exercise regularly(in the process) and do the things I loved (in the process). To stop running one time is OK but it is also a convenient way to give excuse not to do it again. That's the evil part, the habit takes on and before one knows it, it becomes second nature and one will tend to slack off.
So, keep the flame burning and not let the flickering light within you dies out.