Day 31 of My Move Everyday Challenge… How Am I Doing?
In Conclusion, I do want grace…
My abs have re-emerged. I knew they were there but over the course of the last year with our move and adjustments, they went on vacation, and had cocooned themselves behind a slightly soft, squishy blanket. But after – now – 31 days of movement in July, they have returned and while I am not quite Leonidas from “300”, I am still proud of them.
I thought I would finish this challenge completely changed. Like on Day 1 I was kind of motivated to work out and by day 31 I would be registering for a Iron Man Competition. A lot has changed. My motivation and determination is definitely higher. I can see how the movement has helped both my mental and physical health. I enjoy the sweat, the endorphin rush, the feeling of accomplishment. I am stronger, my toe hurts less, my body is not as achy. My runs have gotten faster. My jump rope is smoother. But I thought by the end, the lazy day syndrome would be gone. That I wouldn’t have days where I just didn’t want to do anything. But of course, life is not always as we expect and the pull of the lazy day still reared itself. So those days I listened to my body and did things that were more gentle. Restorative rehab or a home work out video. The challenge was to move. The sub challenge was to move in a way that respected what my body was telling me to do.
![Image-5-300x300](http://happinessseries.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Image-5-300x300.jpg)
I understand that this is ok. Maybe this isn’t the year I register for a triathalon. For me, this challenge was about motivating behavior. What could I do to ensure that my behavior would change in order to best meet my goals? Making it public was the biggest factor. I got a ton of support on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And my motivation was further increased by those of you who also joined in the challenge. It became a team effort. I hadn’t expected so much group support but when it came in, it became even easier to lace up my shoes and work out. People were counting on me, and I wasn’t about to let them down.
So what happens now? Now that my goal has been accomplished, what is my next step? Well to be honest, I’m going to take a few days off. Then I’m going to start back up again. Not every day will be a hard core workout because honestly, that type of work out isn’t what I need to establish my goals. At times, I was overwhelmed by it. As I’ve said, some days I just need a rest. I do work, have two kids and am pushing… well, an age older then I care to admit. I have so much respect for my friends who are out there day in and day out training for marathons, Iron Mans, centuries, etc. You are my inspiration. But I don’t want to be you. I will continue to aim for 3-5 days a week of solid, sweaty movement. My jump rope, kettle bells and bike are close at hand, ready to be used at a moment’s notice. On the quieter days, I will have dance party with my kids, do restorative rehab, take the dog on long walks. I had said in my initial post about this challenge that I didn’t plan on growing old gracefully. Let me clarify. I will grow older with grace, but that grace will be combined with strength, determination and motivation. That is my goal. My action step is movement. Something every day. My July challenge is over, but my life challenge continues.
How did you move this month? Did you set a challenge for yourself? What tools have you put in place to accomplish it? Please leave a comment and let me know.
To continue the conversation, I offer a free Health Consultation. Please visit me at www.roslynwellness.com or email me at courtney@roslynwellness.com. You can also follow on Facebook or Twitter.
![Image-300x300](http://happinessseries.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Image-300x300.jpg)