There is a certain rhythm that I seem to be falling into, and I think I like it! I am up early, I mean for some it is obscenely early, at 4:30 am. I am at the gym by 5 am and get my morning workout completed in about an hour, maybe a little more, then head home for breakfast, and get ready for my daily errands. While running my daily errands (in a town 45 minutes from home) I am able to stop by a park and get my cardio walk in nearly every day except weekends.
This routine has been working for me, however when the challenge ends the need for some of the tasks I do while out of town for those few hours will also end. This involves a change in routine, which is not my favorite, but I think I’m overdue! As amazing as this challenge has made me feel, and the amount of change that I’ve experienced because of this challenge is phenomenal (and I haven’t even found the feelings of accomplishment that come with actually finishing yet).
I’ve gained experience after experience at the gym, with new equipment that I had never used before, doing exercises that I had previously never even heard of before, and I’ve met a few people as well. This has provided me with a new confidence in myself. I feel that I have a good idea on how to workout regularly, some of the trouble areas I’d like to continue working on after the challenge to develop further than what the challenge provided. I’m actually getting muscles in places that didn’t seem like they had any!
Stats for today are as follows: I walked 2.79 miles on the natural trails at my favorite park, read 30 or more pages in my book, wrote in my gratitude journal, caught up 6 days on my Bible in a year reading plan, got caught up 3 days each on two other bible reading plans, went shopping for dinner groceries, drove 120 miles, 35 minutes of mindfulness, 15 minutes on Master Class video, had a 10 minute conversation with a clerk at a CVS about her job and UPS drops, and how it fascinates her with the variance of packages she receives, and oh, I cooked dinner for the family too! This is what the challenge is about! I’ve been able to accomplish so much more in a day than I ever thought possible. I’ve been able to multitask, use resources more creatively, manage time better, stay mindful of all the tasks I need to complete so I don’t have to recycle. It has stretched my limits in numerous way, but mentally and emotionally have been even more drastic at times than the physical. And believe me, the workouts sometimes just kick my butt!
And that, my friends, is what makes Deliberate Discomfort so great! You grow. You expand your capabilities. You work through the difficulties and find how distractable and how nonsensical you can be, and how to slay those distractions and purse the nonsense from yourself and your life. There is no other way to do it! If you don’t do these things, you fail. You miss even one check mark in 60 days, you start over or quit. I’ve started over a dozen times or more in this challenge, but you know the one thing that I didn’t do? Quit! I didn’t quit. There were times I wanted to, I even had my wife talk me down from quitting once this round too! But in the end, and thanks to Kat, I didn’t quit! I’m going to finish this challenge out. I’m going to make it! And if I can do it, so can you! After today there are 9 days left. It’s the Final Countdown!