I had a little inspiration from Thomas Edison this morning on my daily calendar.  I'm not sure he was talking about push ups, but that is okay.  It got me thinking about what we are capable of doing, whether it be physically or in other areas of our lives.  As I've mentioned recently, I joined roller derby.  For me, that was not a physical triumph, but rather a personal one.

I can't tell you how many people have told me they "can't" do push ups. I remember the first time I tried one...all alone in my living room where nobody could see!  I couldn't do one full push up either.  I had the upper body strength of a wet noodle.  And now I can crank out push ups like they are no big deal.  I'm working on pull ups now...something I thought were impossible.  I still can't quite complete one, but it doesn't mean that I'm not going to!

One of my first real experiences with lifting weights was when I did P90X after I turned 30.  If you're not familiar with it, it is an "extreme" home workout program including weights, cardio, and yoga.  The trainer for that program is Tony Horton, and I just loved listening to some of the stuff that came out of his mouth.  One of my favorites, and it really applies here, was when he says not to say "I can't."  Instead, say "I currently struggle with."  The more I think about that, the more I realize what a huge shift that little change of phrase can make.  To say that you can't do something can easily lead you to believe that is the end of the story.  I can't do it.  I won't ever be able to do it.  But if you currently struggle with something, the next step after that is to conquer.  I used to struggle with  push ups like nobody's business.  Not anymore.  I currently struggle with pull ups, but I know that if I keep at it, I will get those down too.

Along the same lines, I'm a big fan of the word "yet".  It completely changes a sentence when you add it after the word "can't".  I can't do pull ups...yet.  But I'm gonna.  Such a small word that just opens up all sorts of possibilities!

My whole point here is that we are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit.  Changing the way we phrase something in our head might seem like a silly way to start, but if you've read any of my other posts, you probably know that I believe that how we talk to ourselves is super important.  First, learn to be kind to yourself and be your own best friend.  Next, realize how much you are capable of doing!  Then get out there and get 'er done!!!

Have a fantastic day, everyone :)

Sarah