{Faith and Fitness}: The First 5 Minutes

As I start out my runs, here is what the first 5 minutes sound like in my head...

Ughhhh... how long am I running again? This stinks. My breath is weird? Why do my legs feel so heavy and out of sorts? My shirt is bugging me and my earphones won't stay in my ears!! How long have I been running?? Only 3 minutes.... ohhh... dang it!! Ok, I can do this! Look up, not down! Stop looking down!! Ooo.. I like this song!  My shorts keep snagging on my thighs,, dang thighs! Why does my shirt ride up?? My breath seems to be easier... aw, this ain't so bad!?! How long have I been running now... 5 minutes! Oh, ok... now I've got this!!!

It never fails.. the first 5 minutes is always the hardest!! I go thru all sorts of emotions in my head. I doubt myself, make deals with myself.. I pretty much self talk myself to death in a short 5 minute span! It's nuts, I know! But it never fails, no matter how many times I go out... 

I hate the start but love the finish.

Isn't that the way it is with most things? Anything we try that is hard, or new, or is something that we anticipate is going to be a challenge? We dread it! We put it off because the start of something new is hard. It pushes us outside our comfort zone, and who likes to be uncomfortable?? Then, past our better judgement, we try it anyways!! Slowly we begin, but quickly realize we hate the beginning part, that part that encompasses all the uneasy, hard stuff... all the stuff we dreaded! We either stop, which makes starting again twice as hard... or we keep going! Life's biggest struggle... start, stop or begin again?? 

Oddly enough, giving ourselves the time, allowing ourselves to have enough patience and perseverance, we'd see it's that push to keep going that leads to the pay off!! The eventual groove you find in your pace. The settling of your breath. The peace within your body that comes with time and longevity!! It may take some people 5 minutes, and some way longer to find their pace! But trust me, the pace and power that comes with staying with something that is a challenging is one of the greatest gift you can give yourself.

Maybe your challenging task isn't running... maybe it's just walking long distances, or speaking in front of a group, or taking that first step to introduce yourself to someone you would like to know better, or just getting up in the morning? Whether it's physical or not, trying something new is hard no matter how you approach it. But if we don't ever push ourselves to change, grow or learn a new task, how will we ever get better? And isn't bettering our one life what we were put on this earth for?? Every day is a new day, a new set of chances for you to do better, try something new, push yourself to limits you didn't know you could reach! And, for me, if I can just get past the first 5 minutes... I know I'll find my stride!

This is my verse for today...

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, 

if we do not give up."

Galatians 6:9

These quotes pushed me today...

Push past your first 5 minutes, no matter how long they are!!

Always - Abbey

Check out more of my blogs at Mansfield Magazine.

To see the previous posts in the {Faith and Fitness series}, go here.

About the Author: Abbey Lewis started her blog A Moments Peace just one year ago as an outlet to be creative, and to have a place for her boys to look back and see the real her! It has been that, times 100!! Abbey lives in Texas with her husband and two sons. She loves her family, her faith, her friends and she tries to put a positive spin on any thing that God has in store for her! Feel free to stroll through her blog, Sonic drink in hand, because she believes every thing is better when you have a Sonic drink!