We all have regrets; my story is how I overcame the time lost due to ego, bad choices and stupidity. I determined that fitness might give me a way to regain the time I thought was wasted and lost. At 51 some of my life decisions had resulted in my circumstances being less than desirable. The consequences of my life path choices were direct contributors to two divorces, bankruptcy and alienation of my children. The stresses of these events consumed a lot of time and energy. My life, in my eyes, felt like a considerable waste. I am a dreamer, and my perception has always been a little idyllic, but to me my life lacked any true meaning. I was old, tired and out of time. I knew something had to change. For twenty years I was working too much, drinking too much and at a complete loss as how to repair my life. I looked in the mirror and saw a 50-year-old man who looked 70 and felt worse. Don’t get me wrong, I had some success mixed in with failures, but I was in a panic regain the time I had wasted, with not much time left to enjoy my life. After an extended self-pity party, I picked myself up and dedicated my efforts to finally help myself. Unable to relive my past, I looked to my present and future situation for a solution. The only answer I found was “If I am unable to get back the wasted time, with fitness, I’ll extend the time I have left.
“Life moves forward. The old leaves wither, die and fall away, and the new growth extends forward into the light.” ― Bryant McGill, Voice of Reason
I knew I needed to repair the body I had abused to give me that time, but I had no knowledge on how to do it. I read through countless self-help, fitness, diet and longevity books and internet postings. This knowledge helped me begin to heal emotionally, however my body was more difficult. You see the body has a survival instinct to stay the same, kind of a “if it isn’t broke don’t fix it” programming. Homeostasis, as it’s called, forced me to realize that if it took me 20 years to get to my current state, I was going to have to be patient as well as tenacious to change it.
Physical change is a slow and gradual process. ESCALATING RESISTENCE is the key to growth. Your body is programmed for homeostasis, so you need to introduce progressive stresses so that your body changes to survive those stresses. Over time my body began to heal and grow. I find it challenging and rewarding to continue to better myself physically and emotionally. Writing about my journey is part of the growth experience. Everyday is a gift and I am finally embracing the responsibility it requires to fully appreciate the life it brings.