Challenge yourself

It's essential to break out of your comfort zone in life and do something that you don't particularly enjoy, but you know in your heart and soul you should be doing more of anyway. For me recently, this has been running.

Whaaaaat??? I hear you cry!

Yep. As many of you already know, I absolutely detest running, purely as a matter of personal preference. Yes, it's a great form of cardiovascular exercise; yes, it's something that anyone can do without needing any expensive or specialised equipement; That doesn't mean I have to like doing it. I'd much rather be surfing, or slacklining, or juggling, or being set on fire. Well, maybe not that last one, but you see what I'm getting at. 

"But Mal, you look like a long distance runner, and you're a fitness instructor, you must love running.." 

I have clients who like to run, and they enjoy it, and thats great, but that doesn't mean their hobby has to be my hobby! However, it is foreseeable part of the job that i will have to run a few Km on occasion. I can accept that and get on with it, much the same as a cab driver realises that sometimes getting stuck in traffic comes with the job. So I've been getting out and doing some running, and *shudder* increasing my distance and the length of time I spend out on a run. And it's going well. By which I mean I haven't dropped dead, gotten injured or suddenly lost the will to live.

It ain't glamourous, at least not when I'm doing it; it ain't pretty, or at least I'm not when I'm finished. I'm a red faced sweaty salty wreck by the time I'm ready for my cooldown. And thats how you should be too, if you're truly challenging yourself. If you still look pretty at the end, chances are you could have pushed a lot harder.