Inspire

About a week and a half ago I got a Facebook message from a friend. The gist of the message was this:

"I need some serious motivation in my workout life and you seem to spark that for me with your posts! The problem, I suck with follow through and bum myself out. So, I'm wondering if you would be willing to walk/jog with me once a week and keep asking me if I'm walking or exercising on my own? I hope this message isn't weird to you, but I feel like you might actually provide some accountability for me!"

This message literally made me grin from ear to ear. I felt so honored to be given this task and to know that I am inspiring someone to make a life change. So of course, I responded with a message saying that I would LOVE to hound her regularly and that she might regret asking me that! And we set a date to exercise together every Tuesday after work. 

For our first workout, the plan was to walk the trails at Stony (because if I'm going to trick anyone into loving exercise, THAT is going to be the place to do it). We enjoyed a 3 mile walk through the woods that left her a bit winded and tired. SUCCESS. And, as promised, I sent her "get your butt moving" texts throughout the week. 

Yesterday, the weather didn't quite cooperate as planned for a stroll through the woods. Pouring rain hit, with severe storms, literally one minute before work was out. And although there was a part of me that wanted to call it a day and go home early, I made arrangements for us to meet at my school's weight room for some circuit training. And let me tell you...It. Was. SO. Hard. We were both drenched in sweat and feeling a bit nauseous when we were done. So...once again....SUCCESS!

And before we left, we ended up being cornered by a personal trainer who was giving us ALL KINDS of tips on eating healthy and fueling our bodies. I mean ALL KINDS of advice. The kind of advice that leaves you thinking, "Oh my goodness. I can never eat an Oreo cookie again," kind of advice. It was a bit over the top, but it got BOTH of us reevaluating our current eating habits and realizing that some simple changes can definitely be made. (Don't worry, I will still be eating my daily dose of Oreo cookies, and I was assured that a glass of red wine every day is practically essential for a healthy heart and mind - hahaha! Just kidding!)

But really, I am so excited to be helping someone create healthy habits! I woke up this morning surprisingly sore from yesterday's circuit training, and found myself packing a much healthier lunch than usual. The reality is that every time I am a success with inspiring others, I undoubtedly end up making better decisions for myself as well. I love it! 

And that is truly one of my most motivating goals...to inspire others to chase their dreams and realize that their goals are within their reach. 

Sparkle. Pounce. Inspire. 

-Kendra