I have tried my hand at two different home-based businesses which failed. Quitter. In 2007, I enrolled in a course to be a certified medical transcriptionist and never finished. Quitter again. I had a litany of excuses at the time, but in reality I think I was just plain lazy. That, and I tend to over-extend myself in the volunteer arena (note to self: FRG leader two times is two times too many). Maybe I would have been good at that them if I had put in a little more time and a whole lot more effort, but I didn't. I feel like I have not set a good example for my children and it really bothers me. I hate thinking of myself as a quitter. Thankfully, all of that has changed in recent months.
Before I continue, the 11 followers of this blog need a few details. (Btw, if you're not a follower...please feel free to click that little follow button on the right side of the page). 1. Last October, a friend asked me to be her workout buddy. She said she needed motivation and having a "buddy" would help.
2. She also mentioned she was doing something called CrossFit in her friend's garage. I thought I heard of it before, but I wasn't sure (another note to self: always research a new workout regime before you try it).
3. If you don't know what CrossFit is, click here and then continue reading. Sounds insane, right?
4. Three weeks after I started, my "buddy" had a sciatic nerve flare-up and has been in physical therapy ever since. (Don't worry. I still love ya, Lisa.)
That left me and my new favorite trainer/coach/friend, four days a week, in her garage, training. Well, she wasn't training, I was. And when she couldn't be there, her very patient husband/soldier/trainer would train me. Can you say INTIMIDATING? Here I was a caffeine addicted, stay-at-home mom of two, trying my hand at a strength and conditioning program geared toward the military and elite athletes. I was either a glutton for punishment or certifiably crazy.
But over time, something happened. Little by little, I got stronger. I didn't feel like puking after every single workout (but I was close several times). My favorite jeans I bought after I lost my baby weight in 2003 fit again (and they were still relatively stylish, which was a bonus). I no longer did girl pushups on my knees, I could do REAL pushups! I was starting to like this.
Fast forward to one day two weeks ago. I walked in the garage, looked at the wipe board to see what the workout was and saw the acronym I had been dreading since I learned of its existence. HPSU. Handstand Push-up. I wanted to run. I can't do this. I can't do a handstand. At this point, I think I was having a panic attack. She's crazy! I'm crazy! I.CAN'T. DO. THIS! I wanted to do it, but was scared. It would be easier not to try. I could substitute a different exercise for this one. I was still too new at this. I might fall. I might get hurt.
And then I thought of all of the things I had quit and not finished. I was tired of being a quitter. I didn't want to give up anymore. I looked at my trainer/coach/friend as she pointed at the wall and said, "Do it. You can do it." Fighting the urge to cry, I took a deep breath and threw myself into a handstand. I held it for 10 seconds came down and did it again. And again. I still haven't stopped smiling.
Before you give me too much credit, I didn't do the push-up part, just the handstand. I am also still a caffeine addict. I still don't have a home based business (unless this blog thing somehow starts generating some cash, which would be lovely). I am not a medical transcriptionist. But I am no longer a quitter. In fact, next time you see me, ask me to do a handstand and I'll prove it.
