Live big

For the past few years, I have danced around different exercise regimes, trying to keep fit. I have been able to establish good workout routines only to find myself become a couch potato again. For some of us, exercising can be the bane of our lives for others of us, it is the highlight of our day. What causes the difference?

A few years ago when I tried to establish a home workout routine, I purchased a 8kg kettlebell. I have been using this kettlebell for years and not thinking anything of it. I would hear about people lifting 10 or 20 kg and wonder how that was even possible. Then a few weeks ago, I went to the gym (my workout routine has changed again!) and found that my usual weights had disappeared. The next available weight was 16kg so I thought I would have a try. Can't say it was easy completing kettle bell swings with those but it was possible. Looking back, when I was using the 8kg kettle bell, I was using it with ease. There was no challenge and this was probably why my routines have not been consistent. If we are not challenged, we get bored, we plateau and grow stagnant. 

We have to be intentional about

identifying how we can develop ourselves further. Whether it be physically, mentally or spiritually, we need to be making sure that we are investing in our growth and development. If not, we will soon find ourselves bored with life, picking up and putting down things we enjoy because we are not challenging ourselves.

In his book,  7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey outlines the importance of being proactive. He points out that proactive people work on the things that they have control over. If we have control over something, we need to take responsibility for it. 

What's important about the challenges that we give ourselves, is that we put plans in place to achieve them. Imagine me one day lifting 8kg and the next day attempting to lift 50kg. 50kg! It's not bad to have that level of a challenge, but I would need to put plans in place to achieve lifting 50kg. We can live big by being intentional about the challenges that we embrace. Not only will we grow, but our lives become bigger in the process. Challenge yourself and live big.