Have you ever watched a cross country race?  It is my daughter’s sport.  She runs up hills, in the grass, in the dirt, through the fields and across uneven running surfaces.  Her races are 3.1 miles of pure running, which ironically is what other sports use as a punishment.

As I watched her meet this past week, I was keenly aware of how the spectators cheered and encouraged their runner along the race.  As the runners pushed up a hill their faces were fatigued and full of anguish.  We all cheered and shouted words of encouragement and did what we could to remind them that even though they couldn’t see it yet, the finish line is just over the hill and around the bend.  We didn’t want them to give up.  We wanted them to reach their goal.

Our fitness journeys can be full of uphill battles where we can’t see the finish line and need some positive reinforcement and encouragement to get us up that hill.  During these difficult times it is vital to surround ourselves with those that support and motivate instead of discourage and tear down.  While we have no control over the words or actions of others, we do have control over how much of ourselves we let them have and how long we dwell on what they say or do.

Let me encourage you today to surround yourself with positive people, be positive yourself and think on positive things.  I know a fitness journey can be hard.  I can guarantee some uphill battles.  Just know that there is always a finish line to each battle and once you actually get it in sight and the goal gets close, you may just find yourself being the motivation instead of needing the motivation.  The sight of your goal might just be what it takes to reach down deep inside, pick up the pace and sprint to the finish.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up” 1 Thessalonians 5:11