get moving – Earthen Sojourner

Do you need a personal coach?

There’s been so many things that held us down.
But now it looks like things are finally comin’ around.
I know we’ve got, a long long way to go,
and where we’ll end up, I don’t know.
But we won’t let nothin’ hold us back,
we’re putting our selves together,
we’re polishing up our act!

Ain’t No Stopping Us Now by McFadden & Whitehead

This song as been my motivation to get up everyday this week at 4:30 am and get to the gym. If I listen to the remix twice, I’m 20 minutes into my morning routine. I love the line “we’re polishing up our act”. That is exactly what I’m doing. I’m getting myself together. I’m polishing up my act.

It has been an entire year since I went to the gym. I tried to do some things at home during the year of the quarantine, but it’s not the same for me. I need the routines and structure of actually, physically , getting out and going to the gym to exercise. Needless to say, getting motivated to start again and to keep going was challenging. Not to mention getting up at 4:30 to drink celery juice and be on the treadmill by 5:00 am. Timing is everything, if you get my meaning.

As I get older, it takes me longer to get into the groove of movement. I try to be very conscious of how my body is feeling. When I started doing the celery juice 4 weeks ago, I also started doing stretches and yoga, in preparation for returning to the gym. Age and inactivity can lead to injury if you don’t listen to your body and push too hard, too soon. I believe it’s more beneficial to move slowly for 3 weeks than to try to go hard and be out of commission for a while. “We’ve gotta keep moving“

Music always feeds my motivation.

Good, meaningful lyrics. Great beat. On point vocals and harmony. I am moved by music.

I use music to get me up when I’m feeling down. I use it to calm me down when I’m anxious. I use it to soothe my soul and as background for my praise. Music is a panacea.

I know that many folks use a personal coach or accountability partner, but I have always been pretty self motivated and am my own best (and worst) critic.

I am my own best motivator. I feed MYSELF.

If I don’t do it for myself, it won’t get done. Exercising and eating healthy is as much an emotional and spiritual journey for me as it it a physical one. I have been trying to spend some alone time reflecting, being mindful and utilizing affirmations to get my head right. I have got to be ready to get up and get moving. Nobody can make me. Although I do appreciate my son going to the gym with me as he has my safety in mind, and he also provides a gentle push when it’s needed.

I got news that a friend of mine died the other day. He was really very much like a brother. In fact, he was an ex-brother in law. The father of my oldest niece. He was also probably the closest to a personal coach I ever had. His techniques were a bit harsh. HA. He used to hit balls directly at my sister Claudia and I on the racquetball court and tell us to move our fat AZZES. He would also strategically place them in the corner so that we ran into the wall -alot. Now, at the time we were P_H_A_T ** PHAT, but not FAT! In spite of his tactics, we were very good and held our own. He made us work hard.

RIP Royd Alec Lake. Man, I loved your crazy west Indian self. Royd ran track for Iowa and is probably the reason I don’t run/jog as part of my work out. lol

I am also fed by the knowledge that if I fail I can always start over.

I love the line in the song where they sing ; but we gonna keep trying, we’re gonna keep trying – over and over. I hesitate to think where I would be if it weren’t for the power of the DO OVER. I have stopped a thousand times more things then I have started.

So music, myself, and knowing I can always start over. That’s what feeds my motivation. Take a listen if you want to get a bit of my morning inspiration to get up and moving.

Leave a comment as to what feeds your motivation.