This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)
Human beings are capable of anything. You have probably heard this assertion a million times before, but you might not truly believe it yet. The truth is, we too easily let our circumstances take over and convince us that we are under their control. We tend to get so focused on what is going on in our external world that we forget we are a perfect miracle inside, capable of pretty much anything.
Right before I moved to the US, 10 years ago, I had an amazing conversation with my dad. He advised me, as amazing dads always do, about everything he knew from his own experience living in the US, 40 years earlier. One of the things that stuck with me was, “Pay close attention to taking care of your body, because it is pretty easy to gain weight in such a fast-paced society.” I was not terribly overweight at that moment, but I was not at my ideal weight, either. So I promised my dad I would pay close attention to that issue.
As soon as I got here, I decided I would maintain a healthy diet. I got so focused on my weight that I went to the other extreme. With a very strict, low-calorie diet and a rigorous exercise program, I went from 150 to 124 pounds in 6 months. I did not look healthy at all, but I didn’t notice that because I was so focused on the numbers on the scale. After numerous people asked me if I was sick, I realized I did not look good. After that slap in the face, I gradually went back to a healthier weight, and I decided I would keep working out so I could eat with fewer restrictions.
My exercise routine remained much the same for a long time. I used to work out at home, doing 15 to 20-minute YouTube workout videos. I believed I was not capable of lifting heavier weights or doing harder routines, but I wanted to look super fit—I know, I know… not realistic. I remember one day I went to a restaurant and one of the waitresses had amazing, strong, fit legs. I stared at her legs the whole time and told my husband, “I just don’t get it! Why don’t I have legs like hers, when I work out all the time? I even cried when we got back to the car. Yeah! Crazy, right? When we live our lives thinking everything is against us instead of for us, we see the world as really unfair. I was mad and sad because I wanted her results, but I was doing the same things I had been doing for years.
My divorce was an eye opener. I began to catch on to my lack of trust in my own capabilities. I had been so busy being the “perfect wife” that I did not take the time to invest in my personal growth. After I got divorced, I was ready to invest in myself. So, I started my reading addiction. One of the many amazing books I read was called Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. That book helped me realize how capable we humans are of doing anything we set our minds to.
One day I was at the gym doing my usual, same-old workout, and I looked at my legs for a while. I recalled one thing I’d read that morning in the book: “But determination is only the first step. It must be followed by hard work, a regime of physical and mental exercise and whatever it takes to bring us to peak performance.” In that chapter, Hill describe how Michael Jordan had planned how to become the best of the best basketball players.
That was the moment I decided to change my workout routine. I went from 20 minutes to 30, 45, and then 60. I added more weight, and I pushed myself harder and harder. For a few months I was doing well, but I was not feeling great about the results. So, I decided to look for help and contacted a friend of mine who is a terrific personal trainer. (I am sharing his company info on my “Feed your Mind” section if you are looking to get amazing results.) He designed a plan for me, based on what I told him I wanted.
Keep in mind that I was coming from what I considered a hard-core type of training. Well, after my first two days on his plan I felt like I’d been hit by a truck! Holy Moly! I was so sore that it seemed like I had never moved a muscle before. Even though I almost cried from the pain, I did not quit. I kept doing it. The next week, I was able to add more weight. By week three, I was not sore anymore. Amazing!
The lesson from that experience became clear in my mind. We are perfect miracles, capable of anything we set our minds to. We have the amazing capability to adapt to anything. Think about it for a second: if our physical bodies and muscles can adapt at such a fast pace if we keep pushing and challenging them, can you imagine how much our minds can adapt and evolve to become stronger and better? Our physical selves have the fantastic capability to adapt so our bodies can achieve more. Similarly, emotionally we all have a phenomenal capability, called resilience, to overcome any situation and gain more strength to keep going.
If you want to test your mind’s unlimited capabilities, start by testing your physical ones. You will be totally amazed!
Please never forget you are amazing, and you are enough!
Love,
Irene
