But what I love most about life are the possibilities! Every New Year, I look forward to the possibilities of what a New Year can bring.... especially in the area of quality of life. You see, most of us aren't going to change where we live, where we work, our friends, churches, or spouses. But, as most of us have figured out, there is one thing we can change. Ourselves. So if we have the ability, why not make a change for the better? I heard a quote today by Benjamin Franklin, that goes like this, "Be always at war with your vices, peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man".

This upcoming year, you have a choice to make. Are you going to quit, puke, or sweat 2011? Now I know you must be thinking these choices don't make much sense, but hang around for the analogies and maybe they will!

Choice #1 - QUIT

Some of us have been trying to change but we are thinking about quitting. We are thinking about all the reasons we should stop trying to be better runner, walker, cyclist, swimmer, triathlete, or any other title that may fit. We think about the hard work and we ask ourselves, is it really worth it? We think about the slow results and we whine about how difficult the challenges are. We sit down, We stop. We give up. Why try? we may ask ourselves. Maybe being fit is overrated.

Choice#2 - PUKE

This is the choice where not only do you quit, but you go backward! My close friends will tell you that I have a hang up about going backwards (or for food coming back...yuck!). On a trip this past summer, I drove them all quite crazy. Case in point, If the GPS said Starbucks was 1 mile back or a full 3 miles ahead. I refused to go to the one that meant going back. Why go back when you can go forward was my motto! Think about life....can you go BACK in time? Can you go back to yesterday? Nope. You can only go forward in time. I guess that has something to do with my hang up. So with my way of thinking, going back equates with something pretty undesirable.....like puke for instance. Do you really want to go backwards in life? Often times, if you stop...you eventually wind up backwards in life. Since time goes forward and the world moves on, you will end up left behind. Is the past where you want to be?

Choice#3 - SWEAT

Sweat comes from hard work. Sweat comes too from simply sitting in the sun. But when you think about it, you know ALL sweat comes from energy being exerted. Either energy you are using to get a workout or do a tough job, or the energy your body is using to cool itself off. And when you REALLY think about it, both situations result in your body's need to be COOL! So do you want your body to be COOL? Then you need to SWEAT my friend! Sweating feels great. Sweating is fun. Not every body does, it but every BODY SHOULD! If you dislike sweating, then maybe you need to think about sweating differently than you ever have. A quick Googling on sweating turns up the following: deep sweating helps the body cleanse itself and replace older dead cells, helps improve circulation, and gives skin a fresh look and feel. Sweat also releases toxins. Wow! That makes sense to me....most athletes I know LOOK healthy and youthful! Is our own sweat a virtual fountain of youth? Hmmmmmm....thay may explain why no one has ever found a place for the fountain...

So what's your 2001 looking like? Quit? Puke? or Sweat?

From one running mom to another,

Edna