Resolutions

So...this is it. The big December 31st. Midnight tonight will be it is officially the start of a whole new year. If any of you, like myself, saw the New Years Eve movie then you are probably going out tonight with extremely high expectations. But hey, anything can happen right?

All athletes know that come tomorrow, their lives will be made that much more difficult. Starting tomorrow, all new years resolutionists will crowd the gyms taking all of the machines and making a normal 30 minute session turn into a 2 hour session. Do not get me wrong, I admire and respect everyone who tries to better themselves by getting their body into shape. I have raved about the benefits of exercise and believe everyone should try it.

What confuses me, however, is why tomorrow is of such significance. Yes, it is a new year, but in reality isn't it also just the start of another day? What does tomorrow's significance have to do with us attempting to do things differently? Tomorrow, like yesterday and Wednesday, is just another day in our lives. I guess the point I'm trying to make is why wait for the new year to become a better person?

Many of us will try to be nicer to others, exercise more, do better in school, forgive someone, apologize to someone, give someone a second chance, etc. Tomorrow we will start attempting to accomplish the goals we make for ourselves for the upcoming year. However, instead of viewing each year as a chance to better ourselves, we should focus on each day. Each day presents us with another opportunity to better ourselves. Instead of deciding that next year will be the year you finally begin talking to your mother, or next year will be the year you begin your diet, start today. Start now. Do not wait for each year to pass. Yes, make new years resolutions, but when they are done, make more resolutions.

Each day is an opportunity for us to begin anew. Each day holds the same significance that new years holds.

Make your new years resolutions, complete them, and make more resolutions. Better yourself each and every day.

Fighting

What do we do when we feel as if we are constantly being knocked down? How can we respond positively when each attempt we create only leads to more failure? Where is the end of the road of struggle?


Running has the ability to bring a "feel-good" attitude into peoples lives. Whether we are competing or not, running is scientifically proven to release hormones that make you happier. Add to that the success that all runners face at some point and the sport clearly has a strong impact on the positive mindset of a person. However, few people outside of the sport and, in fact, few inside the sport, can understand the negative mindset running can instill on its participants.

Running is said to be a sport where the more you put in, the more you get out. There comes a point when this statement becomes obsolete. There comes a point when you are constantly knocked down. There comes a point when each attempt at success leads to failure. There comes a point when you wonder whether or not it is worth it all.

Why is this important?

It is another valuable lesson we have the opportunity to learn.

We will face situations in our lives when we wonder whether the fight is even worth it. Maybe it is a student who struggles to get through school. Maybe it is a woman fighting cancer who struggles to get through the day. Maybe it is a drug addict who struggles to stay clean. We all struggle with things throughout our lives and whether or not these things are small or large they are always worth the fight.

We need to continue to fight. Fighting is the reason we live. We live to battle our weaknesses and prove to ourselves that we can come out on top.

Fighting gives us hope. Hope to persevere. Hope to push forward. Hope for the future.