The Pursuit of Happiness: Breaking Out of An Exercise Rut

Sometimes I have to remind myself that I'm happy about my transformation from 386 to 181 pounds. It's not that I have to remind myself because I'm completely unhappy. I remind myself in order to stay focused. It's easy to get complacent, but recalling how far I've come and where I used to be can be just the shot in the arm to lift my head when it's lowered, for whatever reason.

Even before I got here, every attempt I ever made to get fit or lose weight always brought a smile. I was always happiest when I at least tried. Of course I'd feel awful when I failed but it never took away from my euphoria from having made an honest effort. Now that I live every day in this body and my struggle has become somewhat easier, I miss that feeling.

What this tells me is that I'm not trying hard enough, at something. Time for me to up my game and once again experience the joy of doing something good for me. It's not that dieting or working out has become a bore but being happy at my current weight requires far less effort to maintain than it took to achieve. I say all of this to say, I need a new challenge in my life.

I've decided to take boxing lessons. I also just finished an eight-week round of salsa classes as my latest new thing to do. Although it was a lot of fun, it was not quite the workout I had hoped for. The boxing lessons are the first in a series of "challenges" that I plan to embark on.

Doing something good for me makes me happy. Now, I don't know that boxing will make me happy, however I do know that taking time out to give back to myself in any form always brightens my day. For the next 12 weeks, boxing it is. I'm hoping to do it without so much as a scratch on me, but I wouldn't be mad if I walked away with a black eye as a badge of honor. Hmmm....I do look good in black.