Finding motivation

I can't remember the last time I was up at 6:30 am on a Saturday. It's hard to find the motivation to get out of bed early on your day off knowing you are about to go train and run for 4 miles. Somehow I did that today and although I'm a little tired, I feel great.

For those that know me, you already know about my personal medical struggles. For those that don't, here is a short and sweet recap. This past year I was diagnosed with Scleroderma which is an umbrella disease with a bunch of smaller medical issues ( Calcinosis, Raynaud's Phenomenon, Rheumatoid Arthritis) under it. Just like anyone else battling a disease, I have good days and I have bad days. Since I've started training, I have not come across a bad day yet due to my condition. Now a bad day due to work and/or school is another story. Staying committed to my training has improved my range of motion, my immune system, circulation and decreased my inflammation in my joints. I mean I actually have an ankle bone when my ankles aren't inflamed and I can squat! Hooray! I know this may not be exciting to you but this is exciting stuff for me. At 25 years old, I should be able to squat, run , skip, and leap but that hasn't been the case for me. It's been a struggle to cope with the physical limitations and only being 25. However, training has improved it all and it is getting easier every day.

When I go searching for motivation, I think of why I signed up for this to begin with. I signed up to raise funds for blood cancer research and help save lives. The truth is this could ultimately save MY life and that's just icing on the cake. However, knowing that I don't have to go any further than my bathroom mirror to find motivation, helps with those days that I struggle to go run at six thirty in the morning. When you find yourself searching for motivation, it may only be a few steps to the mirror. On those tough days getting out of bed, remember to look within first. It may make the difference between a good day and a bad day.