ENDURANCE

ENDURANCE

How have you been feeling lately? Overwhelmed? Lonely? Depressed? Isolated? Grateful? Thankful? Happy? Joyful? If you answered “yes” to all of these emotions, join the club.

I have come to the realization that Covid19 will now be with us for a long time. Scientists are suggesting that for the next 18-24 months we will be grappling with this virus.  I live in Florida, the sunshine state. Many thought Covid19 didn’t like sunshine and heat. Nope, it turns out Covid19 is spending the summer in Florida, and Texas and Arizona, and it is thriving here!

 So, what do we need now?

Endurance. 

Endurance is the ability to withstand hardship or adversity for a prolonged period of time, to have persistence.  Endurance in Latin means “To Last”.

Many of us are good at starting projects, cleaning out the garage, or painting a room or filing that pile of papers on the floor.  Then at some point, it gets boring, or I get tired or distracted and stop.  That’s the point between good enough and excellence.

Finishing doesn’t take brilliance or intellect…it takes guts and grit and determination to endure to the end. At the point where you think you cannot give another ounce, and yet you keep going, that’s the moment of SOUL growth and achievement.

In my 30’s, I began training my body for long-distance running…but it wasn’t just my body that needed strengthening, it was my mindset too. Long-distance running is a mind game.  When your body is saying “STOP, I’m DONE!” and you have 6 more miles to go it is your determination, your mindset, your belief that you WILL prevail even if it means walking the rest of the way, that will get you across the finish line.

We are in a long-distance race with this Corona Virus.  We don’t know where the finish line is. We know there IS one, but it keeps getting moved back from our original expectation which is frustrating, and exhausting, and it’s easy to say, “I quit”. 

This is the time to find your second wind…shift into overdrive trusting you can and will make it on that long stretch that we have yet to cover. This is the time when we discover what we are made of.  When physical endurance and more important, mental and emotional endurance come together to carry us on, no matter what. When you awaken to the realization of your strength of will and your ability to face adversity, that trust in YOURSELF, your endurance will last a lifetime.

You’ve got this.  You are strong, you are kind, you are resilient, and you know how to be disciplined and endure. Remember, don’t forget to breathe, be kind to yourself first, take one step, one hour, one day at a time, and wear a mask!