At a random restaurant a few years back, I asked Josh if he liked mushrooms. His response was ‘not yet.’
This exchange has stayed with me because it was so unique. The question seemed like an easy ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. I tend to go with the easy answer. Thankfully, Josh doesn’t.
This morning I was struggling over lunges. Previously, I had performed the stationary genuflection by holding onto the arm of a machine or Josh. Today, I was going down and up without prop assistance. No hands! It wasn’t pretty! I was flailing all over. Each of the individual feats in the 3 sets of ten was its own uneven, thrashing mess. I was leaning forward, falling sideways, stumbling back. Not one came close to remotely resembling the elegant demonstration of my trainer.
I used various ‘color metaphors’ to voice my frustration during the task. My entire demeanor was ‘No, I can’t do these.’ Josh responded with a gentle and nonchalant, “You’re just not strong enough yet.”
Yet is a three-letter word that expresses confidence and hope.
Having a personal trainer is changing me. Physically and literally. Physically, my body is responding to the variety of activities. The movement eases the rigidity of old age. And the schedule and repetition of the routine is making me stronger. And literally, my attitude is changing. I started personal training to get a fitness program that was tailored for me. What Josh is sneakily doing is tailoring me for a fitness program.
It may sound like a subtle difference but it isn’t. The difference is distinct. He is breaking down my mental barriers keeping me from performing an exercise because of weight or gender or failures in the past. And he is helping me over these cerebral hurdles by forcing me to confront them. Once I conquer the impossible, he pushes me up to the next level. This morning’s lunges are a harder version of the prop assisted ones. And those ‘easier’ lunges at one time had made me burst out into tears. I dreaded them until I conquered them. The mind is a powerful fear factor. I worry that I will break a bone, fall and crash the mirror or even pee my pants. I’m scared of all kinds of humiliation and pain.
Josh nudges me forward by challenging me. A few months ago, I couldn’t do a 15 second plank. Today, I did a 45 second plank… three times. Bam!
I’m learning even if I can’t do it right today, I will do it right in the future. ‘Yet’ holds powerful aspirations.