There’s plenty of talk about freedom on my social interwebs. People are mightily concerned that Group A or Group B is out to steal their freedom. But the one thief that never gets much mention is the thief that looks you in the mirror when you brush your teeth. I know. I came face to face with that thief this morning. He tried to pin me down and keep me in bed when my alarm went off at 3:49.
That thief, of course, is me.
Yesterday, someone said, “I wish I was in shape.”
I said, “You can be if you chose to be.”
I know first hand. Three years ago, I weighed 50 lbs. more than I do right now. I was winded when I walked and was the poster child for a heart attack. My waist was 41 inches and my muscles atrophied.
And you want to know the really sad thing? I had run a marathon just a year before.
I had gone from 195 lbs. to 248 lbs. in 12 months. Why? I gave up mastery of myself.
No, I am not talking about the Seinfeld “Master of My Domain” — thats a blog I will never write. I’m talking about how to achieve true freedom: Self discipline.
You are the sum of your choices. If you eat poorly, make bad health decisions and are disorganized, you will be a slave to your bad habits. If you only choose what makes you feel good, you won’t have the training when things get really bad.
Today’s workout was a beast. And I’m exhausted. But I got up and pushed myself. I made a choice that will make me healthier.
I overcame the person who wanted to steal that from me. I overcame myself.
That’s true freedom.