I am thankful for new motivation.
I've never been a regular exerciser. While I am active and have done various exercise programs from time to time, I've never experienced the "exercise high" that comes from the feel-good chemicals that are released with exercise. I've always stopped before I reached that point.
However, now I am motivated and am having more success than I've had in a long time. My employer has joined a growing trend and has subscribed to a program that gives rewards for exercise and other good health habits. Points are rewarded for walking along with other challenges.
Since I joined a couple of months ago, I've been making sure that I eat my veggies and have two fruits a day. I'm getting adequate sleep, drinking more water, and recording things that I am thankful for (on more days than just Sunday). I'm taking time to read and I am using reusable shopping bags. Also, I'm doing strengthening exercises and having my blood pressure taken. I have gone walking in the cold rain, with a migraine, and in the dark just to get enough steps in to get the points I need. I have chosen only veggies at a BBQ restaurant to get my requirements in for the day and have gone to the store to get extra fruit to keep up with a challenge.
Wow. That's an impressive list, if I do say so myself. Especially for me. So what's my motivation? Well, besides the obvious one of it's good for me (which has never been particularly motivating in the past), I'm earning money. So far, I'm up to $50 and if I work really hard, I may earn some more before the program restarts at the first of the year.
And perhaps even more importantly, I am surrounded by people who are doing the same thing. The program is one of the hot topics at work and we are both encouraging and competing with each other. (I didn't realize how competitive I am until I started this.)
So for this program and the motivation it is giving me to take better care of myself, I am thankful.
