Live an Inspired Life On and Off the Bike
Now don’t get me wrong. I love this time of year. Fall transitioning to winter. I love the golden colors of autumn and the fresh brisk morning air. I have even learned to love the holidays over the years. Christmas trees, going to the snow, holiday baking, and cozy nights snuggled up under blankets with hot chocolate.
BUT… the two things I do not like about this time of year are daylight savings time and the cold.
“You are not the same as you were before. You were much more “muchier”. You have lost your muchness” -Mad Hatter
Boy does that sum it up for me lately. And just what do you do when your muchness has been obliterated and the tools you use to regain it are temporarily out of order? How do you go about finding your way back? This girl is learning that sometimes it simply comes down to acceptance, patience and trust.
Have you ever heard the saying “great things never came from comfort zones”. I don’t know who said it but I can never decide if I want to hug them or slug them because it’s so true – and often so painful. The pain can be physical, mental, emotional, or all three at the same time.
On the bike you advance when, over time, you ride harder, faster, farther and incorporate appropriate rest but it all has to be done strategically. Going all out over an entire century ride will not get you to the finish line. I would not even make a good 5 miles (lol). In life it is the same.
Sometimes there is so much going on at once, so much to consider when you are trying to achieve a goal, that it gets overwhelming and leads to frustration. Somedays that goal just is tying my shoes or not losing my shopping cart at the grocery store (this happened BTW…recently). But usually those goals are bigger picture. For example my goals: I want to help change the world for women. I want to erase the stereotypes we face today of having to be something other than what we are to be enough, to be deserving; and I want to do it through cycling. Like I said, big picture.
Since I started my adventures on the bike I’ve basically been telling anyone who would stand still (or not) how awesome it is! The mental, emotional, and physical health benefits I’ve enjoyed are unmatched by any other form of exercise I have ever tried.
People are usually very sweet about it and often congratulate me on my new found passion, then quickly offer up the reasons why biking would not be for them (that is exactly what I did!).
I’ve found that there is a good deal of misinformation/myths that seem to keep people out of the saddle, AKA bike seat, and hopefully I can clear a few of those up and motivate you all to give biking a try.
