I had the choice opportunity to meet and get to know some of our volunteer and employed local heroes this past week. One lieutenant told me that the firefighters’ motto is: Adapt and Overcome.
We’d all do well to adopt that, firefighter or not. If life isn’t about adapting and overcoming, I don’t know what it’s about. Think about what happens when we fail to adapt; fail to overcome. It leads to weakness and brokenness. Sadly, it happens too often.
My son’s fiancé just arrived from Pennsylvania a week ago. She’s already running my favorite route through the State Park with me (outrunning me!). She’s 19. She’s only been here a week and she’s adapted well enough to run about 7 miles without stopping. She’s young and fit. I’m so glad for it! If I went to Pennsylvania, I most likely wouldn’t adapt as quickly. I’m older and have a few little health issues about which I have to be a little careful. Young ‘un coming to the Texas Hill Country can adapt and overcome in a week. I spent about eight weeks acclimatizing to the elevation of Colorado Springs when I was there a few years back. That’s OK. We all adapt in our own way and at our own pace. But we must find a way to adapt, or it isn’t possible to overcome the challenges we face.
A sweet lady in my Sit Fit class recently adapted to her need for balance assistance by beginning to use a walker. She is adapting and overcoming. She still comes to class. She hasn’t allowed an aging body to keep her from living life. My 10 year old girl will be getting glasses soon. She will adapt and overcome her less than perfect vision.
From time to time, we have to take a step back in training. We take some weight off the rack. We slow down a bit, or modify in some other way. Sometimes, however, we add more weight and speed up. Sometimes, we push to explore our limits because we’ve already adapted to the workout we’ve been following and it’s no longer a challenge. Sometimes, after we’ve overcome, and we’re stronger because of it, we no longer feel the sensation of a struggle. When this happens, we must change it up, so the workout becomes a struggle again, because if we require no adaption to overcome the struggle, we do not experience personal growth.
Remember, it’s the struggle that makes you stronger. Be strong today! Be even stronger tomorrow! Once you’ve overcome the challenge, look for; even create for yourself the next one…and then, ‘Adapt and Overcome’ again!
Sally Windham is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor in Blanco, TX. Please send questions and comments to sally.windham@yahoo.com
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