crossing the first mountain

Last evening I went to the gym. I was not feeling that energetic, so was just thinking that I would hang around for some time and then I would leave. With heavier legs I approached the gym. I had literally dragged myself out from the bed on a hot and sultry day. It was easier on the first day, when I had decided to begin my workouts and enhance my physical appearance. Then the steps were full of enthusiasm,  fresh pair of legs, highly motivated as there wasn't anything paining. After three days, thats last evening, the enthusiasm, the initial adrenaline, the go were all at the abyss.
I had been through this feeling earlier and was pushing myself hard at it. I wanted to win the battle in my mind, where as of then, thoughts like “one shouldn't over do it, its not good”, “ actually one should listen to the body, its asking for rest”, “ tomorrow I can make up for the lost day” and numerous such demons where putting on the brakes.
As I entered the gym, I met a colleague and told him that I am not feeling that energetic today. He just pepped me up and I climbed the cross trainer. I set a programme for 20 minutes and began slowly. After seven minutes, I was finding it difficult to push myself. Then I remembered, what one of my senior used to say when we used to climb peaks, “ just keep looking down, go back to the beautiful moments of the past, rewind them and keep unwinding them”. Soon I was back in the college where fun, frolic and laughter was the order of the day. Subtle glancing smiles, giggles, romantic songs sung on the annual days, eating from the neighbours tiffins, the rose days, ramp walk on the sari days ……………….. The cross trainer had suddenly lost all its resistance and I was speeding up like Usan Bolt approaching the finishing line. My legs were moving swiftly like a gazelle, feeling so light. I looked at the timer, it was 18 minutes, just two more minutes. With a smile I looked up in the mirror. My T Shirt was getting soaked in the sweat. The small patch on the chest was growing in size and sweat from my face was dripping on the floor mat below. Now my focus was to work out till the entire T Shirt is soaked in the sweat. I started increasing my speed to reach the new goal and as I was focused on the growing sweat patch. I had overlooked the reading meters. When I looked down at the meters, I had crossed the 20 minutes and was feeling energetic to do more, so I put in the next target as 25 minutes and continued. I was enjoying it. My limbs were moving effortlessly as if the sweat had lubricated the joints and the muscles.  One of the important things which I had learned early in my life was to set a goal and set visible way points en route and keep the focus on these way points. That was the easiest way to ward of anxieties and without too much of a fuss reach your goal. Yesterday, I had the best possible workout and when I walked out of the gym, felt satisfied and good.
In life too, we begin new ventures with a lot of enthusiasm, but most of them fail to cross the first mountain. Only once I had stopped, I still remember it. It hurts bad, really bad and gets in the memory, very difficult to erase. Since then, I know, it may take all the courage to fight the demons and conquer the first mountain, but once done, its all down slope. For the subsequent mountains you have your experience and confidence, which you have just earned it.
Lastly our mind has an habit of making a mountain of a mole. Once you cross the first mountain you are half way through. Happy mountaineering.