Learn to love cardio by looking at it in a different way...

About 9 years ago I was at my sisters house on vacation and had just finished a long run outdoors. I continued to #sweat it out with some weights she had in her backyard as she approached me asking if maybe I could get up earlier to get my workout in so that her children didn't see me. She went on to explain that they had just come up to her saying how hard it was for them to see me be able to workout the way I did and they couldn't.

At this time she had 5 children, four of which had been diagnosed with heart disease and three had already implanted defibrillators in case their heart stopped. I sat back and realized this was a life changing moment for me. Every time I think I really do not want to workout or do cardio I think of them and simply dedicate that workout to them with gratitude that I can.

Now take it forward to just yesterday I met a man named John who told me he sees me often doing cardio. I replied, "I love cardio."

He said, "I do too!"

I thought, wow I rarely hear that response back from anyone.

He said, "I was unable to do cardio for 5 years after my knee was blown out overseas. I was there with the military. I just barely was able to start doing cardio three months ago and I am so grateful I can."

I said, "That is the way I look at it too!"

He put his head down for a second and when he raised it back up he said, "I also lost some good friends, they were killed when we were overseas" he paused a little choked up and then I could see him quickly shake it off and say, "I often get on the machines just do it for them because I can and they are not here anymore."

So you see there are many out there that can not do cardio and yet so many of us look at it as a punishment or the worst thing in our day. But if you can change your mindset and say, "I love it or I am thankful I can", it will not take long before your mind and body actually does believe it. You may be like many I have worked with that start to crave the feeling of it and makes it a daily habit even if its just a nice stroll outside appreciated today.

One way you can start is by thinking of all you are #grateful for when you start to do any cardio. Someday's when I feel funky I get on the machine or dance and with every step I just think "thank you" in my mind. I tell myself I'm going to do 100 "thank you" steps but I never reach 100, before I get too far into it I start really feeling and thinking of all the things in my life I am grateful for. Which makes my mind wander and it pulls me into the right state of mind and I am #happy.

I promise you that if you do things that are uplifting like #inspiring #YouTube videos, "thank you steps" or think of how special it is that you can do cardio and practice it for a month you will start to #love #cardio. Just give it try.

If you have a story of why you like or love to do cardio, whether it is outside hiking like picture below, or anything that just gets your heart pumping for a sweaty moment I would love to hear your "why . Those that want to start to love/like cardio comment down below to commit to yourself this life changing experiment. I want to hear your journey as well.