It's OK To Stink: Getting Uncomfortable Is Always Worth It

Allow me to paint a picture of how my current health and fitness journey began nearly 16 years ago.

I stepped onto a treadmill.

I walked slowly for 10 minutes.

I stepped off the treadmill.

I went home.

That's it - because that's all I could do, so it was all my health and fitness coach at the time wanted me to do. No good could come of trying to do more than I was prepared to do. My past health and fitness history, filled with starts and stops, clearly proved that.

We all have to start somewhere. The healthiest, most fit people you know weren't the healthiest, most fit people you know until they took the first step toward reaching their goals and then built upon that.

I know those health and fitness goals you have now seem daunting, which may be why you haven't faced them yet. But all that matters now is to start.

Now, let’s fast forward to today. I’m tackling a uniquely daunting challenge.

I have taken up karate. This venture began as a way to get my son, Zach, out of his bedroom and out of his comfort zone. It turns out this was another opportunity to get me out of my comfort zone.

Nearly 16 years ago, health and fitness was truly out of my comfort zone. I was pushing 250 pounds, as unhealthy as I had ever been, and heading in the wrong direction. Now, I spend my days pulling others out of their comfort zone.

Meanwhile, being a business owner has its moments of comfort within all the customary stress and chaos. But I’ve been doing it for six years now.

Karate is as new as it gets – and I’m taking on the challenge at 54 years alongside teenagers in class.

Zach and I started karate lessons at Southeastern Tang Soo Do Academy in Southport under Master Brian Walshaw in late January. He has some natural ability, and he seems to be taking well to doing the hard work needed to learn such challenging skills.

The old man, on the other hand, stunk right from the start – and that was great.

Why do I say that?

Anything we really struggle with is something worth doing, because we really have to put in the work to enjoy even the tiniest bit of success and continue overcoming adversity to enjoy more success.

It's OK to stink. It's not OK to give up because you stink.

It's inevitable that we'll face challenges that don't come easy to us right away, if ever. We come away with much more from those experiences – because we learn from the success and stumbles.

We also learn more about ourselves and what we're capable of in life. I'm learning about where I need to improve physically - balance, flexibility etc. - and that my once injured right leg can handle the stress of performing dynamic movements.

So, I challenge you to challenge yourself by trying something new, something out of your comfort zone – karate perhaps, but really anything you have your eye on but haven’t chosen to take on just yet.

More than likely, you will stink in the beginning. But you can't get better if you don't stink first. All you have to do is the work.

Zach and I experienced our first belt test recently. We faced 90 minutes of mental and physical tests to earn our way from white belt to the rank of yellow belt.

As I write this article, we still don’t know if we passed our test. It takes a week or two for the instructor to determine how we did and order belts for the traditional belt ceremony. But pass or fail, I faced the challenge. Pass or fail, I still gained valuable experience that I can apply to everything that comes my way.

No matter what, we always win when we face challenges head on.

If you need help developing a stronger mindset to face challenges you have always wanted to conquer, or you simply need help pinpointing your path to better health and wellness, I’m always here – because at Fernandes Fit…

Fitness Is Our Business.

Contact me at 814.504.7774 or by email at [email protected] to get started. You can also get more information on my website at fernandesfit.com.