Week 3 is in the books. 21 days down. It’s been an interesting week, mentally. For some reason, days 19, 20 and 21 have been the most difficult. I’m not exactly sure why that is. I woke up on Day 19 and I just felt off. I had that feeling of, ‘Why am I doing this?’ We all feel like that from time to time.

My alarm went off at 5:45am. Like every other morning, I weighed in and took my progress photo. I fed the dog, grabbed my coffee and book and sat down on the couch. I could just feel that I was off. It was one of the first times on the program where I didn’t feel like doing it. I made a mental note that morning that it was likely going to be a test day. Test days are days when the world throws everything it has at you, when you are at your worst, but you still keep going.

However, I still showed up every day and completed my daily tasks to keep moving forward with the program. I did my two 45 minute workouts (one being outside). I drank my gallon of water. I ate clean. I read my 10 pages (and more). I avoided alcohol. I still showed up on these days, even though I didn’t feel like it. I still crushed it at work. I am currently the acting Detachment Commander for my police detachment and learning on the job. I am crushing it at home. I’ve showed up for my kids and spent quality time with them. I’ve spent quality time with my spouse. I completed my 1000 words of writing on my new book. I’m stretched pretty thin right now and I’m feeling off. But I still showed up and got it done. No excuses. Just because I don’t feel like showing up, does not mean I can’t. I will. That’s the power of discipline. There isn’t another option.

Week 3 Lesson – Find Your Why – I reminded myself of the reason why I decided to do 75 Hard. It is to develop unrelenting mental toughness. This is my Why. Yes, I will inevitably lose weight on the program because I have cut out junk food and alcohol and am working out twice a day. But what I am truly after is to build up my mental toughness. Showing up every day and completing the same five tasks, day after day, for 75 days, is not easy. Hence the name, 75 Hard. Showing up when I don’t feel like it day after day, builds mental toughness. I know that if I can do this, I can do anything. My self-confidence grows each day and it grows by leaps and bounds when I push through the tough days and still get the job done. This is why I am doing the program.

Andy Frisella, the creator of 75 Hard, talks about Mastering the Monotonous. Basically, you need to do the things you know you need to do, on a consistent basis, regardless of how mundane and monotonous they become. The tasks of the program are becoming monotonous. They’re just something I do now. The shine of the new program has long since worn off. I just need to show up and put in the work.

Gratitude – I am very grateful for my morning walks/jogs with my dog, Otto. That is my favourite part of the program. As the weather gets nicer out and less slippery, the morning walks will turn into morning runs. March in Canada means melting snow which freezes to ice. It’s a skating rink out there right now and too treacherous to run in. It’s too risky and I don’t want to get injured. For now, I’ll stick with my walks with Otto as my outdoor workout, followed by a strength training session later on in the day.

Until next week! Don’t forget to subscribe!

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