I made my personal best time at the gym today and left the gym with a special bounce in my step and a new mantra in my head. 

The mantra? You can’t take this away from me. 

I had done something that I had never done before. For myself and by myself. And all of the hard times that I’ve had lately and all of the struggles didn’t matter at all for a while because I had accomplished something that I had never done before. 

The mantra didn’t leave my head. I found myself singing the words along to the music I was listening to in the car. You can’t take this away from me. You can’t take this away from me. You can’t take this away from me.

The stress started melting off my body, not just as a result of my little run and the endorphins, but because I had succeeded doing something that I hadn’t been able to do before. Even if I am never able to best my time or do that again, no one will ever be able to take that away from me. 

The economy can’t dent it. The stress as a result of a divorce and possible dissolution of a company partnership can’t dent it. The fear of the unknown as I try to do new things on my own can’t dent it. My little milestone gave me something that I haven’t had in a long time; relief as a direct result of my own positive actions. And no one can that away from me. 

Plus a mantra that I can use in my head whenever I feel that life is getting me down too much. You can’t take this away from me. You can’t take this away from me. 

For the first time in a long time, I felt at peace. I wanted to listen to mellow music. I felt safe and proud. 

Why?

Just because I set a little goal and reached it. My goal was made more meaningful because it was in a realm that I’m not good at. I had made strides to accomplish something that I was weak at. It wasn’t like I entered a spelling contest or took a writing class. 

I tried to get in shape. While I still can’t say that I’m in great shape, I can say that I’m working towards it, and that it’s sometimes easier to be proud of yourself for working on your weak points than going to your strengths. 

Here's a little something from Billie Holliday to lighten up your day.