Digging Deep

Usually when I use the term, "digging deep" I'm referring to me having gotten myself in some sort of mess :-) But not today.

This time I'm referring to that inner strength that we all have but oftentimes don't know it's there. Sure, we've all had to push through those times when we just didn't want to do something but it's those times when we are given little choice and have to reach down and use that inner strength.

The first time I had to use mine was during the very intense first year of my daughter's life. During my pregnancy I had been diagnosed with Hodgekin's Lymphoma. Two weeks after she was born I started chemotherapy which lasted for 6 months and then immediately followed by 5 weeks of radiation. Getting all those medications was hard enough on it's own but I also had an infant to take care of. The chemo wiped me out so severely that there were times I couldn't get out of bed but with a crying newborn I was left with little choice. I had to dig deep and find that strength to stand up because someone needed me.

So why am I sharing something this personal with you all? I wanted to tell you that no matter what you may be going through or attempting to do--whether it's losing weight, fighting a disease, facing a deployment, or whatever else, you DO have that inner strength to get through it. I could've easily given up and let myself succumb to my disease but instead I chose to dig deep. And you can't do it for anyone else, you have to do it for yourself. I wanted to see my daughter grow and our family expand. Ten years later, I'm still here and going strong.

Don't let your fears and frustrations keep you from digging deep. Look inside, grab that shovel, and start bringing up that inner strength that we all know is there. When it's all over you can look back and say, "Yeah, I did that." and that inner strength will grow by leaps and bounds.