The Importance of Getting In and Staying In Shape - 3

We continue with thoughts about the importance of getting in and staying in shape. We want to connect these thoughts with our preparation for Lent and with our work.

As for Lent, it shouldn't just "show up" on Ash Wednesday finding us unprepared; or in today's context "out of shape." So please do think about what sort of discipline you will impose on yourself this Lent. Ideally, do this with some spiritual direction either from a good priest/director (if you can find one) or with the help of solid Catholic spiritual reading.

You can see how this connects to getting in shape physically, and how it connects to our work, right? 

We pursue a solid regimen of exercise to get in and stay in shape. Being in decent physical shape sustains us at work. Work requires time, attention, and effort from mind and body. If our bodies are not at least in decent working order, that effort can often flag. We'll struggle to stay on our game through a long work day (or night). Work can be done if we're out of shape, but isn't it obvious that things will flow more smoothly, effectively, and productively if we're in reasonably decent shape?

Connect to our preparation for Lent. Lent is a penitential time. We don't just go about our day - or our work - in the same way we normally do. Our penitential practices require planning - preparation.

Of course, if we're beginning from scratch, we'll face the same challenge as we do beginning from scratch to get in shape. That is, we're likely not in "spiritual shape" as we contemplate what sort of discipline we'll pursue during Lent. If that's the case, it's probably prudent to take is slow and easy. 

For example, if we are not devoting time each day to "norms of piety" (prayer, meditation, reading/studying Scripture, reading good spiritual works, learning or reviewing the teachings of our Catholic Religion) can we really pile these on during Lent and expect that we'll succeed in pursuing them consistently? That would be like the guy who never exercises deciding to run a Marathon (or even in mile, frankly) with no preparation. Not gonna happen.

Simply put, those of us who are "beginners" in our spiritual life need to consider this in our commitment to a Lenten plan. At the very least, start small and light and, if that goes as desired, slowly build.

Back to getting in and staying in shape.

We've addressed the "un-exercised" beginner's challenge and made some suggestions in our last post. Now it's on to building up and staying in shape.

Building up, for the most part, will be a function of repetition. There's no "one and done" when it comes to getting and and being in shape. Whatever our physical regimen, it will include repetition.

Let's say you jog or run to stay in shape - that's all you do. You don't run once in a while. You have some sort of schedule where you repeat, let's say, 4 or 5 times per week. I know some who jog every day. 

Same holds for using machines, weights, body weight, etc. You set up a routine. Then it's "rinse and repeat." In the course of this, you adjust as you go along. With weights, for example, the gent who wants to build muscle will likely increase the weight used for various exercises. But without repetition, that won't happen. You go along curling with 25 lb dumbbells for some reasonable stretch, then it's time to increase. More repetition, then...well, you get the point.

The repetition serves to develop the habit. The habit will be the foundation of some level of success getting into shape.

Switching to our preparation for Lent, a serious Lenten discipline that supports the Three Pillars of Lent: Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving - takes effort.  Lent is long. So there will be repetition. Repetition includes persistence. 

Just as we may wake up some days and find ourselves not so enthusiastic about that jog, run, arm curl, leg squat, core body-weight workout, we may find the same with our Lenten discipline as Lent moves along. But if we're been persistent from the get-go, if we've repeated until we've got a solid habit, we'll find it easier to overcome our sometimes reluctance to engage with our discipline.

More next time...