I‘ve successfully completed the first 25% of my 58-Day Challenge. As a reminder, on Saturday, June 24, I was driving to Pilates and thinking about how remarkable it was that one of our coaches and my dear friend Randy Lane recently ran 50 miles on his 50th birthday. “Dang! My 58th birthday is coming up in August,” I thought. “Wouldn’t it have been fun to do a 58-day workout challenge leading up to my birthday?” Well, I did the math and I had exactly 58 days—and the 58-Day Challenge was born.

The reason I chose this challenge is because ever since I stopped dancing professionally, 35 years ago, I have NEVER remained consistent at working out. In fact, one of my favorite lines over the years has been when my doctor asks me if I work out regularly and I respond, “Yes, I regularly workout about four times a year.”

For me, the only time “working out” was a way of life was when it was my job. Since then, I haven’t been able to find the motivation to want to get into a consistent pattern of doing some sort of workout. It wasn’t until my oncologist told me all of the emotional and mental benefits that would accompany the physical benefits of getting into a consistent workout schedule while going through chemo, that I finally found a reason to take this workout stuff seriously.

As I wrote in another musing, the year I was going through chemo and surgeries is when I chose to arrange my Life around my Days versus trying to find time to fit my Life into my hectic-filled days. Enter Pilates.

Pilates is the one thing I’ve found that I actually look forward to doing. One reason is because I literally feel myself getting stronger from the inside out. Secondly, I have to admit… it’s not a cardio workout so I don’t sweat; and therefore I can go straight from Pilates to work and the make up and hair don’t need a major touch up… or shower.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the feedback I’ve gotten encouraging me with this challenge. Even when I posted my In-N-Out splurge on Day 13, I got so many responses loving the fact that I was able to splurge on something nowhere near the acceptance of a “Health column,” while still maintaining my motivation to remain on course with my challenge. Granted, I didn’t run a marathon after my cheeseburger and fries, but I didn’t let one decision to indulge derail my commitment to the challenge.

Thank you to Stephanie and Maria for posting your inspiring videos in response to my challenge. While I’ve never met Suzanne and briefly met Maria at an International Women’s conference, we are all a part of this wonderful internet community that allows us to share our joys, heartaches and struggles. And quite often offers a platform from which to encourage, inspire and support each other—even though we’ve never met.

Who will be our next brave friend that will share his/her challenge with all of us? Come on!!! It’s fun!!!