Some things are worth sweating for

On a recent morning, a good friend and I got out early  and visited Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington, DC.  For an hour or so we explored with wonder and delight the acres of wetlands and ponds and thousands of water lilies and water lotuses.  They are absolutely stunning and we sweated like the dickens while we enjoyed their beauty.  

We were glad we went - absolutely - but with early morning temperatures above 90-degrees combined with unbearable humidity, let's just say we were uncomfortable, a little bit grumpy and easily tired.  What kept us going was the reward of seeing the flowers and wetlands.

Bikram Yoga is worth sweating for.  In the 105-degree room, for 90 minutes several times each week, I sweat out the stress, meditate and pray (sometimes I pray just that I will survive the grueling, sweaty exhausting experience), work every muscle group and gain mobility in places that had not moved so much in many years.  I wish I had started sweating and working on my flexibility sooner.  It is harder than any exercise class I have ever taken, and the benefits far outweigh the buckets of sweat. 

Anything that requires that much sweating has to be worthwhile.  That is true of most things in life.  The more I give, the more I receive in return.  

Job hunting has definitely involved a lot of sweating.  While the returns have not always been what I anticipated, there have been many blessings on this sweaty journey - new friends and contacts, more time with my family, opportunities to do new and different things, time to appreciate and spend outdoors in nature, discovering new hidden talents,  and volunteering.   

I am prepared to keep on sweating and do what it takes to cross the finish line.  Meanwhile, those lotuses were really something and I am exceedingly grateful for my yoga classes and the fantastic instructors.