She cheered me on and lavished praise on me for the smallest advances. But it was my friend Debra who consistently pushed me. She gave me a pep talk every session and wouldn't let me go home without scheduling the next session. Debra was right. Three months later I did see results and have come to enjoy exercising.
Some days are still harder than others.
I still have a tendency to push myself less than I should. And even though I resist changes in my routine, I know I can handle them and that pretty soon the new exercises will be as comfortable as the old ones were. Recently, I began to reflect on my beliefs about teachers and students in light of my exercise experiences. Needing that push doesn't mean I or my students don't care.