This Morning’s Lesson: Embrace What You Resist

This morning, I laced up my running shoes—not out of excitement, but out of necessity. The first step in a 30-part journey through Vietnam, guided by iFit’s John Peel, was staring me down—a training program designed to prepare me for a 5K. The irony? I despise running. But here’s the thing: sometimes the path we resist the most is the one we need to walk.

Running has always been my nemesis. The pounding of my heart, the burning in my lungs—it’s a constant reminder of my limitations. Yet, there’s something about the iFit programs that keeps pulling me back. Maybe it’s the sense of progress, the visual beauty of the world I get to explore from my treadmill, or maybe it’s John Peel himself—a coach who brings warmth and positivity to every step, reminding me that the journey is just as important as the destination. One sentiment he kept repeating stuck with me: "It’s going to be tough, but just keep smiling."

Today, we began in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. The air was thick with the promise of adventure, but our pace was gentle—a walk, a hike, a climb up to the top of Ti Top Island. The island has its own story, named after Gherman Titov, a Soviet cosmonaut who met Ho Chi Minh. Two men from vastly different worlds, connected by a single moment in history. And as I reached the summit, I felt a connection too—not just to the place, but to the journey I’m on.

This place is more than just a destination; it’s a symbol of what happens when you push through the resistance. The view from the top? It was breathtaking. And suddenly, I wasn’t thinking about the sweat or the effort. I was thinking about how far I had come and how much further I could go.

It’s strange how something I’ve always hated can become something I crave. But maybe that’s the lesson here. When you step into what you resist, you find out what you’re truly capable of. You discover that the journey itself is the reward.

Vietnam is beautiful. I’d love to visit someday. But for now, this run is teaching me something even more valuable: that the view from the top is always worth the climb, no matter how much you resist it.