If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal.

In January, I started taking boxing classes with a trainer. I have wanted to do boxing for as long as I can remember. I don't think most people took me seriously. I am the epitome of laziness. After boxing for roughly five months, I decided that I wanted to get to the gym more than just one day a week. I needed to get stronger. Now, my plan is to go to the gym every night after work. There are weeks where I go four nights and there are weeks I only go two nights. Usually, those slacker weeks are because I've started my period. Now that I have been going more, I absolutely love it. Yes, there are days I go and I really don't want to be there. One thing is for sure. You never regret going to the gym.

When I first started going, I noticed this stair stepper that I said on multiple occasions you could not pay to do. Check out this monstrosity of a machine.

I could tell when I was boxing, my arms were getting stronger from lifting weights. Now my legs clearly needed some work. Just walking on the treadmill was not cutting it. I tried a few leg machines, but a few of them killed my knee. One day, I finally decided to try the death trap/stair stepper. The first day, I told myself I would do just 5 minutes. I knew I wouldn't be able to do more than that. I was right, because I lasted 3 minutes. I was still proud of myself for trying something new. Everyday, I added a minute. I hit my goal of 10 minutes. Which by the way, is roughly 300 steps. I talked with my trainer and asked if I should increase the speed, or the minutes. She said minutes -- get to 20 minutes she said. Last week, I increased a minute each day. Since I slacked last week, I only got up to 12 minutes. Monday, I went and my plan was to do 13 minutes. For some reason, I kept going and I hit my goal of 20 minutes! I couldn't believe it. I did it again yesterday (615 steps!).

When I left the gym on Monday, I was so proud of myself and happy that I had reached what at one time I thought was an impossible goal.

Yesterday, I read this on Facebook...

While I am patting myself on the back for my accomplishments in the gym, I find comfort in reading that if I continue to set goals, it will become a source of happiness for me. My blog after all is called Happiness is not a destination, but a journey. While shopping for things such as clothes, purses, jewelry, and now my new found obsession lip stick/gloss does make me happy, it's short lived. Finding happiness in people just hasn't worked for me over the years.

My new goal is to increase my speed on the stair stepper and get back to 20 minutes.

What goals do you have?