Ep 127 What's Next For You? The Power of Starting Before You're Ready

Join me Mikita as I spill tea on MY journey to running MY first 5K—a ride full of  surprising lessons about mental strength. This isn’t just about crossing a finish line; it’s about the courage to start, the power of sticking it out, and the seeds we plant when we challenge ourselves. From battling ice cream cravings to pushing past self-doubt, I share how a simple race became a mirror for resilience and growth. Sip along as I invite you to ask: What’s next for me? Expect humor, heart, and a nudge to claim your own strength—whatever that looks like for you.

Key Takeaways

1. Mental Fitness Trumps All: The 5K taught Mikita that pushing through doubt and discomfort builds a stronger mind, not just a stronger body—resilience is the real win.
2. Start Where You Are: You don’t need to be ready or perfect; willingness to begin plants the seed for growth, even if it’s imperfect.
3. Challenges Breed Growth: Science shows tackling goals, big or small, boosts confidence and purpose—every step rewires your brain for strength.
4. It’s Not About the Outcome: The power lies in choosing to start and sticking with it, not in winning or being the best.
5. Find Your Own Race: Whether it’s running, painting, or organizing a closet, the magic happens when you stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone.
6. You Are Enough Now: No perfect moment is coming—claim your strength today and take that first step toward what’s next.

My Workout Favs: What Got Me Through

Even a messy 5K needs some fuel and flair. Here’s what I’m loving:

• Pre-workout: Rize Sour Apple – That tangy kick wakes me up when I’d rather nap.
• Shoes: Hoka – Like clouds for my feet—saved me when the pavement got mean.
• Post-Run: Smoothie Protein Rize Marshmallow – Creamy, dreamy recovery in a glass. Tastes like a treat, not a chore!

These goodies kept me moving

Chapters

• 0:00 The Mental Battle of My First 5K
• 3:05 Challenging Myself to Run a 5K
• 5:10 Facing Nutritional and Training Challenges
• 10:20 The Race: When Mind Defeats Body
• 12:15 Plant Your Seed: What's Next For You?
• 16:29 Your Moment to Begin and Stick With It

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

And that's what hit me, that this wasn't about being physically fit. It was about being mentally fit. That burning in my lungs, those heavy legs they were tough. But the real battle was in my head, the voice saying you can't do this. Makita, quit now, turn around. Why are you doing this? Who do you think you are that you can run a 5K? But I didn't. And that's the seed I planted. Not a perfect race, but proof that I could push through when it got hard.

Speaker 1: 0:36

Hey, there, I'm Makita, a small town girl with big dreams who started a podcast with an old headset and a laptop at my kitchen table and made my dreams come true. On my podcast, time for Tea with Makita, we chat about living life unapologetically, on your terms, from career advice, entrepreneurship, relationships and everything in between. This is your one-stop shop for real conversations and inspiration. If you're looking for connection, then you found it here. Join me every Tuesday as we dive into those sometimes hard to have conversations. So grab your cup of tea or coffee and get comfy, because this is time for Tea with Makita, and the tea is definitely hot. Ever feel like you need a superpower boost of motivation with exclusive tips and tools with your goals in mind. Well, say hello to your new inspiration hotspot the Tuesday Tea Newsletter, your weekly infusion of big thinking, energy that will propel you to chase your wildest dreams and never shy away from using the power of your voice. Sign up for the Tuesday Tea Newsletter today at BeautifullyUnbalancedcom and elevate your goals to the next level. Welcome back.

Speaker 1: 1:48

It's time for Tea with Makita, and I just want to start by thanking you yes, you for sharing your time, space and energy with me today. It means the world to be here with you, and today we are talking about empowerment how we find it, how we nurture it and how it shows up in unexpected places. Recently, on an episode, I sat down with an amazing guest on my show who talked about boudoir photography and how they're not just about looking good in a photo. It's about feeling good, reclaiming your body and stepping in to that power. And it got me thinking about my own journey. And today I want to share with you guys my journey to running my first 5k, because it was not all sunshine and running shoes, trust me, but I want you to stick with me, because this isn't just about me running a 5K. It's about planting powerful seeds in your life. It's about challenging yourself and asking what's next for me. So grab your cup of tea and let's dive in.

Speaker 1: 3:04

So a few months ago, if you've been following me, I decided I was going to run a 5k, my first one ever. And, honestly, the idea to run the 5k I've been so one of my cousins. When we were kids we used to always challenge each other to running. Who could run the fastest? And I always wanted to in school run track but I never did. That's another story.

Speaker 1: 3:31

But the idea of running was just so freeing and I was just trying to figure out a way like, okay, I'm not the best exercise person, I love the way I feel after exercise, the challenge and just having that sense of accomplishment and you feel really good afterwards. But getting started is really hard for me and I don't like exercise anyway, so that's kind of hard. So I wanted to try to do something that I knew I loved to do, something I figured I could stick with. And I remember talking to my cousin, maybe about six months ago, about how we used to challenge each other to run and I'm like man, I used to feel like so good, so fast forward. I was like you know what I'm going to do, you know, to get myself and to continue to stay healthy and to, you know, just incorporate movement into my daily life. I'm going to run a 5K and now the idea of it was great the fresh air, the rhythm, the freedom. But in reality it was so challenging. But I knew I wanted to do something and I wanted to challenge myself. So I'm like you know what, I'm signing up, I'm going all in and I even convinced my husband to run this 5K with me. So I started training and let me tell you it was a ride.

Speaker 1: 5:05

So let's talk about challenges, because if we're being real, everything when we start to really look at okay, I want to have a healthier life, I want to do something for myself. That's different. We're talking about stepping out of our comfort zone, right. Anytime we step out of our comfort zone, we challenge ourselves to look at life or look at certain things in a different way. And the first thing I had to do was really look at my eating habits because, yes, I've gotten healthier. Yes, I love doing some vegan meals at least once or twice a week, but I still love my French fries and I love ice cream. I love some Hodge and Dodge white chocolate truffle. I love mint chocolate chip and I love my favorite is birthday cake, and you cannot take me around some birthday cake and not expect me to eat it Like I'm going to do it. So those are like my weaknesses.

Speaker 1: 5:59

That I knew like okay, I got to kind of buckle down here and I need to be more conscious about how my food was making me feel Like, you know, swapping out some of those French fry meals at Chick-fil-A for something healthier like a salad or doing smoothies, and getting back to meal prepping, which is really kind of what I wanted to hone in on anyway, which is why I was like you know, if I train for a 5K, you know I have to eat better. You know I have to. You know, really like get myself together and say, okay, girl, you got to do this thing. And I think the hardest part was hydration, because I am the person who I get the water bottle and I have it sit next to me and I always have to remind myself to drink. I'm not one of those people that just automatically drinks. It's like a constant. Okay, did you finish the water? Did you drink the water? Like all the things and I love making.

Speaker 1: 7:01

If you've been with me for a while, you know I love doing the infused water and cucumber mints, like that's my favorite some lemon water and it's really good for you and that's how I kind of motivate myself to drink water. But there were times when I would forget to drink and I would end up drinking maybe like eight ounces all day. And then I'm trying to chug down some water at night and we all know when we drink late at night we're walking all night long going back and forth to the bathroom. So it was just amazing just to like do all of that and try to break habits and build better habits. And there were some moments where your girl was like I'm so over this thing and honestly, you know, a part of me was like okay, 5k is like 3.1 miles. I mean, how bad, can it be right? Famous last words.

Speaker 1: 7:59

So there were moments when I started out in the gym and I was running on the treadmill, which is great, there's nothing wrong with running on a treadmill. But I'm telling you, running on that treadmill did not prepare me for running outside and because I was training in the winter, it was cold outside and your girl does not do cold weather. So it was different. But let me tell you, it was something about getting out there and starting to run and we ran on like this beautiful day. So it was really nice outside.

Speaker 1: 8:36

And I'm running, me and my husband started off, you know, kind of like doing like a light jog and all of a sudden, like my lungs started to feel like they were burning, like I had swallowed a campfire, and into mile two, my legs felt like lead and I trained. But I'm going to be honest, I did not give it my all. I'd sometimes skip a run, half effort, a workout, thinking you know what, I'll be fine, it wasn't fine. And that's the thing about when we decide to challenge ourselves. Sometimes we're like we cut corners oh girl, I got this, I can do this, and yeah, we can. But here's the tea.

Speaker 1: 9:18

The thing was, I finished and my husband, we ran that five gate together. You know he kind of left me, he kept going, which was great, because you know what I needed that moment. I needed the opportunity to do this thing for me and when I crossed that finish line, all sweaty and exhausted, a part of me couldn't believe that I had done it, because I'm going to tell you by my own two. When those legs felt healthy, I really thought about turning around and going back and pretending that I finished. I'm not going to lie, but I stuck it out and that's what hit me, that this wasn't about being physically fit, it was about being mentally fit. That burning in my lungs, those heavy legs. They were tough.

Speaker 1: 10:05

But the real battle was in my head, the voice saying you can't do this. Makita, quit, now Turn around. Why are you doing this? Who do you think you are? That you can run a 5K, but I didn't. And that's the seed I planted. Not a perfect race, but proof that I could push through when it got hard. Now I know you're probably thinking running isn't for everyone, it's not my cup of tea and it doesn't have to be. This isn't about running.

Speaker 1: 10:39

Running is what got me to this moment of self-reflection, to have the conversation, maybe what your challenge is. What do you want to challenge yourself to do? Maybe it's picking up a paintbrush, learning to bake or just taking a walk every day and owning it like it's your victory lap. The point is to do something that stretches you, something that makes your heartbeat a little faster, not just from effort, but from excitement, because that's where growth happens. There's science behind this, too, you guys. So studies from the American Psychological Association show that tackling challenges, even the small ones, builds resilience and boosts your sense of purpose. One study even said that people who chase personal goals like running a 5K or mastering a new skill, they feel more confident and alive. A new skill they feel more confident and alive.

Speaker 1: 11:46

It's not about the finish line, and that's what I had to learn. It was about the courage to start in the first place, and anytime we do anything, it's always the getting started that takes the longest. It's getting up and doing it. It's getting up and doing it. That's the powerful seed that you plant. So I want you to steep on that for a minute. Okay, I want you to think what's that thing? You've been putting off, that little whisper saying maybe I could, and then I want you to close your eyes. Well, not if you're driving, but I want you to picture it. Is it a dance class? Maybe you're taking some salsa lessons, some tango? Maybe it's writing poetry. Maybe it's going to your first poetry session and standing up and doing it. Maybe it's finally tackling that messy closet and reorganizing. There's something about organizing that makes me feel good too, so I get that.

Speaker 1: 12:57

You know I wasn't ready for how hard running could feel, but sticking it out taught me more about myself than I ever expected, and I want that for you Not perfection, but possibility. What's the seed waiting to be planted in your life? That's what I want you to think about. I want you to think about those moments, because we can all verbally say, yeah, I want to do something, but what happens when we just challenge ourselves to do the impossible, to do the thing that we've always wanted? You know, life is full of lessons and mindlessness. Those seeds we plant, those moments we say I'm doing this, they grow into something incredible.

Speaker 1: 13:51

Now there's also this research called neuroplasty, and it says that every time you push past a discomfort, your brain rewires itself to handle life better. Now, that 5K didn't just strengthen these legs, it strengthened my mind. Didn't just strengthen these legs, it strengthened my mind. And that's what I want you to sip on today the idea that you're not just surviving a challenge, but you're growing through them, and you don't have to race to feel that. You just have to start something, anything and see it through.

Speaker 1: 14:22

So my challenge for you today, right here and right now is what's next for you? What's that one thing tugging at your soul? And I don't want you to overthink it, okay, I just want you to pick it. I want you to write it down, tell a friend, speak it into existence, and if it feels too big to say it out loud to anyone, I want you to whisper it to yourself. You know, whisper it over and over to yourself, because this isn't about being ready. Sometimes we think we have to be ready, we have to have this perfect moment. The stars have to align, everything has to have to get a sign, all these things have to happen. But no, this isn't about being ready, because when life happens, we're never ready. It's about being willing.

Speaker 1: 15:12

Plant that seed today, water it with your effort, even if it's messy, even if you stumble, even if you get like me. You're standing there at the two mile mark like one, ready to throw in the towel. It doesn't have to be perfect. It can be messy, you can stumble, you can fall, you can get back up. You may not win the prize, it doesn't matter, because the power isn't in the outcome, it's in the choice to begin and stick with it. So stop waiting and stick with it. So stop waiting. You are already the perfect you, you are enough right now to take the first step. So stand up, figuratively or literally, and say it with me.

Speaker 1: 15:56

Say this with me, you guys. I'm planting my seed, I'm starting my challenge, I am claiming my strength. I say it again I am planting my seed, I am starting my challenge and I'm claiming my strength because this is your moment. This is what's next for you and I want you to go and make it happen. Is what's next for you and I want you to go and make it happen. All right, that is all the tea that I have to spill today, but I want to thank you for sharing your space with me and I hope this journey and me sharing this 5k journey with you and what I learned, both mentally and physically, helps get you a little fired up about planting some powerful seeds, and if this stirred something in you, I want you to share it with someone who needs a nudge. Or let me know what challenge you're taking on next. I would love to hear it. Until next time, my friends namaste.