To That Person In The Mirror

You can be kind.

You can be thankful.

You can be strong.

You can choose to rise above.

You can choose to see the sunshine, even on the darkest days when blackness pushes in all around and threatens to choke off every sweet, new breath you try to take.

You can breathe. Fully and deeply.

You can gut your way to the end of the workout.

You can fight back. You can hold on.

You can choose better.

Or you can give in, give up, and accept the bitter taste, the bite in your heart, the bite in your tongue, the meanness in your voice. You can be envious of this man's time or that woman's body.

You can live the rest of your days as less than you could be.

I'm hoping you don't. I'm hoping you hold on.

• I'm betting you still got fight in you.

• I'm betting you got a kick at the end of your run.

• I'm betting you really can do one more pull-up and one more clean.

• I'm betting you can be a better friend, a better parent, a better lover ... a better you.

I'm betting on you. C'mon. You can do this. Show us who you really are.