How strength training helps me train for life

Strength training has helped me train for other areas of my life.

Today I took three of my four kids to the doctor for checkups. Since the office is an hour away in a bigger town, I like to make the trip count, so after appointments, we headed to Publix for groceries.

Getting out the door required the usual level of “mom logistics.”
Last night I laid out clothes, packed the diaper bag, and gathered snacks and activities. This morning I woke up early so I could shower and get myself ready before waking the kids. My oldest went to breakfast with his grandparents so he could go to school later. The rest of us made the trek.

Checkups went smoothly, and an hour later we walked out with clean bills of health and headed to the store.

Publix has those amazing grocery carts with extra seats for kids, and I grabbed one. Normally, I wear the baby in a carrier and let the big kids ride.

Except… I forgot the baby carrier.
And the cart I needed for the kids wasn’t big enough to hold a car seat.

So there I was, holding the baby in one arm, steering the cart with the other.

By the grace of God, this cart must have been brand new, meaning no squeaky wheels, no drifting sideways across the aisle. That alone felt like a win.

For the next thirty minutes, I walked through the store holding the baby, pushing the cart, grabbing groceries, and making it work.

Was I uncomfortable? Absolutely.
Was it my first choice? No.
Did I want to give up and go home? Sure did.

But I didn’t.

And here’s what amazed me: I was uncomfortable, but I wasn’t in pain. My back held strong—a miracle in itself—and proof that physical therapy is working. My grip strength was solid. My energy held steady.

By the time we loaded into the car, I was tired… but not exhausted. I still had energy left. I still had patience. I still had joy.

And because I was regulated, my kids were regulated. They had fun. They stayed calm. They matched my attitude.

It easily could have been a stressful, unpleasant trip for all of us.
But it wasn’t.

Strength training is helping me train for the rest of my life.

The squats, lunges, and bicep curls may feel pointless, but I used all of those moves today, multiple times. I had to squat to pick children up and put them in carts. I lunged to grab groceries and buckle kids in car seats. My biceps felt like they were frozen in a curled position while I held the baby.

Strengthening those muscles has helped me prepare for other areas of life when I need to use those muscles.
I am stronger. I am more patient. I am more resilient.
And, I mean this literally, I can lift multiple children and a cart full of groceries at once.