Move Your Body
Just do it! You’ll be so glad you did!
There’s a paraphrased precept in one of my favorite Audible (affiliate link) guided yoga sessions: “Taking care of the present is taking care of the future.”
I’ve had a few major surgeries and being able to walk again afterwards was the goal, with running again as the dream. I did all of my physical therapy, had great medical direction, and came back strong after each surgery. So strong, that after I was running, my doctor decided to use running as a “metric” of how strong my muscles are, since he could tell I was adamant about being able to move. He said I should always be able to run two miles comfortably, and that meant that I was maintaining strong muscles to support my skeletal structure and soft tissue/ligaments. From goal to standard!
After being relegated to a bed for weeks, then reliant on crutches for weeks more after each surgery, mobility is something I fight to resist taking for granted. When I start to grumble about all of the groceries I have to carry up my third floor walk-up, I catch myself. I could be facing something that was once insurmountable without people carrying me and all my things. Literally. Thank goodness I have the power do this all on my own!
I still run, but not as frequently as I used to. I use it more for mental health sustainment than I do physical, but there is no replacement for the rolling sweat a good run can pull out of you. I lift 2-3 times a week and do yoga as able. I make a point of moving, of breaking a sweat and getting rid of that extra built up energy.
Today, in the gym, after having lifted yesterday, I decided to run a bit and then do some yoga. I felt like a pure powerhouse throughout the whole workout. Repeatedly I thanked my past self for having been so diligent these last many months in using the gym to stay sane from work nonsense. It helps clear my head, spend time sorting through what’s weighing on my heart, and energize the soul. And I could physically feel my strength to boot.
There’s nothing like doing something purely for yourself. Its funny that I had to learn that I like being nice to myself, but I did, and it feels great. Today I held some planks for far longer than I used to be able to, and felt so strong even when shaking. I felt like I was going to sprint off the treadmill while hammering out the paces. Even if it was all in my head, it’s a great feeling to feel that strength surge within your own frame.
I am grateful for my mobility. I am grateful for the time and space I make to improve my physical self because of all of the benefits it brings my overall health. When you feel your absolute strength and power, you will have a hard time second-guessing yourself. You won’t feel beholden to what others tell you is “good” for you, because you’ll know what is good for you. You’ll feel it in your core. You’ll know by what you’re drawn to, and what’s drawn to you. You’ll celebrate how wonderful you feel because your old self invested in you. And you’ll probably feel a bit of a high from that gratitude. Or maybe just the endorphins.
How will you move today to help your future you be stronger in mind and body? How are you actively investing in yourself?
