Part 2 of a Two Part Blog Series
By, Carolyn Fetters
In my most recent blog, I suggested that we reframe our mindset entirely about our fitness and physical health as we age, to be more accepting of where we are at this stage of life. Shift away from comparing your current self to who you used to be.
Maybe you’re not where you want to be at the moment, but you have the confidence that comes with age to know where you want to go. Take pride in how far you’ve come and what you still desire to achieve. Don’t spend one second wishing, waiting, or worrying about where you are in life. Be present and know that you have the ability to be the best version of yourself.
Pause here for a long breath, and take a moment to appreciate your body’s ability to move and how fortunate you are to be able to do the “thing.” I guarantee that you know someone who is no longer capable of moving the way that you are and would love to!
I want to share something personal with you. I have a daughter who developed Cerebral Palsy due to an extremely premature birth. She is now 31 years old and although CP is considered a “non-progressive” disorder, her physical abilities have become more and more difficult. She is extremely proactive with her physical therapy and movement, but I have always sensed that she is like a fierce athlete trapped inside a body that at times betrays her. What she wouldn’t give to have the same physical abilities that her identical twin gets to do.
One more personal story.
Many years ago we had a client in our gym, Steve, who had Arthritis throughout his entire body. He was in constant pain but he knew that he needed to strength train to maintain what he could of his muscular and skeletal integrity. At this time I was seriously into training for a half marathon and made a casual comment that “I had to go for a run” in front of Steve. He looked me dead in the eye and said: “Carolyn, I’d kill to run. Whenever you feel like you don’t want to run, think of it as you get to run and realize that is such a blessing and privilege.”
Sadly Steve is no longer with us, as he developed ALS and succumbed to the disease rapidly. I think of him each and every run and tell myself how fortunate I am that I get to!
In closing, if there are times that you feel less than enthused with your current physical capabilities or just don’t feel like doing something physical, think of someone in your life that simply cannot do what you’re capable of and say to yourself;
“I am so blessed that I get to.”