I sit here writing this, my first blog entry, while one foot is wrapped in a bag of frozen peas. This is my curse, I've decided. An injured ankle and a frozen bag of vegetables are what I'm embracing right now. Why? Because I have no choice.
How did this happen?
This isn't my first injury, nor my last I'm sure. Only last year, I tore three ligaments in my left ankle while twisting it running a trail near my home. At that time I thought for sure it was broken. It was my first major injury that limited me from doing my daily activities. I am an avid regular exerciser, or at least attempt to be, running being one of the ways I "check out" mentally and regroup myself after a stressful day.
This time though, the right ankle is the culprit and I have no specific answers as to how I injured it. This is extremely frustrating, as you can imagine. What makes my situation worse is the fact that I'm running a 1/2 marathon in 8 days! Yes, that's right.
Although I'm not attempting to go for a time or pace goal this race, I do want to finish it, and ideally that would include being pain-free.
As any stubborn exerciser does, I admittedly have been ignoring this increasing annoyance in my ankle for a couple days and continued to exercise on it. (WTF!?) Hoping it would work itself out, I am now at a point that I know it's injured, it hurts and I'm not happy about it. Period.
But what good does it do to be miserable and grumpy about something you can't change?
What benefit comes from complaining or putting everything on hold?
We all deal with limits
Ok, so not everyone injures themselves physically, but we all do a bit of emotional damage to ourselves, to some extent, everyday.
-That inner critic that tells you you're not "good enough" - for what? for whom?
-That thought in your head telling you to give up and forget about a dream - if you don't try, you'll never know!
-That voice that tells you you need to look, act, be, say the "right things" - why not be yourself!?
All of these, (and more), are limitations we put on ourselves daily and when dealing with a physical limitation as well, these inner critical thoughts can become louder and more obnoxious!
Limitations are wonderful for the soul
As anyone knows, limitations are cruel. We don't want them. They seem to only be reminders of how we "can't" or "won't" do something. They are bad, negative and horrible.
But are they, really?
Going through the first ankle injury last year, I let that physical limitation control my life, emotionally as well. I felt down, depressed, helpless, hopeless and useless. I felt it happened to punish me for something I did wrong....
But as time went on I learned a valuable lesson from that ankle.
It was like a big sign in front of me that read: "It's time to lean into something new!"
That injury allowed me to step back from my day to day, to really SEE my life through eyes piercing through limits and PUSH THROUGH those limits. No, I didn't push my ankle physically, but emotionally I pushed my limits, my inner critical voice that was telling me I deserved to be injured, to be limited.
"NO," I told myself, "I deserve to be free. This limitation is only a reminder to look within, to grow and to see with clear eyes what truly matters and what does not. To decide what truly lifts me up and helps me and what is holding me back. "
I realized that my inner dialog was negative, unhelpful in my recovery and I saw that for what it was. I made a choice to take limitation as a gift. To use it to support my next move towards recovery.
Embracing the changes
We all experience different situations and go through waves of life circumstances that build who we are and where we're going. That is what limitations are; just another experience we go through.
They do not block us. They do not stop us in our tracks. But they are there to encourage change.
I see them not only as a challenge, but a chore. We must continue on, and if we are physically unable to, we are able to grow mentally, emotionally, spiritually, socially....As long as we are alive, we posses will and choice inside us to change.
To decide to change your thought process in a way that supports and nurtures you is like giving yourself a gift filled with truth!
My journey
Now that I'm faced with another ankle injury I see it in a different perspective. I am grateful for the reminder to step back, take it slow and focus on my total health.
I will take care not to make it worse, but I am determined to finish this race.
How will I get through this 1/2 marathon?
Well, I'm planning to listen to my body and have fun!!! Those are the two most important things to me. Not time, not pace, not winning (haha)... But respecting my body for going through this incredible journey, for allowing me to run and for letting me know when it needs me to stop limiting myself and just be free!
How did this happen?
This isn't my first injury, nor my last I'm sure. Only last year, I tore three ligaments in my left ankle while twisting it running a trail near my home. At that time I thought for sure it was broken. It was my first major injury that limited me from doing my daily activities. I am an avid regular exerciser, or at least attempt to be, running being one of the ways I "check out" mentally and regroup myself after a stressful day.
This time though, the right ankle is the culprit and I have no specific answers as to how I injured it. This is extremely frustrating, as you can imagine. What makes my situation worse is the fact that I'm running a 1/2 marathon in 8 days! Yes, that's right.
Although I'm not attempting to go for a time or pace goal this race, I do want to finish it, and ideally that would include being pain-free.
As any stubborn exerciser does, I admittedly have been ignoring this increasing annoyance in my ankle for a couple days and continued to exercise on it. (WTF!?) Hoping it would work itself out, I am now at a point that I know it's injured, it hurts and I'm not happy about it. Period.
But what good does it do to be miserable and grumpy about something you can't change?
What benefit comes from complaining or putting everything on hold?
We all deal with limits
Ok, so not everyone injures themselves physically, but we all do a bit of emotional damage to ourselves, to some extent, everyday.
-That inner critic that tells you you're not "good enough" - for what? for whom?
-That thought in your head telling you to give up and forget about a dream - if you don't try, you'll never know!
-That voice that tells you you need to look, act, be, say the "right things" - why not be yourself!?
All of these, (and more), are limitations we put on ourselves daily and when dealing with a physical limitation as well, these inner critical thoughts can become louder and more obnoxious!
Limitations are wonderful for the soul
As anyone knows, limitations are cruel. We don't want them. They seem to only be reminders of how we "can't" or "won't" do something. They are bad, negative and horrible.
But are they, really?
Going through the first ankle injury last year, I let that physical limitation control my life, emotionally as well. I felt down, depressed, helpless, hopeless and useless. I felt it happened to punish me for something I did wrong....
But as time went on I learned a valuable lesson from that ankle.
It was like a big sign in front of me that read: "It's time to lean into something new!"
That injury allowed me to step back from my day to day, to really SEE my life through eyes piercing through limits and PUSH THROUGH those limits. No, I didn't push my ankle physically, but emotionally I pushed my limits, my inner critical voice that was telling me I deserved to be injured, to be limited.
"NO," I told myself, "I deserve to be free. This limitation is only a reminder to look within, to grow and to see with clear eyes what truly matters and what does not. To decide what truly lifts me up and helps me and what is holding me back. "
I realized that my inner dialog was negative, unhelpful in my recovery and I saw that for what it was. I made a choice to take limitation as a gift. To use it to support my next move towards recovery.
Embracing the changes
We all experience different situations and go through waves of life circumstances that build who we are and where we're going. That is what limitations are; just another experience we go through.
They do not block us. They do not stop us in our tracks. But they are there to encourage change.
I see them not only as a challenge, but a chore. We must continue on, and if we are physically unable to, we are able to grow mentally, emotionally, spiritually, socially....As long as we are alive, we posses will and choice inside us to change.
To decide to change your thought process in a way that supports and nurtures you is like giving yourself a gift filled with truth!
My journey
Now that I'm faced with another ankle injury I see it in a different perspective. I am grateful for the reminder to step back, take it slow and focus on my total health.
I will take care not to make it worse, but I am determined to finish this race.
How will I get through this 1/2 marathon?
Well, I'm planning to listen to my body and have fun!!! Those are the two most important things to me. Not time, not pace, not winning (haha)... But respecting my body for going through this incredible journey, for allowing me to run and for letting me know when it needs me to stop limiting myself and just be free!
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