Raise your hand if you exercise every day. Now, bend at the elbow and pat yourself on the back a time-or-two!
Move it or lose it is not just one of those quirky sayings, it IS absolutely true. The subtitle of my book “Navigating the tides of aging to end of life care: A daughters journey to reclaim her own rhythm” has been my raw truth for many years.
In quoting from my book, “Sometimes, the sacrifice of serving chisels away at our health slowly and silently until one day, the outside begins to reflect the imbalance of what’s been slowly taking place on the inside.” Slow, and quiet, then BAM, you don’t even recognize who’s body you are in anymore. After mom’s passing, physical and mental exhaustion hit me like a freight train. I felt as though I was shriveling from the inside out. Seriously, from a plump juicy grape turning into a shriveled little raisin. Sweet as a raisin, yes, but still felt sad and somewhat shriveled, none-the-less.
Day-to-day. Slowly and quietly, in using the outdoors and nature, and yes, that is a big rock I use to work my arms (whatever!) I’m disciplined and making big effort to course correct, reverse and gain back what I lost along the way. And I’m sweating again! Who would ever think to celebrate something so, well, gross? Sweating is a clear sign of movement and detoxification from the inside out. And believe it or not, it needs to be celebrated because it’s a sure signal that the internal functions of my body are waking up again! Exhaustion can and will destroy your muscle structure. It causes inflammation deep into the body causing joint pain, sleepless nights, gut issues, headaches, foggy brain and sadly so much more. Don’t ignore the signs!
I am beyond grateful that I can exercise every day. Three years ago that was not my story. Do I want to rise early to beat the street? Nope! But I do, and with a grateful heart, as I remind myself of the days I was unable to move freely.
If you need to course correct in your thoughts and commitment around exercise and movement there’s no time like the present. It doesn’t have to be hard, but it does have to be! Nature, a gym, yoga, Chair Pilates? Move it or lose it. Whatever it looks like for you just make it happen, because the alternative can and will be brutal.
Now get out there and move to the rhythm of knowing just how SPECTACULAR you really are! And drop me a line when you start sweating again, we can celebrate together!