That may seem like a strange title but then I'm a strange person.
Here's how I came up with it. As is now obvious from my posts of the last few weeks I've been struggling a bit with my emotional health...well okay....struggling a lot :)
But that's okay cause I'm doing everything I can to fix it, and I got lots of support, so I bet I get through it.
Meanwhile "getting through it" is a challenge, especially as relates to the drugs. I don't know how they effect others but for me they are pretty frustrating for the first while. It seems like they make me more tired, more anxious, and more depressed. Yes. Yes. I know! That's gonna go away pretty soon, and if I was a different person I would just wait patiently for "pretty soon" to happen.
The thing that scares me a bit is that I haven't felt like exercising since I started taking them, and as I have probably mentioned before, that's no good for me.
But I've also pointed out before that the good habits, or the obsession if you will, that I have developed over the last 8 years now stands me in good stead, because somehow I mange to drag my self out there most days.
True to that, I got dressed this morning and headed outside, strictly with the intention of doing something. Walking, jogging, sightseeing, whatever.
And whether it's a good thing or not I always wear my GPS and my heart rate strap, so I can collect all the useless data. As I started out today, barely running at a 7 min/km pace, it occurred to me that what I was doing was probably the very best thing possible. I was doing the best I could with what I had today. I was outside in the fresh air, and I was getting my heart rate up!
So it occurred to me to ask myself why I was even monitoring my pace or my heart rate, and I instinctively knew the answer. I was wearing the technology because I'm always in competitive mode. Perhaps just with myself, but it's always there. Always thinking about making a comeback, always thinking about previous standards, always thinking about what if, and maybe!!!
And that's when it hit me. What if I went out running each day with no purpose other than the exercise? With no motive other than improving my health; physical, emotional and spiritual???
I know it seems ludicrous that this is a revelation to me because normal people generally exercise for their health, but I'm a slow learner.
Anyway, that's what I learned today, and if I remember it tomorrow, I will try to do the same thing. The beauty of it is, that I know that sometimes it's better for my health to go slower, so perhaps this new attitude will remove one stressor from my daily routine.
It also probably means that I won't be doing much bike riding for a while, just because it's such a pain to prep for that. And I think that's okay too. If I can jog for 30-40 minutes, 5 or 6 days a week, I'm pretty sure that'll keep my veins open. Life is good, if challenging at times.
"You're in pretty good shape for the shape you are in."---Dr Seuss
Love
Peter
Here's how I came up with it. As is now obvious from my posts of the last few weeks I've been struggling a bit with my emotional health...well okay....struggling a lot :)
But that's okay cause I'm doing everything I can to fix it, and I got lots of support, so I bet I get through it.
Meanwhile "getting through it" is a challenge, especially as relates to the drugs. I don't know how they effect others but for me they are pretty frustrating for the first while. It seems like they make me more tired, more anxious, and more depressed. Yes. Yes. I know! That's gonna go away pretty soon, and if I was a different person I would just wait patiently for "pretty soon" to happen.
The thing that scares me a bit is that I haven't felt like exercising since I started taking them, and as I have probably mentioned before, that's no good for me.
But I've also pointed out before that the good habits, or the obsession if you will, that I have developed over the last 8 years now stands me in good stead, because somehow I mange to drag my self out there most days.
True to that, I got dressed this morning and headed outside, strictly with the intention of doing something. Walking, jogging, sightseeing, whatever.
And whether it's a good thing or not I always wear my GPS and my heart rate strap, so I can collect all the useless data. As I started out today, barely running at a 7 min/km pace, it occurred to me that what I was doing was probably the very best thing possible. I was doing the best I could with what I had today. I was outside in the fresh air, and I was getting my heart rate up!
So it occurred to me to ask myself why I was even monitoring my pace or my heart rate, and I instinctively knew the answer. I was wearing the technology because I'm always in competitive mode. Perhaps just with myself, but it's always there. Always thinking about making a comeback, always thinking about previous standards, always thinking about what if, and maybe!!!
And that's when it hit me. What if I went out running each day with no purpose other than the exercise? With no motive other than improving my health; physical, emotional and spiritual???
I know it seems ludicrous that this is a revelation to me because normal people generally exercise for their health, but I'm a slow learner.
Anyway, that's what I learned today, and if I remember it tomorrow, I will try to do the same thing. The beauty of it is, that I know that sometimes it's better for my health to go slower, so perhaps this new attitude will remove one stressor from my daily routine.
It also probably means that I won't be doing much bike riding for a while, just because it's such a pain to prep for that. And I think that's okay too. If I can jog for 30-40 minutes, 5 or 6 days a week, I'm pretty sure that'll keep my veins open. Life is good, if challenging at times.
"You're in pretty good shape for the shape you are in."---Dr Seuss
Love
Peter
All of this makes so much sense to me, but especially the competition part. I don't think that most people realize how destructive "most" competition is. I think there are very few circumstances when we become better people through competition; some, but not many. Better, happier, kinder people is always the result of exercise and fresh air. Love you, bro!
ReplyDeleteLove this post! And totally agree with Aunt Elly! <3
ReplyDeleteKeep on keepin on Pete xo
ReplyDelete