Years ago, I worked with a remarkable woman who had spent more than 28 years in a wheelchair. Her story was heart-wrenching; she had been a pedestrian hit by a drunk driver, causing severe damage to the entire left side of her body, including her arm, leg, ribs, intestines, and skull. Enduring numerous surgeries, even having ligaments in her fingers and toes clipped to uncurl them from the trauma. After nine months in a coma, she faced a life confined to a wheelchair and bed. My role was to provide massages to alleviate her pain.
As I massaged her week after week, I could sense her frustration. One day, I asked her, “What do you want?” Her response shattered my heart; she said, “I want to walk.” At that moment, I was 30 years old, and realized that she had spent almost my entire life in a wheelchair. While I, too, desired that for her, I didn’t know if it was possible.
Unexpectedly, I found myself saying, “I’ll help you walk. What do you want to do when you can walk?” She told me about her desire to go to the casino on her birthday, which had just passed. Determined to make her dream a reality, I promised her we would go next year, not in a wheelchair but walking. It was a spontaneous utterance, but I had an unexplained certainty in my heart.
My approach was to take it one step at a time, similar to how a baby learns to move. We started with her on the floor on her stomach, practicing lifting her head. Then, we worked on rolling over and eventually sitting upright. Gradually, her strength improved, little by little.
A year later, on her birthday, we went to the casino as promised. I assisted her as she walked to the car, sat in an actual seat, and stumbled into the casino. She played the slot machines until exhaustion, and that day, I cried in amazement. She showed me the incredible possibilities of the human body and mind. She begged to do the things we often take for granted. Her determination proved that healing is possible when you truly desire it. She taught me to cherish the ability to move, to walk. I hadn’t known if she would walk again, but I witnessed a miracle firsthand.
We’re not meant to stay in a chronic state of pain weakness and disease. If we are patient and consistent, we can heal. Here are three ways you can start to heal your body.
Start a daily 15-minute yoga practice and increase the time and intensity as you go.
Book a massage at least once a month.
Schedule physical therapy sessions twice a week (insurance often covers this).
Be patient and give yourself a year of consistent effort. If you are interested in doing yoga with me, feel free to let me know.
I did it ! I did it!!! Woo hoo I FREAKING DID IT!!!
Original Intention
Establish the healthy habit of daily exercise
Goal
30 min a day X 30 days= 15 hours
Actual Hours Completed
52 1/2 hours
Commitments
Make Your Workouts Fun- DONE!
Incorporate Variety- DONE!
Incorporate Your Relationships (kids, lovers, friends, family, co-workers, etc..)- WANT TO DO MORE OF THIS!
Work up a Sweat- DONE!
Honor Your Intuition and Your Limitations (know the perfect balance of too much and not enough)- DONE! I feel stronger and am pain/injury free
Get Good Rest (this will really help your workouts)- DONE! My typical sleep pattern is to rest between 10-6
Breathe while working out. (try to keep it in a nice rhythm, even if it’s faster)- DONE!
Hydrate (how else do you expect all the junk in your body to get washed out?)- NEEDS IMPROVEMENT, somedays I was inconsistent
Exercise 30 mins Daily & post it as a comment on my blog- DONE!
Leave Your Workout Spot in Better Condition than When You Showed Up- DONE! My house is spiffy too! 🙂
I have some areas I would like to improve, but overall I FAR surpassed my original goal! As far as my weight, measurements, and body fat go I did not measure those things for this challenge. I feel strongly that being fit and performing daily physical activities are just a natural part of a healthy lifestyle. I focused on enjoying my able body and watching myself grow. I have great momentum on a life long healthy habit and I am sure more physical results will continue to emerge!
Results- Physically
I feel firmer
I am stronger
I am more flexible
I have more balance and endurance
My skin is clearer
My rest is richer
Results- Spiritually
I am feeling more inspired
Results- Emotionally
I am feeling more emotionally stable
Results- Mentally
I am feeling mentally clearer
I am feeling more confident with my decision making
What’s Next for Fitness For ME!
Life is all about growth and expansion! To keep up the momentum I am doing the following things for myself:
Continue daily exercise of 30-60 minutes a day
Deepening my yoga, pilates, dance, gymnastics practices
What I Am Doing For YOU!
It is my pleasure to be able to support you and your fitness journey. To be of better service to YOU I am creating the following :
Wrapping up the formatting and editing of the Fitness Guide to hook you up with your fitness journey!
More blogs and videos!
I am here for you and I’ve got your back! 😉
With love,
Lori
P.S. – Don’t think I forgot to post my last workout! Here is what I did today
Today’s Workout
60 min walk w/ Hailee (the cutest Silky Terrier ever!)
Today’s Workout
60 min Zumba
60 min Yoga- all seated poses
Tip: Have exercises in your fitness program that eliminate pain and discomfort rather than workouts that make you look good. Note: you can do exercises that allow you to FEEL AMAZING and look amazing too! No need to compromise! 🙂
If you are running through life feeling overwhelmed and not really making the impact you know you want, or wishing you felt alive and filled with passion then you are going to LOVE me!
