Time to rest

Last weekend I had a blast. We traipsed around the farmer’s market, went golfing, planted flowers and played in the yard. Today my body crashed. I’ve not exercised today, nor have I missed it. Getting out of bed was a major accomplishment. I’ve also lifted and played with my two-year-old though I’ve become creative at finding quiet, low-impact things to do. Lots of drawing, play dough and reading. My body hurts and I’m tired and I knew I was headed for trouble even while I was picking sweet peas from the market bins. I overdid it and now I will pay. And you know what? It was worth it. I’ve long stopped feeling sorry for myself when I pay the price for doing what I want when I want. I spend much more time in a place of gratitude: I am so grateful, so fortunate that I can golf (though not well and I’m not above using the arthritis as an excuse for poor performance in this case) and that I can stroll along the market aisles and play with my kid. And while weeks like this one are tough, I know with some rest and time, I’ll be back. Sure, arthritis changes the way I do things and sometimes that means I can’t do all that I want. In those moments when my body requires me to be still and quiet – when I am forced to rest – I also have time to reflect on all that I do accomplish. So, while it takes away some things, arthritis has also given me others. In these mandatory cooling off periods, I finally slow down long enough to appreciate the things that sometimes go unnoticed. The days after my busy weekend have included a fair share of challenges and discomfort. Do I regret any moment of the fun or days following it? Nope.

Family affair

Now with the longer days, I’m spending more time outside with my husband and daughter. It’s become part of our routine to take a walk together after dinner and I find that that has become as good for my soul as my body. It seems that we talk (when I’m not huffing and puffing) easier as we move along. We use the time to connect after our busy day and to talk about plans for the future or parenting strategies. We push our daughter in the stroller and we always make a point to thank her for “exercising” with us and reminding her how good it feels to be outside with your body moving. Hopefully, instead of viewing exercise as drudgery, she’ll grow up thinking of it as part of her normal routine. For me, these family walks are a chance to exercise my body and strengthen my relationships by spending quality time with both of the people in my life. This is one change that benefits everybody.

Here comes the sun

The sun is out – finally – winter this year in Oregon has been darker and colder than usual. And that has affected my mood. I grew up here. I like the rainy winters that lead to the lush green landscapes. But this year, for the first time, it got to me a bit. With the appearance of the sun today, I feel cheerier and more energetic. With warmer weather, it will be more comfortable to walk around the neighborhood, play outside with my daughter and even have a picnic at the park. So my mood is better, my energy flowing and that is actually causing me to look forward to my exercise. Just shows what a ripple affect your thoughts can have. The only change is in the weather, yet I’m thinking brighter thoughts and feeling better. Now I need to work at creating and maintaining that feeling even when the clouds move back in.

Lots of Change

2008 has unpacked a great deal of surprise changes. I haven't been able to post for some time because of the changes. Tina, my wife, and I were in a serious car accident in early March. Unfortunately my psoriatic arthritis flared badly after the accident. My rheumatologist and I tried hand therapy, something new for me, to lessen the swelling and pain in my right hand. It was helpful, and I learned a great deal about pacing myself, using tools that reduce the strain on my finger and wrist joints, and how to identify when I've pushed my joints to the limit.

Now that my flare from the accident has mostly subsided, I'm giving my exercise routine a boost. I've started using our elliptical more regularly - about 20-30 minutes each night. I'm also taking a stand against the tempting foods in our fridge. To help me watch my weight, I've started using shopping lists and refusing to put unhealthy items on the list. So far this year I've noticed my desire to buy those items has decreased and sticking to the list has helped.

Gas prices have put a small damper on our traveling plans for the summer. Luckily we live only 5 minutes from a great state park! When it hasn't been raining, we've been enjoying some hikes and picnics at the park. My parents even gave us a season pass to the Indiana state parks. So now there's no excuse to not get outside and enjoy the summer.

A couple of unexpected changes are going on this year. Tina is pregnant with our first child, and we are overjoyed! Secondly, I was recently hired as a special education at a local school district. I will be spending my summer planning for these changes and hope for the best.

More thoughts

Making a lasting change has become more about my mental strength than physical. Those are better odds anyhow, because while my body isn’t so sharp, my mind is, (or at least that’s what I like to think.) Eating well on the nights it would be easier to stop at Taco Bell, is a mental strength thing. Going for a walk, when I’m stiff and sore, is a mental thing. Sure, then I’ve got to figure out how to get my legs to move a mile through the neighborhood, but my body isn’t making the decisions. If my brain says “alright now, get moving” my body will follow. My mind is a tool, one that can help my body, so now it’s time I’ve started using more of it – rather than letting it use me. I’ve written, many times, about how we are the keeper of our thoughts. We choose what to believe, think, feel. And yet, there are days when I feel poorly. Or stressed. Or I think about how tired I am and how much I don’t want to exercise, or how I’ll never get in shape. Time for a little mental awareness. I wouldn’t eat a sandwich that the chef said would kill me, yet there are moments when I find myself filling my head with poisonous thoughts. So, today, and from now on, I’ll refocus and put to positive use the one part of my body that is already strong and healthy. While I become more aware of what I eat and put into my body, I’m also becoming more aware of what I put into my brain.