This picture always makes me chuckle! It was following the Fargo Marathon a year ago. I borrowed it for a kodak moment from one of the real “elite” athletes who was running that day. What does it mean to be elite? Does it mean that those individuals run faster, and win their age category in races? Maybe it means someone who is always pushing themselves, trying to improve their own health, and their life. Maybe it means encouraging or motivating someone else to improve their life and health. We can all be elite to some extent or another. We all have good days and bad days, whether with our diet, trying to exercise, or just everyday life. Good days and bad days are a part of life. We keep going to enjoy all of those good days, and improve ourselves enough that we can endure those bad days when they come…because those bad days will come. How we handle them can also help define who we are.
Some days you may find yourself hanging on…literally! It is those bad days, those storms, that build us up. They make us stronger. They make us better able to adapt to those changes in life, and knowing that we don’t always have control over those changes in our lives. How we handle those adversities can define us as an individual. “Weather the storm!” We all encounter different things in our lives that make things “stormy”… challenging…difficult. How we handle them makes us who we are. Make the best of the situation, and good days will be coming to enjoy even more. How we help others also make a very significant statement as well.
Is there really any better feeling that this? I have taken care of people for years, both when things are good, and when things are not. We are all going to leave this world someday, and one of the things I hear the most from people is a recurring theme: “Did my life make a difference?” Make a difference to who? Your family? Your friends? You?
If you are there for somebody else when they need help, then you can safely say you made a difference. That should also be one of our goals. That would make us elite!
Running is still my favorite sport/exercise. I am learning new activities while recovering with my stress fracture/plantar fasciitis. I am getting closer to getting back to running. But, this has forced me to do other activities, and to believe in myself that I actually can do other activities. When I think deep down on this, this is probably going to be a good thing. At least I am taking advantage of learning new things while not being able to run. But, running will always be my passion. It is my escape, my time for me. There are those days when everything is just effortless, and I feel I can go on forever. Then, there are those bad days as well. Not everything can be perfect. I found this next picture that truly describes running for me.
Exactly! My time to figure things out. My time for me. When you don’t have something for awhile, and then are able to get it back, you appreciate it even more. That is what it will be like when I get back to running. I am hoping I am going to appreciate it even more.
That is the lesson here. Don’t give up on yourself. This is the perfect time to work on this. A new year to take control. A new year to make some changes. It is time to become “elite” in one way or another. Don’t stop believing in yourself. Believe, believe, believe! If you don’t, who will? The strength you find in those stormy days helps fulfill your life even more, and it makes those good days even better! Don’t stop believing! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 4120
