2019 Brought a lot of changes for me, as I am sure it did for you too. For me, it brought me back to the reality that I am human. It also took away from me something that has been a part of my life for many decades–running! It has been a battle trying to get back to what is part of me, but it is slowly coming. A friend of ours, Jill, is trying to get a bunch of us together to make a vision board for this year. I have to admit, I had to do some checking on this to even see what a vision board is! It basically comes down to what do you want to see out of your life for this year. It is a way of reflecting on your goals, and attempting to come up with ways for us as individuals to figure out what we want out of our lives. What is a good life? What makes life valuable or worth living? Before you are gone in this life, what is it you would hope to have accomplished? What activity or hobbies do you already do, but want to get better at? What are your relationship goals? The list could go on and on. For me, it will start with the main focus: running!
My life revolved around running! I spent time with my family running. Some of my closest friends I have met running. I tell my patients every day they have to work on their diet and activity, and I don’t just tell them, I was living by example. When this was taken away from me for awhile, I admit, I felt lost. I was depressed for awhile. My body could not do it, and then it messed with my mind, which only made it worse. I was trying to figure out my purpose in life. My kidney doctor basically told me I donated my right kidney, but nobody else got to receive the benefit of having it. Wow! I spend my life taking care of other people. This point hit hard. It is one thing to lose my kidney, but why couldn’t somebody else at least have gotten it instead? I struggled with this for awhile, and still do, but am coming more to grips with this. My vision board will take off from this picture!
It starts right here with all of us. If we can’t believe in ourselves, we are not going to get very far. If we don’t care for ourselves, the same thing, we won’t get very far. In order to believe in something, you have to believe you can do it. I had to convince myself that I could run again.
You need to keep digging, and keep fighting, to find the courage within yourself. Never give up. Keep saying “I will try again tomorrow”. Do not give up on yourself. There may be obstacles in the way, and setbacks, but you keep fighting. I have said this on my blog many times that there will be good days and bad days. Keep moving! Keep trying!
I was looking back at some of my running pictures, and this one caught my eye. For me, it showed how I had the grit and determination to push it, to keep trying, to keep running forward. I will be looking at this picture many times this coming year. I had that drive and determination once, and I can have it again! The goals may be different. It may not be about times for awhile, but more so about the fact that I can do what I once did. Time is, after all, only time. How many people have every run a marathon, or even a half marathon, ever? Perspective!
Repeat! Repeat! Repeat! Daily!
One thing for sure, I, and you, do not have to do this alone. We have friends and family for support. For me, those running friends are like family!
They were all running for me, and supporting me when I was in the hospital. Laying in the hospital gave me time to figure out the reality of all of this. My health was no longer going to be the same. My consecutive exercise streak came to a halt. Almost 12 years without missing a day! It is pretty safe to say, I was at the lowest point in my life that I could remember. Looking at this picture when I was laying there helped me get through it. No words can ever express how much this helped me!
Can it really be said any better than this? I want to be remembered as somebody that was there for somebody else when they needed help as well. We never know when that time may come. I guess this also what is involved with being a doctor as well. I do, or try to do, this every day. This is something I will be working on forever. I have to keep reminding myself to do this as well. But the next line is what will be my ultimate goal, not only for this year, but forever!
We are all unique. We all have our own special traits, quirks, habits, annoyances, attributes, etc. We all can work on improving ourselves, but we can start by helping to make somebody else feel like somebody–somebody special! Friends and family!
And especially to Sarah! She has been beside me through this whole roller coaster. She often times takes the brunt of things as well. When you struggle, your spouse puts up with a lot as well. Hang with me! I may need to keep being reminded. All of these pictures shown here will be on my vision board to keep reminding myself as well. Maybe reviewing them several hundred, to several thousand times, will help something sink in more. I signed up for my first half marathon in April this year. It will be my first in over a year, and the first since I have been sick. It is time to start living again. It was fine being a spectator for awhile, but now, enough is enough. I want to be back on the running end of things. I want to be me! Running is part of me. It is me! Imagine! Believe! Achieve! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of New Streak: #280