If there ever was a truer statement, it is this: Change is blowing in the wind! Any decent weather temperature wise has led to incredibly windy days. We have had some days where it is still cold and blowing. Out of all of these, you are able to see change happening. Some days with ice, then the sun, then ice again, and cold, then back to warm. It was 64 degrees out Saturday morning for a run! What??? Then the wind picked up of course, and then later in the day, the temperature plummets.
When the clouds start moving in, you never know what you are going to get. But one thing is for sure, it can also lead to some really cool scenery as well! (Cool as in amazing, not cold!)
Earlier in the week we still had a lot of ice, and that made for some really nice pictures too!
Even the birds don’t know how to handle all of this wind!
But Spring is coming. Change is coming. We may just need to figure out how to hang on better before the wind “moves” us around too! Changes in life are always going to happen. We need to figure out how to deal with it, and “sail” along with it, and let it take control before we crash into something. Put your head down, and keep your feet on the ground, and brace yourself to take on whatever life throws at you. And if you are out and about, take pictures of the changes you see. It really is interesting when you learn to pay attention to the little things in life. Those little things once again become the big things.
Sometimes you have to be just like the geese, and know how to maneuver that wind, and come in for a landing gracefully. Keep moving everybody!
Happy Easter to you all! I am going to keep it short and sweet this week. It has been a roller coaster of emotions. I got to spend a good portion of the weekend with my daughter, son-in-law, and grandson Connor! You can’t help but smile and feel good when he is around. I needed this right now. My mom has been struggling this week in regard to her health and is right now doing rehab in the hopes that she will be able to go back home. At 88 years of age, it is becoming more of a struggle. Age is catching up.
She has been falling a lot, and it just makes me sick seeing her get hurt. We all someday are going to come to the point when we are going to lose our independence, and it won’t be fun. She is trying to come to grips with this, but it is a continuous battle. I saw all spectrums of life this weekend. I see the beginning again with my grandson and see changes at the other end of the life spectrum with my mom. One end of the spectrum can bring such joy, and the other end much sorrow. The emotions have been rampant this week. If nothing else, appreciate all those people in your life for as long as you have them. Some day they will not be here. With Easter today, it is the perfect time to reflect back on all we are grateful for, and the reasons why. Appreciate those moments…
…because those moments make for the greatest memories going forward. Take care of yourself. Take control of your health and help yourself when and where you can…and keep making memories! Strive to survive!!! Keep moving everybody!
When it comes to exercise, we all have that little voice in our head that we have to get past in order to get something accomplished, or a goal met. That little voice is our self-doubt, or another way of us coming up with an excuse to not do the exercise. “It is too cold outside”; “I am tired”; “I am too busy”; “I am sore”; “Maybe tomorrow”; “I need new shoes before I can do that”; and on and on it goes. Ignore all that self-doubt and get moving.
It is there. Sometimes it may be hiding, or that voice, or force, is very quiet. But it is there! You need to listen to it and “goal” for it.
That little force, or voice, may actually be your spouse in disguise (or friend, training partner, pet, etc), It can be anybody who will, or can, help you get out the door and move. Take advantage of that help!
Yesterday a group of us met at 7AM, on a Saturday morning, and went out and ran 9 miles. By ourselves, several of us probably would not have done that, or for the others who may have, certainly would not have been as enjoyable, or as easy to do, on our own. We all push each other. We spend the whole time talking, just like we do on our run club mornings on Sundays. It is easier to get out of bed when someone else is counting on you as well.
Nowhere is this truer than in South Dakota. 3 weeks ago, we had a weekend in the upper 60’s, and then Winter came back. And the bad part of all of this is it is not done yet! Get out and get moving!
Repeat this again…and again if you need to, or as many times as it takes for it to sink in. You are in charge. Listen to that voice in your head telling you to get moving. That voice telling you that yes it may be tough, but after all is said and done, it will be worth it. A lot of the times if I put something off until later, something else comes up, and now I am trying to cram some type of activity in, and now it is a chore. Or for many of us, that activity just does not get done at all!
If you don’t learn how to push through it, you will never push past it. Listen to the positive points of that little voice in your head. And no, you don’t need medications because you are hearing things! Be positive. Be active. And remember, make it fun. Keep moving everybody!
After exercising on Wednesday this last week, it marked the completion of 3 years in a row of exercising without missing a day. Far from the almost 12 years I had prior to my health issues, but…I am back at it. I may be slower. I may get more tired sooner. But I am out there still doing it. It just makes me feel better when I can get out and move! I have said for years that we all need to have a goal, and have challenges in our life. Those challenges can be both good and bad. I guess I have also realized that turning those bad ones into good ones are what separate us. You can learn from them and get even better. No where is this more true when it comes to the mental aspect of staying consistent, and persistent. Attitude is key. I for one always have to keep reminding myself on the attitude aspect of it. It is easy to get down and feel sorry for yourself. Nobody is going to change it for you. Work at it.
You choose what kind of change you want it to be. Change never comes about without work. You don’t always know what you are made of until those true challenges come about.
You dig deep and you stay focused. And remember, keep coming up with ways to make it fun. If you don’t make working out fun, it will always be a chore, and something you dread. You won’t stay with it very long then either. We were made to move, so MOVE!
Those challenges, and days when it gets tough, can be just like the weather we had Saturday morning. Foggy, not able to see things clearly. But, if you look closely, you can see things shining through. Those “shining” times are make it all worthwhile. Keep looking. Some days those shining moments stay hidden. They are still there. You still woke up that morning to take on a new day. Appreciate it and get ready to take it on. What will life throw at me today? Will it bring something new to me? Will a bring a new challenge? A challenge that may be good or bad? We don’t know. I don’t know. But that also is what brings some excitement and anticipation into things. Look forward to it instead of coming up with things to avoid it or dread it.
And don’t forget to spend time working on those challenges with the ones closest to you. Sarah has always been there for me. I may be the one keeping track all of the time of my consecutive days, but she exercises all of the time too. I don’t know how many days she has exercised every day. For all I know she could have a longer streak than me! Going out and taking pictures helps clear my mind, and it allows me to focus on all of those other things in my life. This next picture sums it up pretty good. It was taking one day this last week.
Keep working on things. Keep challenging yourself. And then put an exclamation point to it like you mean it! How fitting does this picture say it? I did not even realize that it looked like this at the time until I was going over my pictures later. Perfect summary! I will keep working on my streak. What can I say…that is what I do! Make one of your own or get ready to start one. Keep moving everybody!
Ever had those moments when you seem like you are just working like crazy, yet you don’t seem to be making much progress? Or times when you have a goal you want to achieve and you keep putting more effort into it, only to fall short of that goal, or not even come close to completing it? There is no question the things in life we want we have to work hard at it. But there comes a point of diminishing return where you put too much effort into it, or work too hard for something, or for achieving a goal, only to have the results be even worse than you would have imagined. I will use me for an example. My goal has always been to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I have run a marathon now 17 times and have yet to achieve it. Those days now may also be behind me. But I thought that if I worked even harder, ran more miles, put in speed workouts, got up earlier to get going at it, that I would be able to do it. Somewhere in all of this sleep was sacrificed, or my body just said “enough”, and it could not keep going. Not only on some of those marathons did I not come close to a Boston qualifying time, I did worse that I had ever done before. This is where I say “More is Less”, and sometimes we have to figure out that “Less is More” may actually work better. Maybe working harder is not the answer, but working smarter! That may just be the key to everything in life. Work smarter, and those goals or dreams may actually have a chance of achieving reality more.
We all need to learn how to take a break. Whether that break is from exercise, our diet at times, or work. Sometimes we just need to listen to our body and take a break. I still exercise every day, but my recovery days are walking. I will admit this Winter I have done more walking than running, and that is ok. I did a marathon in September, and I think my body just said, “slow down”. How busy things have been the last 6 months (if not the last 2 years!) at the clinic also had something to do with it. I could go out and walk, and relax and unwind, but I did not have the energy to run. We finally took a break and traveled to Alaska a week ago. First time flying since Covid. Boy was it worth it. Perfect example of “Less is More”. Take it easy. Go hiking. Unwind. Get away from the grind of medicine. I got to spend quality time with Sarah. By doing “less” of our usual routine, it returned “more” energy and enthusiasm to come back and go at it again.
We still exercised every day, but it was different activity, and different scenery. We got to spend time together, and not at work.
That is why these last few years I have really gotten interested in pictures, especially sunrise and sunsets. “Less” pressure, “more” relaxation. “Less” stress, “more” fun! I am slowing down enough to enjoy the little things in life, only to realize the little things in life are the important things. We could all learn more on how to do this.
This double rainbow shot was from a few nights ago. I got poured on taking this picture. I had already been out to take some pictures, when it started raining, and then the sunset broke through the clouds, and this showed up. If I had not already been out there, I would have missed it. Taking “more” time to get away and unwind, and creating “less” stress, and “more” enjoyment in life.
My daughter and son-in-law came last weekend for a visit with our grandson Connor. Just getting back we had a ton of things to catch up on, but it could wait. I am not ever going to pass up time with them. I am totally loving this “grandpa” title. Spending “more” time with him makes it easy to have “less” stress and having “less” stress makes for “more” fun! It is impossible not to be laughing and smiling around him. Take a lesson from our grandkids. Slow down. Enjoy life! “More is less, and less is more!” Keep moving everybody and learn to slow down and enjoy the ride. It really does go fast!
Who would have thought Alaska in the wintertime would be fun? The scenery was great. Lots of hiking! We went to a Family Medicine conference for part of it, as Sarah and I were speaking at it. But then the rest was vacation. Hiking every day. Lots of things to see. Here is some of the views we got to encounter while out hiking.
There were lots of wildlife to see as well. Lots of eagles, and moose!
We even came across a bear!
OK, so the bear was not real! I was ok with that. But the scenery was truly amazing.
There was always something different to see out on the trails.
Some days were cloudy, others sunny. The day before we came, they had 5 inches of new snow, and the trees looked really cool.
If you have never been to Alaska, you really are missing out. Whether winter or summer, there is always something to view. The hiking and wildlife were amazing. Sunrise and sunsets were also amazing. Put Alaska on your bucket list if you have never been there. It was well worth the trip. Alaska is so big we only saw a fraction of what is available. It was also nice to get back home and see almost all of our snow gone! It is time for Spring! Keep moving everybody!
