There is always a way

I love walking; it’s my favorite form of exercise. You can do it anywhere and with minimal equipment. You can also do it at work and not get too sweaty. I used to love to take a walk in the afternoons, after sitting hunched over my computer all day. It was a great way to clear my mind and enjoy the fresh air. Well, since my hip and foot problems, I have had to drastically cut back on how much I walk.

I had two choices:

1. Be really upset about the fact that I couldn’t walk and dwell on what I couldn’t do.

2. Accept the fact that I couldn’t walk as much and find alternative things to do.

I chose #2. It was tough, since the alternatives needed to be low impact and easy to do. I could always do some gentle yoga or stretching in the afternoon. These activities always relax me. This is tough in the colder months though, since my exercise room is in the basement and doesn’t get very warm. I didn’t look forward to going down there, even though I was always glad that I did.

Youtube to the rescue! I have found the most delightful videos with Jessica Smith. The best thing about these videos is her little dog, Peanut, who makes a cameo appearance in almost every workout. Now the purpose of this post isn’t to rhapsodize about the cuteness of Peanut, but it taught me a valuable lesson.  Although, Peanut is pretty darn cute, if I do say so. 🙂

What I learned from this experience:

1. Focus on the positive. What CAN you do, what CAN you change about a situation?

2. Keep trying. I was going to try and be content with the stretching and yoga and try to force myself to do these activities. But, as I was perusing the Internet, I found some fun exercise workouts.

3. Make things fun. I’ll admit it, I really look forward to working out with little Peanut every day. My absolute favorite workout is Terrifying Tabata Cardio Workout. The adorable Peanut appears dressed in several Halloween costumes. It is just too cute and always makes me smile.

4. Get moving! We all should be moving more. It’s getting tougher than ever since we sit hunched over our computers all day. I’m exhausted by 4 pm and would much rather be eating potato chips.

5.  Be present and be happy (as Peanut says).  Enjoy the moment for what it is; stop thinking and worrying about the future.

6. Let your mind go. I love this time because my mind is free to wander. Once again, this blog post was composed while I was exercising.

So what about you? What can you do differently in your life today?

Peanut photo is courtesy of Jessica Smith TV.com.