Those who know me know I am not a big exerciser. Er. I haven't been a big exerciser, but I have set a goal to complete The 3 Day this year, so I have become one. That's what's great about developing focus. You just decide on a new aspect of your identity, and then act as that new identity. God, or the Great Creator (sure, some Native American god, whatever works for you) sends us sources and events that allow us to become a better expression of who we were created to be, and we just have to be paying attention in order to notice them ... it is often like a gentle alarm clock that starts off faintly and gradually becomes more insistent until we sit up and take notice. And then, before you know it, you're in connection with the flow of good orderly direction, heading toward grace!
I have a bad knee from injuries many years ago and recently started to have some stress-related joint issues in my big toe at a job I was not loving. The toe was excruciating really, and the knee can be at times. Truth be told, I'd prefer not to go into the specifics, because it brings me back to some emotions I'd really rather not have: mostly fear (Oh my word, I can't stand, I can't even think about anything else because the pain is fogging my mind ... am I permanently disabled? Who is going to care for my aging father? For Petunia and Tamale (my dogs)? Am I going to pass out? No, but maybe burst into tears ... :) pain, embarrassment (although some people I worked with were incredibly kind, I thought I might be getting gout and would be judged for somehow bringing this on myself, that I might lose my independence - this is a time when my grief over not having a life partner can really reach up and grab me). But it led to this great gift, this opportunity to rethink my identity around health and vitality. Here's the story.
Well, I left that unhappy job last week and suddenly have had time for conscious movement as often as I would like. All at once, I have been moving again on my own terms because I could, and I have remembered that I love it! Warm-ups on the treadmill, yoga and balance exercises, tons of movement to train my brain and my body to remember how to communicate again. I love moving, paying attention to my body, having the freedom to discipline myself every day, and the blessing of my yoga teacher training and some great podcasts to tell me exactly what I need to do to get healthy again.
As I have begun paying attention to my body (and not the unhelpful and superficial and ego-driven attention I was giving it when certain clothing items didn't fit the way I would like them to), I have started thinking about what I can do with it that will give me a GOAL (I do well with specific, time-sensitive goals with some sort of external accountability) and more JOY in my life - the kind of joy that comes from doing something new and having fun while doing it.
Then I remembered that I always wanted to do a challenging physical event that would really push my body, and I realized that taking that goal on now sounded fun. Some of the events have been cancelled or indefinitely postponed because of the pandemic, but not all of them, and somehow without my even realizing it, I just had a feeling that I should revist doing something I had always wanted to do, and I went to the website to check, and sure enough The 3 Day is happening later this year, with one location very near where Dad lives. Hmmm, that sounded interesting, and it's only walking so that doesn't sound too intimidating. A 60-mile walk over the course of three days. Raises funds for Komen for the Cure and promotes awareness to fight breast cancer (my mother died from breast cancer eight years ago). I was intrigued. Here is an alarm clock going off. Time to do a little research.
First, is this something I want to train for with other friends who are not big exercisers? I am a bit intimidated to join a group that already has done this event before ... they will be faster, stronger, more flexible - everything I would like to be in my body but am not yet. So I may ask a couple of girlfriends. But I have a feeling one of them is going to decline, as she is currently facing the likelihood of a total hip replacement and committing to three days of walking six months from now is probably not in the cards for her, regardless of whether she is pre- or post-surgery at that point. LOL, right?! The other is likely not going to want to travel to New England for The 3 Day.
For now, I have decided to dive into the pool alone.
As I'm contemplating that, I have tackled the next order of business ... would my body be ready?
I've done research on The 3 Days's website and other places, and all the news is yes! Six months is plenty of time to do the recommended training plan.
So I am commiting: one of my three main goals for the next three months is to get in the best shape of my life, and I'm looking forward to hopefully working with a life coach who can give me some homework in this area. One thing I've done to get myself started is to listen to Louise Hay's Atmospheres and Affirmations. Man, people like her and Tony Robbins amaze me! It's not always about hearing something new and earth-shattering (although sometimes I do), it's hearing from people who say things in a certain way ... totally confident, totally centered, totally in divine flow. I'm listening and doing exercises on who I WAS and who I am now choosing to be, and it's becoming clear. My expanded identity includes being fast, strong, flexible, and balanced ... and registering for The 3 Day is the perfect way to step into this new identity.
And I've begen the training process. 3 miles one day, day of rest, 3 miles one day, day of rest ... then 30 minutes cross training. Then 3 miles the next day, 3 miles the day after that. The next week is the same, except one day goes up to 4 miles. Week after is the same, except one day is 4 miles and another day is 5 miles. On the off days, I am going to try the elliptical, and I'm also doing daily yoga and calisthenics. Regardless of where I am on the walking training, I'm really going to hold myself accountable to daily yoga. The training plan is 24 weeks long, and I'm 26 weeks out, so I will need to buckle down soon. Got the training plan on my phone and yoga podcasts all downloaded.
Yes, I've got tons of motivational playlists from Hay House and others to keep my brain busy while I work out!
I am thrilled to say, "I am now a big exerciser!"
Can't yet tell you that I love exercising, though I'm hoping that will come, but I can tell you I LOVE the feeling after. There is nothing like the sweaty, slighty sore, incredibly powerful, slightly looser feeling after you have stretched your body just past the edge of its limits, with a mind and soul now able to imagine new possibilities.
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